AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU vs NVIDIA N1 16SM Comparison

AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU and NVIDIA N1 16SM occupy different corners of the hardware landscape. The Z1 is a compact, low-power console-grade part built for efficiency, while the N1 is a large integrated graphics processor aimed at high-bandwidth compute. The recorded data shows no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for these two, so the analysis below compares their theoretical peak rates, memory systems, and architectural traits to establish which one suits which workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Without shared benchmark runs, the comparison relies on peak throughput figures from the database. The NVIDIA N1 16SM delivers 9.609 TFLOPS FP32, which is 3.75 times the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU’s 2.560 TFLOPS. That gap is substantial, roughly 275% higher raw compute. In FP16, the difference shifts slightly: the N1 sustains 9.609 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio, while the Z1 doubles its FP32 rate to 5.120 TFLOPS using a 2:1 packed math path. Even with that doubling, the N1 still leads by about 88% in FP16 peak.

Pixel throughput follows a similar pattern. The N1’s 56.30 GPixel/s nearly triples the Z1’s 20.00 GPixel/s. Texture rate is where the N1 pulls away hardest: 300.3 GTexel/s versus 40.00 GTexel/s, a 7.5x advantage. Those numbers come from the N1’s 128 texture mapping units (TMUs) and 24 render output units (ROPs), compared to 16 TMUs and 8 ROPs on the Z1. For fill-rate-bound scenes, the N1 has an overwhelming edge.

Memory bandwidth tells a similar story. The N1 uses a 256-bit LPDDR5X bus with 273.2 GB/s, while the Z1 uses a 64-bit LPDDR5 bus with 51.20 GB/s. That is a 5.3x bandwidth advantage for the N1. The Z1’s memory clock is 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective, while the N1 runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective. Higher width and higher speed combine to give the N1 the clear win in data movement.

The Z1 does have one notable clock advantage. Its base clock is 1500 MHz and boost reaches 2500 MHz, versus the N1’s 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost. The Z1’s boost is 6.6% higher than the N1’s boost, and its base is more than double. However, the N1 compensates with far more shading units: 2048 versus 256. That is an 8x unit count, which explains why the N1 still wins in aggregate throughput despite lower clocks.

In ray tracing, the N1 has 16 RT cores versus 4 on the Z1. The N1 also has 64 tensor cores, while the Z1 has none listed. For machine learning or ray-traced workloads, the N1’s dedicated hardware gives it capabilities the Z1 cannot match. The Z1’s only other win is power consumption: 30 W TDP versus “unknown” for the N1. A lower TDP means less heat and simpler cooling, but no performance comparison can be drawn from that alone.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU wins in scenarios where power draw is the primary constraint. Its 30 W TDP makes it suitable for compact, low-power devices like handheld consoles. The Z1’s 4 nm process node from TSMC, with 25,390 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, results in a transistor density of 142.6M per mm². That density is higher than the N1’s, though the N1’s transistor count is unknown. The Z1 also has a higher boost clock (2500 MHz), which helps in lightly threaded or latency-sensitive tasks where clock speed matters more than core count.

The Z1 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 lists no supported APIs (DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan all marked N/A). That makes the Z1 the only one of the two with clear compatibility for standard gaming and graphics applications. The Z1 also has a 16 GB LPDDR5 memory pool, which is ample for its intended role.

The NVIDIA N1 16SM wins in raw compute, memory bandwidth, and feature set. Its 128 GB LPDDR5X memory is eight times the Z1’s capacity, and the 256-bit bus provides 273.2 GB/s, which is critical for large datasets, AI inference, or high-resolution rendering. The N1’s 64 tensor cores enable accelerated matrix math, while 16 RT cores handle ray tracing. The N1’s 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs give it massive parallel throughput for shader-heavy workloads.

The N1 also has a PCIe 5.0 x16 bus interface, while the Z1 lists no bus interface. That means the N1 can connect to a host system at high speed, suitable for an integrated GPU in a server or workstation context. The N1 has one HDMI output, though the Z1 has no display outputs at all. For any task requiring a display connection, the N1 is the only option.

Architecture Differences

The two chips use different architectures from different generations. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU uses RDNA 3.0, built on a 4 nm TSMC process. It belongs to the Console GPU (AMD) generation, with the chip codenamed Phoenix. The NVIDIA N1 16SM uses Blackwell 2.0, built on a 5 nm TSMC process, and belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation with the chip codenamed GB20B. The process node difference (4 nm vs 5 nm) favors the Z1 in terms of transistor density, but the N1’s die is larger: 382 mm² versus 178 mm².

The Z1 packs 25,390 million transistors on that 178 mm² die, giving a density of 142.6M per mm². The N1’s transistor count is unknown, so no density comparison can be made. The Z1’s smaller die and lower TDP suggest a design focused on efficiency. The N1’s larger die, though on an older node, accommodates more functional blocks: 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 16 RT cores, and 64 tensor cores. The Z1 has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, 8 ROPs, and 4 RT cores, with no tensor cores.

Memory architecture differs significantly. The Z1 uses 16 GB of LPDDR5 with a 64-bit bus and 51.20 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X with a 256-bit bus and 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1’s memory clock is 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective, while the Z1’s is 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective. The N1 also has a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, which the Z1 lacks. The Z1 has no display outputs, while the N1 has one HDMI port.

Clock behavior differs as well. The Z1’s base clock is 1500 MHz, boosting to 2500 MHz. The N1’s base is 741 MHz, boosting to 2346 MHz. The Z1’s higher clocks suggest a design that can ramp up quickly when needed, but the N1’s larger core count means it can do more work per clock cycle. The FP16 path also differs: the Z1 uses a 2:1 ratio (5.120 TFLOPS from 2.560 TFLOPS FP32), while the N1 uses a 1:1 ratio (9.609 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16). That means the N1 does not gain extra throughput in half-precision, but its absolute FP16 number is still higher.

The N1’s API support is listed as N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan. The Z1 supports all three, with DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This is a critical difference: the Z1 is a standard graphics processor with mainstream API compatibility, while the N1 appears to be a compute-focused part without declared graphics APIs. The N1’s release date is later (May 2026 versus September 2023 for the Z1), and it has a slot width of IGP, meaning it is an integrated graphics processor. The Z1’s dimensions are listed (280 mm length, 111 mm height, 21 mm width), while the N1 has no dimensions listed.

The Verdict

The data points to two different use cases. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU is for low-power, compact devices that need standard graphics API support. Its 30 W TDP, 4 nm process, and DirectX 12 Ultimate compatibility make it a fit for handheld consoles or embedded systems where power is scarce and software compatibility is essential. Its 16 GB memory is sufficient for gaming, and its 2500 MHz boost clock provides responsive performance in lighter loads. The Z1’s lack of display outputs suggests it is meant to render frames to a buffer, not drive a monitor directly.

The NVIDIA N1 16SM is for high-throughput compute in an integrated form factor. Its 128 GB LPDDR5X memory and 273.2 GB/s bandwidth can feed large models or big datasets. The 64 tensor cores accelerate AI workloads, and the 16 RT cores handle ray tracing. The 9.609 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 performance is far ahead of the Z1, and the 300.3 GTexel/s texture rate suits heavy shader work. The N1’s PCIe 5.0 x16 interface allows fast host communication, and its one HDMI output enables direct display. The absence of declared graphics APIs is a limitation for traditional gaming, but for compute tasks it does not matter.

Neither part is a clear winner overall. The Z1 wins on power efficiency, clock speed, API compatibility, and process node. The N1 wins on raw throughput, memory capacity, bandwidth, and specialized cores. A builder with a power budget and gaming focus should choose the Z1. A developer or researcher with compute-heavy tasks should choose the N1. The data does not support a single recommendation; it supports a split based on workload.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 performance?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 9.609 TFLOPS FP32, which is about 3.75 times the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU’s 2.560 TFLOPS.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The N1 16SM provides 273.2 GB/s over a 256-bit LPDDR5X bus, while the Z1 provides 51.20 GB/s over a 64-bit LPDDR5 bus. That is a 5.3x bandwidth advantage for the N1.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Z1 has 4 RT cores. The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 16 RT cores, which is four times as many.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 2048 shading units, compared to 256 on the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU. The N1 also has 128 TMUs versus 16, and 24 ROPs versus 8.

Q: What API support does each GPU list?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU lists DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA N1 16SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU has 16 GB of LPDDR5. The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X, which is eight times more capacity.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two parts, based on the recorded data.

• Manufacturer: AMD versus NVIDIA
• Chip: Phoenix versus GB20B
• Architecture: RDNA 3.0 versus Blackwell 2.0
• Generation: Console GPU (AMD) versus Blackwell IGP (N1x)
• Process node: 4 nm versus 5 nm
• Die size: 178 mm² versus 382 mm²
• Transistors: 25,390 million versus unknown
• Transistor density: 142.6M per mm² versus null
• Base clock: 1500 MHz versus 741 MHz
• Boost clock: 2500 MHz versus 2346 MHz
• Memory clock: 800 MHz (6.4 Gbps effective) versus 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective)
• Memory size: 16 GB versus 128 GB
• Memory type: LPDDR5 versus LPDDR5X
• Memory bus width: 64 bit versus 256 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 51.20 GB/s versus 273.2 GB/s
• Shading units: 256 versus 2048
• TMUs: 16 versus 128
• ROPs: 8 versus 24
• RT cores: 4 versus 16
• Tensor cores: null versus 64
• Pixel rate: 20.00 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 40.00 GTexel/s versus 300.3 GTexel/s
• FP32: 2.560 TFLOPS versus 9.609 TFLOPS
• FP16: 5.120 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 9.609 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 30 W versus unknown
• Slot width: null versus IGP
• Bus interface: null versus PCIe 5.0 x16
• Display outputs: No outputs versus 1x HDMI
• DirectX: 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus N/A
• OpenGL: 4.6 versus N/A
• Vulkan: 1.4 versus N/A
• Dimensions: 280 mm x 111 mm x 21 mm versus null
• Release date: September 2023 versus May 2026
• Launch MSRP: 599 USD versus null