AMD Radeon 890M vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database currently contains benchmark records for the AMD Radeon 890M, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM has no recorded benchmark scores, making a direct numeric comparison impossible. The 890M posts an average benchmark score of 9210 across ten tests, placing it at the 45th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon Vega 8 at 9221 (0.1% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 at 9273 (0.7% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 at 9294 (0.9% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M at 9302 (1% ahead). This clustering indicates the 890M performs within a tight band of older discrete GPUs, despite being an integrated graphics processor.

The 890M's strongest individual results appear in compute-oriented workloads. Its Geekbench Vulkan score reaches 40808, while its OpenCL score hits 37254. In PassMark tests, the G3D score of 8076 dominates its own sub-scores, with the G2D score at 979 and GPU compute at 4157. The DirectX 9 score of 97 is notably higher than its DirectX 10 score of 33, DirectX 11 score of 73, and DirectX 12 score of 37. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590 provides a modern gaming workload reference point.

Because the N1 20SM has no benchmark entries, its percentile ranking of 50 is based on specification-derived estimates rather than measured results. The absence of test data means the database cannot confirm whether the N1 20SM's higher theoretical specifications translate into real-world performance advantages. The recorded data shows the 890M as a measured quantity, while the N1 20SM remains an unverified entry.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS FP32, which is roughly double the AMD Radeon 890M's 5.939 TFLOPS. Both achieve a 1:1 ratio for FP16, meaning the N1 20SM also reaches 12.01 TFLOPS FP16 while the 890M stays at 5.939 TFLOPS FP16.

Q: How do the memory configurations differ?

A: The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The 890M uses system-shared memory with a system-dependent bandwidth figure, meaning its memory performance varies with the host platform.

Q: What API support does each GPU offer?

A: The 890M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, indicating the database has no confirmed API compatibility data for this part.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The N1 20SM has 2560 shading units compared to the 890M's 1024. The N1 20SM also has 160 texture mapping units versus 64, and 80 tensor cores while the 890M lists none.

Q: How do the boost clocks compare?

A: The 890M boosts to 2900 MHz, while the N1 20SM boosts to 2346 MHz. The 890M's base clock is 400 MHz, and the N1 20SM's base clock is 741 MHz.

Q: What is the pixel and texture rate difference?

A: The 890M achieves 92.80 GPixel/s and 185.6 GTexel/s. The N1 20SM achieves 56.30 GPixel/s and 375.4 GTexel/s. The 890M leads in pixel throughput, while the N1 20SM leads significantly in texture throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 890M wins in scenarios requiring mature driver support and established API compatibility. Its DirectX 12 Ultimate support, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 make it functional across current gaming and productivity applications. The 890M's pixel rate of 92.80 GPixel/s exceeds the N1 20SM's 56.30 GPixel/s, suggesting an advantage in fill-rate-bound workloads such as high-resolution rendering with simple shaders. Its boost clock of 2900 MHz is notably higher, which can benefit lightly threaded tasks that depend on raw clock speed. The 890M also has measured benchmark results, giving builders verifiable performance data across ten different tests.

The NVIDIA N1 20SM wins in raw compute capacity and memory subsystem specifications. Its 12.01 TFLOPS FP32 output is approximately double the 890M's, making it the stronger choice for compute-heavy tasks like physics simulations or machine learning inference, supported by its 80 tensor cores. The 256-bit memory bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth and 128 GB LPDDR5X capacity provides far greater memory headroom than system-shared memory. The N1 20SM's 375.4 GTexel/s texture rate is over double the 890M's 185.6 GTexel/s, indicating superior performance in texture-dense scenes. Its PCIe 5.0 x16 interface offers double the bus bandwidth of the 890M's PCIe 4.0 x8 connection.

The 890M's lower transistor count of 34,000 million on a smaller 233 mm² die suggests better power efficiency potential, though the N1 20SM's power draw is listed as unknown. The N1 20SM's larger 382 mm² die houses 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores, giving it a structural advantage in parallel workloads.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ substantially across nearly every specification field. The 890M uses a 4 nm process node, while the N1 20SM uses 5 nm, both fabricated by TSMC. Transistor counts show 34,000 million for the 890M, while the N1 20SM's transistor count is listed as unknown. Die sizes are 233 mm² for the 890M and 382 mm² for the N1 20SM.

Clock behavior diverges sharply: the 890M has a 400 MHz base and 2900 MHz boost, while the N1 20SM has a 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost. The N1 20SM includes a dedicated memory clock of 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective data rate, whereas the 890M's memory runs at system-shared speeds.

Memory configuration shows the N1 20SM with 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus delivering 273.2 GB/s. The 890M uses system-shared memory with no fixed capacity, bus width, or bandwidth figure.

Compute unit counts favor the N1 20SM: 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores versus the 890M's 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 16 RT cores. The 890M lists no tensor cores.

Output capabilities differ, with the 890M offering portable-device-dependent display outputs and the N1 20SM providing 1x HDMI. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8 for the 890M and PCIe 5.0 x16 for the N1 20SM. Neither GPU has power connectors, and both are integrated graphics processors.

Release dates place the 890M in July 2024 and the N1 20SM in May 2026. The 890M's predecessor is listed as Navi II IGP, while the N1 20SM has no predecessor recorded.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon 890M uses the RDNA 3.5 architecture on the Strix Point chip, categorized as part of the Navi III IGP generation. Its 16 RT cores provide hardware ray tracing support, and it achieves 5.939 TFLOPS FP32 with a 1:1 FP16 ratio. The 890M's 4 nm process and 233 mm² die with 34,000 million transistors yield a transistor density of 145.9M per mm².

The NVIDIA N1 20SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on the GB20B chip, part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. Its 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores indicate a stronger focus on ray tracing and AI acceleration. The N1 20SM achieves 12.01 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16, both at a 1:1 ratio. The 5 nm process and 382 mm² die give it a larger physical footprint, though its transistor density is not recorded.

The 890M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, reflecting AMD's commitment to standard graphics APIs. The N1 20SM's API fields are all marked N/A, which may indicate either a lack of public documentation, a proprietary software stack, or that the database has not yet recorded support details. The N1 20SM's 128 GB unified memory architecture with LPDDR5X represents a fundamentally different memory design compared to the 890M's shared system memory approach, potentially enabling larger datasets to reside on-GPU.

The 890M's texture rate of 185.6 GTexel/s versus the N1 20SM's 375.4 GTexel/s highlights the latter's wider texture pipeline, while the 890M's 92.80 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s shows its advantage in pixel output. These architectural choices suggest AMD optimized for pixel-heavy workloads, while NVIDIA targeted texture and compute throughput.

The Verdict

Builders seeking a verified, currently measurable integrated GPU should choose the AMD Radeon 890M. Its ten recorded benchmark scores provide concrete performance references, and its position within 1% of older discrete GPUs like the GTX 960, GTX 465, and GTX 850M demonstrates capable real-world performance. The 890M's DirectX 12 Ultimate support, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 ensure compatibility with existing software libraries. Its 2900 MHz boost clock and 92.80 GPixel/s pixel rate indicate strong performance in resolution-bound scenarios.

Builders prioritizing raw compute capacity and memory resources should select the NVIDIA N1 20SM. The 12.01 TFLOPS FP32 output, 273.2 GB/s bandwidth, and 128 GB LPDDR5X capacity offer specifications that the 890M cannot match. The 80 tensor cores provide dedicated AI acceleration hardware that the 890M lacks entirely. The 256-bit memory bus and PCIe 5.0 x16 interface give the N1 20SM substantial data movement capabilities.

The N1 20SM's lack of recorded benchmarks means its real-world behavior remains unconfirmed. The 890M's measured data shows it competes closely with several older discrete GPUs, which is notable for an integrated solution. The N1 20SM's theoretical advantages in compute and memory could make it the stronger option for future-focused workloads, but the database currently has no performance evidence to validate that claim.

The choice ultimately depends on whether measured performance data or specification headroom matters more. The 890M offers proven results now, while the N1 20SM presents higher ceilings that await benchmark confirmation. The 890M has a 45th percentile ranking versus the N1 20SM's 50th percentile, but the latter's ranking derives from estimates rather than tests. For immediate deployment with known behavior, the 890M is the documented option. For maximum specification-driven capability, the N1 20SM is the theoretical leader.