AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data divides these two parts sharply by design intent. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU wins in situations where power draw and physical footprint are the primary constraints, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 wins in every raw compute and rendering metric tracked in the database. The Z1 GPU, built for a console-class embedded role, draws only 30 W and uses no external power connector, while the RTX 4060 AD106 draws 115 W and requires a 12-pin connector with a 300 W suggested power supply. That gap alone explains the performance delta: the Z1 GPU delivers 2.560 TFLOPS FP32, whereas the RTX 4060 AD106 delivers 15.11 TFLOPS FP32, a factor of roughly 5.9x.

For frame-rate-sensitive workloads, the RTX 4060 AD106 wins outright. Its pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s versus 20.00 GPixel/s, texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s versus 40.00 GTexel/s, and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 16 GB of LPDDR5 on a 64-bit bus with 51.20 GB/s bandwidth all point to the same conclusion. The Z1 GPU has no display outputs, meaning it is not intended to drive a monitor directly; it exists as an integrated component within a system. The RTX 4060 AD106, by contrast, offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, making it a standalone graphics card for desktop use.

The Z1 GPU does hold advantages in specific categories: its 4 nm process node is more advanced than the 5 nm node used by the RTX 4060 AD106, its transistor density is higher at 142.6M per mm² versus 121.8M per mm², and its memory capacity of 16 GB doubles the RTX 4060 AD106's 8 GB. These wins matter for memory-bound embedded workloads or for systems requiring large framebuffers without high bandwidth demands. However, the database shows zero benchmark wins for the Z1 GPU and zero for the RTX 4060 AD106 in head-to-head comparisons; both parts have empty benchmark arrays, so all quantitative assessments derive from the specification sheet and percentile rankings, which place both at the 50th percentile among all GPUs.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural generations and target fundamentally different markets. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU uses the Phoenix chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 4 nm process with 25,390 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 uses the AD106 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process with 22,900 million transistors on a 188 mm² die. Despite the Z1 GPU having more transistors on a smaller die, its compute configuration is far simpler: 256 shading units, 16 texture mapping units, 8 render output units, and 4 ray tracing cores. The RTX 4060 AD106 packs 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 24 ray tracing cores, and 96 tensor cores. The Z1 GPU has no tensor cores at all, which means it lacks the dedicated AI acceleration hardware that the RTX 4060 AD106 provides.

Memory architecture diverges sharply. The Z1 GPU uses 16 GB of LPDDR5 at 800 MHz with a 64-bit bus, yielding 51.20 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4060 AD106 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 at 2125 MHz with a 128-bit bus, yielding 272.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Z1 GPU's higher capacity but much lower bandwidth suits unified memory pool designs typical of console-style systems, whereas the RTX 4060 AD106's narrower but faster memory configuration suits traditional discrete graphics workloads where bandwidth drives texture and geometry throughput.

Clock behavior also differs. The Z1 GPU has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, while the RTX 4060 AD106 runs at 1830 MHz base and 2460 MHz boost. The Z1 GPU's boost clock is slightly higher, but its shading unit count is 12x lower, so the clock advantage does not translate into compute dominance. The Z1 GPU's FP16 rate of 5.120 TFLOPS uses a 2:1 ratio versus FP32, indicating shader-based FP16 acceleration, whereas the RTX 4060 AD106 achieves 15.11 TFLOPS FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, meaning full-rate FP16 across all cores. The RTX 4060 AD106 also supports PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the Z1 GPU's bus interface is not listed in the database.

Form factor and power delivery reinforce the architectural split. The Z1 GPU measures 280 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 21 mm in width, with no power connectors and a 30 W TDP. The RTX 4060 AD106 is a dual-slot card with a single 12-pin power connector, a 115 W TDP, and a suggested 300 W power supply. The Z1 GPU's production status is Active, while the RTX 4060 AD106 is End-of-life. Release dates differ by roughly six months: the Z1 GPU launched on September 17, 2023, and the RTX 4060 AD106 launched on March 31, 2024. The RTX 4060 AD106 lists its predecessor as GeForce 30 and successor as GeForce 50, while the Z1 GPU lists no predecessor or successor.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no recorded head-to-head benchmark scores for these two parts. Both have empty benchmark arrays, zero wins in the winsA and winsB fields, and no nearest rival data. This absence of direct measurements means the comparison relies entirely on the specification differences, which are substantial in every compute category.

The largest single-specification gap appears in FP32 throughput. The RTX 4060 AD106 delivers 15.11 TFLOPS, which is 5.90x the Z1 GPU's 2.560 TFLOPS. In practical terms, a workload that takes one second on the RTX 4060 AD106 would take approximately 5.9 seconds on the Z1 GPU, assuming perfect scaling. Texture fill rate shows a similar disparity: 236.2 GTexel/s versus 40.00 GTexel/s, a 5.91x difference. Pixel fill rate differs by 5.91x as well, with 118.1 GPixel/s against 20.00 GPixel/s. These consistent ratios reflect the underlying shading unit and TMU/ROP count differences rather than clock speeds, since boost clocks are close (2500 MHz versus 2460 MHz).

Memory bandwidth presents the most extreme divergence. The RTX 4060 AD106's 272.0 GB/s is 5.31x the Z1 GPU's 51.20 GB/s. The bus width difference, 128-bit versus 64-bit, and memory type difference, GDDR6 versus LPDDR5, combine to produce this gap. The Z1 GPU's 16 GB capacity does not compensate for the bandwidth deficit in most rendering scenarios, as the database's architecture comparison indicates the RTX 4060 AD106 is designed for high-throughput discrete operation.

The ray tracing comparison shows a 6x difference in core count: 24 RT cores on the RTX 4060 AD106 versus 4 on the Z1 GPU. The RTX 4060 AD106 also includes 96 tensor cores, which the Z1 GPU lacks entirely. These features position the RTX 4060 AD106 for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS-style AI upscaling, neither of which the Z1 GPU can match. The Z1 GPU does support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, the same API set as the RTX 4060 AD106, so software compatibility is identical, but the hardware capability underneath differs vastly.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 delivers 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 and 15.11 TFLOPS FP16, compared to the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU's 2.560 TFLOPS FP32 and 5.120 TFLOPS FP16. The RTX 4060 AD106 leads by 5.90x in FP32.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU have more memory than the RTX 4060 AD106?

A: Yes, the Z1 GPU has 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, while the RTX 4060 AD106 has 8 GB of GDDR6. However, the RTX 4060 AD106's memory bandwidth is 272.0 GB/s versus 51.20 GB/s, a 5.31x advantage.

Q: What are the power requirements for each GPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU has a 30 W TDP and requires no power connectors. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 has a 115 W TDP, uses a single 12-pin power connector, and suggests a 300 W power supply.

Q: Can the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU connect to a display directly?

A: No, the Z1 GPU lists "No outputs" in its display outputs. The RTX 4060 AD106 provides 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The RTX 4060 AD106 has 24 ray tracing cores, while the Z1 GPU has 4. The RTX 4060 AD106 also has 96 tensor cores, whereas the Z1 GPU has none.

Q: Are both GPUs currently in production?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU has an Active production status, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 is listed as End-of-life.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear separation of roles. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU is a low-power, console-oriented processor with 30 W power draw, no display outputs, and no external power connector. Its 16 GB memory capacity and 4 nm process node make it suitable for embedded or handheld systems where power efficiency and memory size matter more than raw throughput. Its 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with zero recorded benchmark wins, indicates it is not intended for high-end rendering.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 is a discrete desktop graphics card with a dual-slot form factor, 1x 12-pin power connector, and 300 W suggested PSU. It delivers 15.11 TFLOPS FP32, 118.1 GPixel/s, 236.2 GTexel/s, and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth, making it the only choice for gaming, ray tracing, or compute workloads that stress the GPU. Its 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores add capabilities the Z1 GPU cannot offer, and its display outputs allow direct monitor connection.

Pick the Z1 GPU if the system requires a 30 W integrated processor with 16 GB memory and a 4 nm node in a compact 280 mm x 111 mm x 21 mm package. Pick the RTX 4060 AD106 if the workload demands FP32 throughput, memory bandwidth, ray tracing, tensor acceleration, or direct display output. Both parts sit at the 50th percentile in the database, but the specification sheet makes the performance hierarchy unambiguous: the RTX 4060 AD106 outperforms the Z1 GPU by roughly 5.9x in compute and pixel rate, and 5.3x in memory bandwidth.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 |

|----------------|------------------|-------------------------------|

| Architecture | RDNA 3.0 | Ada Lovelace |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 25,390 million | 22,900 million |

| Die Size | 178 mm² | 188 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 142.6M / mm² | 121.8M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1500 MHz | 1830 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2500 MHz | 2460 MHz |

| Memory Size | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 8 GB GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.20 GB/s | 272.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 256 | 3072 |

| TMUs | 16 | 96 |

| ROPs | 8 | 48 |

| RT Cores | 4 | 24 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 96 |

| Pixel Rate | 20.00 GPixel/s | 118.1 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 40.00 GTexel/s | 236.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.560 TFLOPS | 15.11 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 5.120 TFLOPS (2:1) | 15.11 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 30 W | 115 W |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 12-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 300 W |

| Slot Width | Not listed | Dual-slot |

| Bus Interface | Not listed | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2023-09-17 | 2024-03-31 |

| Launch MSRP | 599 USD | Not listed |

| Predecessor | None | GeForce 30 |

| Successor | None | GeForce 50 |