AMD Radeon RX 6550S vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data positions the AMD Radeon RX 6550S and the NVIDIA N1 20SM as two very different solutions for different workloads. The RX 6550S is a RDNA 2.0 mobile part built for efficiency, with a 50 W TDP, 4 GB of GDDR6 memory, and a 64-bit bus. The N1 20SM is a Blackwell 2.0 IGP with 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, a 256-bit bus, and significantly higher compute resources. Benchmark results indicate that the N1 20SM holds a decisive advantage in raw throughput metrics, while the RX 6550S counters with a higher base clock and a much older, but more conventional, feature set.

The data suggests that the RX 6550S is suited for compact, power-limited systems where the 50 W TDP and integrated form factor matter more than brute force. The N1 20SM, on the other hand, is for users who need massive memory capacity and high FP32 throughput in an IGP package. There are no head-to-head benchmark scores recorded, so the analysis relies on specification comparisons and architectural differences. The N1 20SM wins on almost every measurable compute and memory metric, but the RX 6550S holds advantages in pixel rate per watt and a more established software API baseline.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 2560 shading units, while the AMD Radeon RX 6550S has 1024.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, whereas the RX 6550S has 4 GB of GDDR6.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6550S boosts to 2400 MHz, compared to the NVIDIA N1 20SM's boost of 2346 MHz.

Q: How does FP32 performance compare?

A: The N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS of FP32, while the RX 6550S delivers 4.915 TFLOPS.

Q: Do both GPUs support ray tracing?

A: Yes. The RX 6550S has 16 ray tracing cores, and the N1 20SM has 20.

Q: What is the process node for each?

A: The RX 6550S uses a 6 nm process, and the N1 20SM uses a 5 nm process, both from TSMC.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon RX 6550S is built on RDNA 2.0, using the Navi 24 chip. It belongs to the Navi Mobile generation within the RX 6000M lineup. The architecture is a mature design with a 6 nm process from TSMC, housing 5,400 million transistors on a 107 mm² die. Transistor density is listed at 50.5M per mm². This is a traditional mobile GPU architecture with a full DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) API support, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The NVIDIA N1 20SM uses Blackwell 2.0 architecture, with the GB20B chip, part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. It is fabricated on a 5 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 382 mm². Transistor count is listed as unknown, and no transistor density is recorded. The architecture is unusual in that its DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support are all listed as N/A. This means the N1 20SM may not expose standard graphics APIs in the same way, which could limit traditional gaming or compute workloads unless proprietary paths are used.

Ray tracing hardware exists on both: 16 RT cores on the RX 6550S versus 20 on the N1 20SM. The N1 20SM also includes 80 tensor cores, while the RX 6550S has none. The RX 6550S uses a 2:1 FP16 ratio, meaning its FP16 throughput is double its FP32. The N1 20SM uses a 1:1 ratio, so FP16 and FP32 are equal. This suggests the N1 20SM is not optimized for mixed-precision acceleration in the same way, but its raw FP32 is already far higher.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every major specification category. The RX 6550S has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz, with a game clock of 2170 MHz. The N1 20SM has a base of 741 MHz and a boost of 2346 MHz, with no game clock listed. Memory clocks also differ: the RX 6550S runs at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective, while the N1 20SM runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective.

Memory configuration is a stark contrast. The RX 6550S has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 273.2 GB/s. That is more than double the bandwidth and 32 times the capacity.

Compute resources favor the N1 20SM heavily. It has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The RX 6550S has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Pixel rate is one area where the RX 6550S leads: 76.80 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s for the N1 20SM. Texture rate goes the other way, with the N1 20SM at 375.4 GTexel/s versus 153.6 GTexel/s for the RX 6550S. FP32 is 12.01 TFLOPS for the N1 20SM and 4.915 TFLOPS for the RX 6550S. FP16 is 12.01 TFLOPS for the N1 20SM and 9.830 TFLOPS for the RX 6550S.

The RX 6550S is rated at 50 W TDP, while the N1 20SM has an unknown TDP. Both are IGP slot width with no power connectors. The bus interface differs: the RX 6550S uses PCIe 4.0 x4, while the N1 20SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16. Display outputs are portable device dependent for the RX 6550S, while the N1 20SM has 1x HDMI. Release dates are far apart: the RX 6550S launched on January 3, 2023, and the N1 20SM is dated May 31, 2026.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

No head-to-head benchmark scores are recorded in the database. The wins counter shows 0 for both GPUs. However, the specification data provides a clear quantitative picture of where each part stands.

The N1 20SM dominates compute throughput. Its FP32 of 12.01 TFLOPS is roughly 2.44 times the RX 6550S's 4.915 TFLOPS. Texture rate is even more lopsided: 375.4 GTexel/s versus 153.6 GTexel/s, a 2.44x advantage as well. Shading units are 2.5 times higher, and TMUs are 2.5 times higher. Memory bandwidth is 273.2 GB/s versus 128.0 GB/s, a 2.13x advantage, and capacity is 128 GB versus 4 GB.

The RX 6550S wins in a few specific areas. Its pixel rate of 76.80 GPixel/s exceeds the N1 20SM's 56.30 GPixel/s by 36.4%. Its base clock of 2000 MHz is far higher than the N1 20SM's 741 MHz, and its boost clock of 2400 MHz edges out the N1 20SM's 2346 MHz by 54 MHz. The RX 6550S also has more ROPs: 32 versus 24, a 33.3% higher count. Its FP16 of 9.830 TFLOPS is lower than the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS, but the gap is smaller than in FP32.

The die size difference is notable. The N1 20SM uses a 382 mm² die, which is 3.57 times larger than the RX 6550S's 107 mm². The RX 6550S packs 5,400 million transistors into that smaller die, while the N1 20SM's transistor count is unknown. The RX 6550S has a transistor density of 50.5M per mm², which is a meaningful metric for a 6 nm part.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA N1 20SM wins in scenarios that demand high compute throughput, large memory capacity, and wide memory bandwidth. Its 2560 shading units and 80 tensor cores make it suitable for workloads that can leverage parallel compute, such as machine learning inference or data processing, provided the API limitations are acceptable. The 128 GB memory pool is an enormous advantage for holding large datasets or models in local memory. The 273.2 GB/s bandwidth supports high data movement rates. The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface is a much wider connection than the RX 6550S's PCIe 4.0 x4, which reduces transfer bottlenecks in systems that support it.

The AMD Radeon RX 6550S wins in power-constrained environments. Its 50 W TDP is a concrete limit that the N1 20SM does not match, as its TDP is unknown and likely higher given the larger die and higher throughput. The RX 6550S also has a higher pixel rate, which can matter for traditional rasterization at lower resolutions. Its higher base clock of 2000 MHz suggests better sustained performance at low power states. The 32 ROPs give it an edge in fill-rate-bound scenes, and its 76.80 GPixel/s output is directly relevant for 1080p-class rendering. The RX 6550S also has standard API support: DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the N1 20SM lists N/A for all three, which makes the AMD part the safer choice for existing software ecosystems.

The release timeline matters. The RX 6550S launched in early 2023, so it has had time to accumulate driver maturity and software support. The N1 20SM is dated to mid-2026, indicating a future product with an unproven software stack. The N1 20SM's 5 nm process is more advanced than the 6 nm process on the RX 6550S, but the RX 6550S's higher transistor density of 50.5M per mm² shows AMD was efficient with its smaller die.

For a builder prioritizing raw compute and memory capacity, the N1 20SM is the clear choice based on the recorded specifications. For a builder prioritizing power efficiency, standard API compatibility, and pixel throughput, the RX 6550S holds the edge. The lack of recorded benchmark scores means these conclusions rely entirely on the specification-level data, but the differences are large enough to make the direction unambiguous.