AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q Comparison

The Verdict

The data positions these two mobile graphics solutions for entirely different workloads. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU, built on RDNA 2.0, is a 28 W integrated-class part with 768 shading units and 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q, an Ada Lovelace discrete mobile GPU, operates at 35 W with 4608 shading units and 8 GB of GDDR6. Benchmark results indicate that the RTX 4070 Max-Q holds a decisive raw compute advantage, delivering 11.34 TFLOPS of FP32 performance versus 4.147 TFLOPS for the AMD part. The NVIDIA solution is the choice for users who need maximum graphics throughput in a thin-and-light laptop form factor. The AMD part, with its larger memory pool and lower power envelope, serves systems where memory capacity and power efficiency take priority over peak compute.

The recorded data shows that the RTX 4070 Max-Q has roughly 2.7 times the FP32 throughput of the Ryzen Z2 Go GPU. Its texture rate of 177.1 GTexel/s exceeds the AMD part's 129.6 GTexel/s by a significant margin, and its 144 tensor cores provide dedicated AI acceleration hardware that the AMD GPU lacks entirely. For gaming at high settings, ray tracing workloads, or any compute task that leverages NVIDIA's tensor core architecture, the RTX 4070 Max-Q is the only viable option between these two.

The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU counters with 16 GB of memory, double the RTX 4070 Max-Q's 8 GB, and a lower 28 W TDP that makes it suitable for more power-constrained designs. Its FP16 compute of 8.294 TFLOPS, achieved through a 2:1 ratio, exceeds its FP32 output, which can benefit certain mixed-precision workloads. The RTX 4070 Max-Q does not gain this advantage, as its FP16 and FP32 figures are identical at 11.34 TFLOPS. The AMD part also carries a smaller transistor count at 13,100 million versus 22,900 million, yet its die size is larger at 208 mm² compared to 188 mm², reflecting the lower transistor density of its 6 nm process.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU uses the Rembrandt+ chip built on TSMC's 6 nm process. Its RDNA 2.0 architecture implements 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 32 ROPs, and 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU does not include tensor cores, meaning all AI-accelerated features must rely on general-purpose shader compute. The chip integrates 13,100 million transistors across a 208 mm² die, producing a transistor density of 63.0 million transistors per square millimeter. The part operates with a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost clock of 2700 MHz, with memory clocked at 800 MHz for an effective data rate of 6.4 Gbps.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q uses the AD106 chip built on TSMC's 5 nm process and implements the Ada Lovelace architecture. This configuration packs 4608 shading units, 144 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 36 ray tracing cores, and 144 tensor cores. The transistor count reaches 22,900 million on a smaller 188 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.8 million per square millimeter, nearly double that of the AMD chip. The NVIDIA part's base clock is 735 MHz with a boost clock of 1230 MHz, both lower than the AMD GPU's clock speeds, yet the massive difference in shading unit count overwhelms the clock deficit. Memory runs at 2000 MHz with an effective data rate of 16 Gbps.

The bus interfaces differ as well. The RTX 4070 Max-Q uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the AMD part lists no bus interface in the database, consistent with an integrated GPU design. The display output configuration also reflects this distinction: the AMD GPU lists a single USB Type-C output, while the NVIDIA part's outputs are described as portable device dependent.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows no direct benchmark scores for either GPU, but the specification-derived performance metrics provide a clear comparison. The most substantial win for the RTX 4070 Max-Q is FP32 compute, where it delivers 11.34 TFLOPS against the AMD part's 4.147 TFLOPS. That is a 173% advantage. The texture rate follows a similar pattern: 177.1 GTexel/s versus 129.6 GTexel/s, a 37% lead for the NVIDIA part. The pixel rate is the one area where AMD takes the lead, with 86.40 GPixel/s against 59.04 GPixel/s, a 46% advantage driven by the AMD GPU's much higher boost clock.

Memory bandwidth heavily favors the NVIDIA part. The RTX 4070 Max-Q's GDDR6 memory delivers 256.0 GB/s over a 128-bit bus, while the AMD part's LPDDR5 memory manages 102.4 GB/s over the same bus width. That is a 150% bandwidth advantage for NVIDIA. The AMD part compensates with 16 GB of capacity versus 8 GB, and its LPDDR5 memory type draws less power than GDDR6.

FP16 compute is the closest comparison. The RTX 4070 Max-Q sustains 11.34 TFLOPS in FP16 with a 1:1 ratio. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU reaches 8.294 TFLOPS using a 2:1 ratio, which means its FP16 rate is achieved by pairing two FP32 operations. The NVIDIA part still leads by 37%, but the AMD part's FP16 output is more than double its FP32 rate, suggesting a different design priority for mixed-precision workloads. The RTX 4070 Max-Q's tensor cores, absent from the AMD GPU, enable dedicated AI acceleration that the AMD part cannot match through its shader-based approach.

Specification Differences

The two parts differ across nearly every major specification field. The process node is 6 nm for AMD versus 5 nm for NVIDIA. Transistor count is 13,100 million versus 22,900 million. Die size is 208 mm² versus 188 mm², with transistor densities of 63.0 million per square millimeter and 121.8 million per square millimeter respectively. The AMD GPU's base clock of 800 MHz and boost clock of 2700 MHz compare to the NVIDIA part's 735 MHz base and 1230 MHz boost. The AMD GPU operates at 28 W TDP, the NVIDIA part at 35 W.

Memory capacity is 16 GB of LPDDR5 for AMD versus 8 GB of GDDR6 for NVIDIA. Both use a 128-bit bus, but bandwidth differs at 102.4 GB/s versus 256.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective for AMD, against 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective for NVIDIA. Shading units number 768 versus 4608, TMUs 48 versus 144, and ROPs 32 versus 48. Ray tracing cores are 12 versus 36. The NVIDIA part includes 144 tensor cores; the AMD part has none. Pixel rate favors AMD at 86.40 GPixel/s versus 59.04 GPixel/s. Texture rate favors NVIDIA at 177.1 GTexel/s versus 129.6 GTexel/s. FP32 is 4.147 TFLOPS versus 11.34 TFLOPS. FP16 is 8.294 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 11.34 TFLOPS (1:1). The RTX 4070 Max-Q uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 bus interface; the AMD part lists none. Display outputs are one USB Type-C for AMD and portable device dependent for NVIDIA. The NVIDIA part is an IGP slot width device, while the AMD part has no slot width listed. Neither part uses power connectors, and neither has a suggested PSU.

The release dates differ by nearly two years. The RTX 4070 Max-Q appeared in the database with a January 2023 release, while the Ryzen Z2 Go GPU carries a late December 2024 release. The NVIDIA part has a predecessor in the GeForce 30 Mobile series and a successor in the GeForce 50 Mobile series. The AMD part lists neither predecessor nor successor. Both parts are currently marked active in production status.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q delivers 11.34 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is 173% higher than the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU's 4.147 TFLOPS.

Q: How does memory capacity compare between the two parts?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU has 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. AMD provides double the capacity, but NVIDIA's memory bandwidth is higher at 256.0 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s.

Q: Does the AMD GPU include tensor cores?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU has no tensor cores, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q includes 144 tensor cores for dedicated AI acceleration.

Q: What is the power consumption of each GPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU operates at a 28 W TDP, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q operates at a 35 W TDP. The AMD part consumes 7 W less.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU achieves 86.40 GPixel/s, which is 46% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q's 59.04 GPixel/s. This is driven by the AMD part's higher boost clock of 2700 MHz.

Q: What are the process node differences between the two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z2 Go GPU uses TSMC's 6 nm process with 13,100 million transistors on a 208 mm² die. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q uses TSMC's 5 nm process with 22,900 million transistors on a 188 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 121.8 million per square millimeter versus AMD's 63.0 million.