AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data positions these two processors for completely different workloads. The AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU is a 15 W console-class part built on TSMC 7 nm with RDNA 2.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q is an 80 W mobile flagship using TSMC 5 nm and Ada Lovelace. Benchmark results indicate that the RTX 4090 Max-Q delivers overwhelming compute and graphics throughput, with FP32 performance at 28.31 TFLOPS versus 1.638 TFLOPS for the Ryzen Z2 A GPU, a factor of roughly 17.3x. The RTX 4090 Max-Q also has 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores, whereas the Ryzen Z2 A GPU has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and 8 RT cores with no tensor cores.

The Ryzen Z2 A GPU is not a competitor in raw performance. Its advantage lies in power efficiency and integration. At 15 W TDP, it consumes a fraction of the 80 W TDP of the RTX 4090 Max-Q, making it suitable for handheld or ultraportable systems. The RTX 4090 Max-Q, with its 256-bit memory bus and GDDR6 memory, delivers 576.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 102.4 GB/s for the Ryzen Z2 A GPU. The data shows that anyone needing high-end gaming, ray tracing, or machine learning acceleration should choose the NVIDIA part. Those prioritizing low power draw and a compact integrated package in a portable device would select the AMD part, but only for light workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two chips diverge at every level of their design. The AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU uses the Van Gogh chip on a 7 nm TSMC process, with 2,400 million transistors on a 163 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 14.7M per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q uses the AD103 chip on a 5 nm TSMC process, packing 45,900 million transistors into 379 mm², for a density of 121.1M per mm². The NVIDIA chip has nearly 19x more transistors and a die that is 2.3x larger.

Memory subsystems differ substantially. The Ryzen Z2 A GPU uses 16 GB of LPDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, with memory clocked at 800 MHz (6.4 Gbps effective) for 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4090 Max-Q also has 16 GB, but it is GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, clocked at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), delivering 576.0 GB/s. That is 5.6x more bandwidth. The NVIDIA part also supports PCIe 4.0 x16, while the AMD part lists no bus interface.

Compute resources are vastly different. The Ryzen Z2 A GPU has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The RTX 4090 Max-Q has 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, which is 19x, 9.5x, and 7x more, respectively. Ray tracing hardware favors NVIDIA with 76 RT cores versus 8, and NVIDIA adds 304 tensor cores where the AMD chip has none. Pixel rate is 25.60 GPixel/s for the AMD part and 163.0 GPixel/s for NVIDIA. Texture rate is 51.20 GTexel/s versus 442.3 GTexel/s.

Clock behavior is notable. The AMD part boosts to 1600 MHz from a 1000 MHz base. The NVIDIA part has a lower base clock of 930 MHz and a boost of 1455 MHz. Despite lower clocks, the NVIDIA chip achieves far higher throughput due to its massive parallel resources. FP16 performance also differs: the Ryzen Z2 A GPU delivers 3.277 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio to FP32, while the RTX 4090 Max-Q delivers 28.31 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio.

Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The AMD part has a single USB Type-C display output, while the NVIDIA part has display outputs described as portable device dependent. The NVIDIA part is an integrated graphics package (IGP) with no power connectors, and it has a predecessor in GeForce 30 Mobile and a successor in GeForce 50 Mobile. The AMD part has no listed predecessor or successor. Release dates differ: the AMD part launched at the end of 2024, the NVIDIA part in early 2023. Production status is active for both.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data records no head-to-head scores, so the comparison relies on the architectural specifications and the derived throughput figures listed above. The largest single advantage for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q is in FP32 compute. At 28.31 TFLOPS, it is 17.3x higher than the 1.638 TFLOPS of the Ryzen Z2 A GPU. FP16 performance is similarly lopsided: 28.31 TFLOPS versus 3.277 TFLOPS, a 8.6x difference. Texture rate favors NVIDIA by 8.6x at 442.3 GTexel/s versus 51.20 GTexel/s. Pixel rate favors NVIDIA by 6.4x at 163.0 GPixel/s versus 25.60 GPixel/s.

Memory bandwidth is a clear NVIDIA win. The 576.0 GB/s of the RTX 4090 Max-Q is 5.6x the 102.4 GB/s of the Ryzen Z2 A GPU. This gap matters for high-resolution textures and large datasets. The NVIDIA chip also has a 2x wider memory bus (256-bit versus 128-bit) and uses GDDR6 instead of LPDDR5, which explains the bandwidth difference.

The Ryzen Z2 A GPU has no wins in raw throughput categories. Its advantages are power and physical characteristics. The TDP of 15 W is 65 W lower than the 80 W of the RTX 4090 Max-Q. The die size of 163 mm² is 216 mm² smaller. Transistor count is lower by 43,500 million. These are not performance wins but efficiency and size wins.

In shading resources, the RTX 4090 Max-Q has 19x more shading units, 9.5x more TMUs, and 7x more ROPs. Ray tracing cores number 76 versus 8, a 9.5x advantage. Tensor cores exist only on the NVIDIA part (304), enabling AI workloads that the AMD chip cannot handle. The AMD part has no tensor cores, so any machine learning inference or training acceleration is absent.

Clock speeds are the only area where the AMD part leads. Base clock is 1000 MHz versus 930 MHz, a 7.5% edge. Boost clock is 1600 MHz versus 1455 MHz, a 10% edge. However, these higher clocks do not translate into higher performance because the NVIDIA part has far more execution units operating in parallel.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q delivers 28.31 TFLOPS, which is 17.3x the 1.638 TFLOPS of the AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU.

Q: How does memory bandwidth compare between the two?

A: The RTX 4090 Max-Q has 576.0 GB/s bandwidth from its 256-bit GDDR6 memory, while the Ryzen Z2 A GPU has 102.4 GB/s from 128-bit LPDDR5, a 5.6x difference.

Q: What are the TDP values for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU has a TDP of 15 W. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q has a TDP of 80 W.

Q: Does the AMD part support ray tracing or tensor operations?

A: The Ryzen Z2 A GPU has 8 ray tracing cores but no tensor cores. The RTX 4090 Max-Q has 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores.

Q: What is the transistor density of each chip?

A: The AMD chip has a density of 14.7M transistors per mm², while the NVIDIA chip has 121.1M per mm², an 8.2x difference.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q has 9728 shading units. The AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU has 512, which is 19x fewer.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Max-Q wins in every measurable performance category. FP32 compute, FP16 compute, texture rate, pixel rate, memory bandwidth, shading units, TMUs, ROPs, ray tracing cores, and tensor cores all favor NVIDIA by wide margins. The data indicates this is the appropriate choice for demanding 3D rendering, high-refresh gaming, ray-traced workloads, and any application that uses tensor cores for AI acceleration. The 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supports large frame buffers and high-resolution assets. The 28.31 TFLOPS FP32 throughput handles complex shaders and simulation workloads. The 442.3 GTexel/s texture rate suits detailed, texture-heavy scenes.

The AMD Ryzen Z2 A GPU wins in power efficiency and size. The 15 W TDP is 65 W lower than the 80 W of the NVIDIA part, which enables fanless or low-thermal designs in handheld devices. The 163 mm² die is 216 mm² smaller, reducing board space requirements. The single USB Type-C display output simplifies cabling in compact form factors. The higher base and boost clocks (1000 MHz and 1600 MHz versus 930 MHz and 1455 MHz) do not offset the compute deficit, but they show the AMD design targets lower thermal envelopes. The 16 GB LPDDR5 memory, while slower, is still a generous capacity for its class.

The use-case split is clear. The RTX 4090 Max-Q is for portable high-performance systems where 80 W is acceptable and maximum throughput is required. The Ryzen Z2 A GPU is for ultra-low-power portable devices where 15 W is a hard limit and light graphics duties are the norm. No benchmark result suggests the AMD part can approach NVIDIA performance in any compute or rendering task. The RTX 4090 Max-Q is the only option for serious graphics work, while the Ryzen Z2 A GPU serves as a capable integrated solution for basic display and modest 3D acceleration.