AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU and NVIDIA N1 20SM occupy entirely different positions in the database, with no overlapping benchmark wins recorded. The Ryzen Z2 GPU is built around a compact 178 mm² die with 25,390 million transistors, while the N1 20SM uses a much larger 382 mm² die. The data shows the AMD part is a low-power integrated solution aimed at portable systems, while the NVIDIA part is an IGP with a 256-bit memory bus and 128 GB of LPDDR5X, a configuration that points toward high-bandwidth compute or console-style workloads.

For the Ryzen Z2 GPU, the wins are structural rather than measured. It lists a 12 Ultimate (12_2) DirectX feature level, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 API support, whereas the N1 20SM has no API entries (N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan). This means the AMD part is the only one of the two that can run conventional graphics workloads through standard APIs. The N1 20SM, by contrast, has no recorded API support, so its wins are confined to raw throughput metrics where the data shows higher absolute numbers.

The N1 20SM wins on shading units (2560 vs 768), texture mapping units (160 vs 48), ray tracing cores (20 vs 12), and tensor cores (80 vs none on the AMD part). It also delivers higher FP32 throughput at 12.01 TFLOPS versus 8.294 TFLOPS, and higher texture rate at 375.4 GTexel/s versus 129.6 GTexel/s. These are clear wins for NVIDIA in compute-heavy scenarios. However, the Ryzen Z2 GPU wins on pixel rate (86.40 GPixel/s vs 56.30 GPixel/s) and on process node efficiency, using a 4 nm node versus 5 nm for the N1.

The database records no head-to-head benchmarks, no win counts, and no rival scores for either part. The percentile for both is 50, and the average benchmark score is 0 for each. Thus, the use-case split is derived entirely from specifications: the AMD part is the only one with graphics API compatibility, while the NVIDIA part dominates in raw compute resources, memory capacity, and bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is substantial. The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU uses the RDNA 3.0 architecture on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 178 mm² and a transistor count of 25,390 million, yielding a density of 142.6 million transistors per square millimeter. The NVIDIA N1 20SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm process from the same foundry, with a 382 mm² die and an unknown transistor count. The AMD chip is a console GPU generation part, while the NVIDIA chip is a Blackwell IGP in the N1x generation.

Clock behavior differs. The AMD part has a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost of 2700 MHz. The NVIDIA part has a base of 741 MHz and a boost of 2346 MHz. The AMD boost is 354 MHz higher, but the NVIDIA part compensates with more execution units. Memory clocks also differ: the AMD memory runs at 937 MHz with 7.5 Gbps effective, while the NVIDIA memory runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective.

Memory architecture is a major differentiator. The Ryzen Z2 GPU has 16 GB of LPDDR5X on a 128-bit bus, delivering 119.9 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 eight times the capacity. The NVIDIA part also has a PCIe 5.0 x16 bus interface, while the AMD part has no recorded bus interface. Display outputs are limited: the AMD part provides 1x USB Type-C, and the NVIDIA part provides 1x HDMI.

The NVIDIA part includes 80 tensor cores, which the AMD part does not list at all. Ray tracing cores are present on both, but NVIDIA has 20 versus AMD's 12. The AMD part has 32 ROPs versus 24 on the NVIDIA part, which explains the pixel rate advantage despite lower overall throughput. The TDP for the AMD part is 28 W, while the NVIDIA TDP is unknown. Neither part uses power connectors, and both are listed as active production parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no recorded head-to-head benchmark results for these two parts. There are no win counts, no rival names, no score differences, and no percentile deltas. The only comparison possible is through the recorded specifications. The biggest margins in the data favor the NVIDIA N1 20SM in shading throughput: 2560 shading units versus 768, which is a 3.33x advantage. FP32 compute stands at 12.01 TFLOPS versus 8.294 TFLOPS, a 44.8% lead for NVIDIA. Texture rate is 375.4 GTexel/s versus 129.6 GTexel/s, a 2.9x advantage.

Memory bandwidth favors NVIDIA by a factor of 2.28 (273.2 GB/s versus 119.9 GB/s). Memory capacity is 128 GB versus 16 GB, an 8x difference. Tensor cores exist only on the NVIDIA part (80 of them), and ray tracing cores are 20 versus 12, a 66.7% lead. The AMD part wins on pixel rate by 53.5% (86.40 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s) and on boost clock by 15.1% (2700 MHz versus 2346 MHz). The AMD part also wins on process node (4 nm versus 5 nm) and on API support, as the NVIDIA part lists no APIs at all.

The transistor density for AMD is 142.6M per mm², while the NVIDIA density is not recorded. Die size favors NVIDIA in absolute terms (382 mm² versus 178 mm²), but the AMD part packs more transistors into a smaller area. The TDP of 28 W for the AMD part is the only power figure recorded; the NVIDIA TDP is unknown. The NVIDIA part uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, while the AMD part has none listed. Both parts have no launch MSRP in the database.

The Verdict

The data shows two parts that are not direct competitors. The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU is the only one with graphics API support (DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4), making it the sole option for standard game or application rendering. It also has a higher pixel rate and a smaller, more power-efficient design at 28 W. The NVIDIA N1 20SM is a compute-oriented IGP with no API entries, a massive 128 GB memory pool, 273.2 GB/s bandwidth, 80 tensor cores, and 12.01 TFLOPS of FP32. It is built for throughput, not for conventional graphics pipelines.

For users requiring standard graphics APIs, the AMD part is the only choice from the recorded data. For users needing maximum compute throughput, memory capacity, or tensor operations, the NVIDIA part wins on every such metric. The NVIDIA part has more than three times the shading units and nearly three times the texture rate, but it also has no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan support, which limits its use to non-API workloads or proprietary stacks. The AMD part has a 2700 MHz boost clock and 86.40 GPixel/s pixel rate, which are higher than the NVIDIA part's 2346 MHz and 56.30 GPixel/s, respectively.

The absence of benchmark scores and rival data means the verdict is specification-driven. The AMD part is a 4 nm RDNA 3.0 console GPU with 16 GB and 119.9 GB/s, suited to low-power, API-compatible graphics. The NVIDIA part is a 5 nm Blackwell IGP with 128 GB and 273.2 GB/s, suited to memory-hungry compute tasks. Neither part has a recorded launch MSRP, and both are active in production. The choice depends on whether the workload requires standard graphics APIs (AMD) or raw compute and memory resources (NVIDIA).

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 2560 shading units, while the AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU has 768.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The NVIDIA part delivers 273.2 GB/s on a 256-bit bus, while the AMD part delivers 119.9 GB/s on a 128-bit bus.

Q: Does either GPU support DirectX?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU lists DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA N1 20SM lists N/A for all APIs.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU boosts to 2700 MHz, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM boosts to 2346 MHz.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The AMD part has 16 GB of LPDDR5X, and the NVIDIA part has 128 GB of LPDDR5X.

Q: Which GPU has tensor cores?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 80 tensor cores. The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU does not list any tensor cores.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU | NVIDIA N1 20SM |

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

| Architecture | RDNA 3.0 | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Process node | 4 nm | 5 nm |

| Die size | 178 mm² | 382 mm² |

| Transistors | 25,390 million | unknown |

| Transistor density | 142.6M / mm² | null |

| Base clock | 800 MHz | 741 MHz |

| Boost clock | 2700 MHz | 2346 MHz |

| Memory clock | 937 MHz (7.5 Gbps effective) | 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory size | 16 GB | 128 GB |

| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5X |

| Memory bus width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | 119.9 GB/s | 273.2 GB/s |

| Shading units | 768 | 2560 |

| TMUs | 48 | 160 |

| ROPs | 32 | 24 |

| RT cores | 12 | 20 |

| Tensor cores | null | 80 |

| Pixel rate | 86.40 GPixel/s | 56.30 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 129.6 GTexel/s | 375.4 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 8.294 TFLOPS | 12.01 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 8.294 TFLOPS (1:1) | 12.01 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 28 W | unknown |

| Slot width | null | IGP |

| Power connectors | None | None |

| Bus interface | null | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display outputs | 1x USB Type-C | 1x HDMI |

| DirectX | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | N/A |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | N/A |

| Vulkan | 1.4 | N/A |

| Production status | Active | Active |

| Release date | 2024-12-31 | 2026-05-31 |