AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU vs NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation Comparison

AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU and NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation represent two distinct approaches to mobile graphics, one built on AMD's RDNA 3.0 architecture and the other on NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace design. The recorded data shows both parts occupy the 50th percentile among all GPUs in the database, yet their architectural philosophies and measured specifications diverge sharply. This analysis walks through the head-to-head comparisons, use-case strengths, architectural differences, and specification gaps using only the database facts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for these two GPUs, as the `headToHeadBenchmarks` field is empty and the win counts for each side are zero. However, the raw compute and throughput figures provide a clear quantitative picture of where each part stands relative to the other.

The NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation delivers 15.62 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which is 88.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU's 8.294 TFLOPS. This nearly 1.9x advantage in raw floating-point throughput is the single largest numeric gap between the two parts. The texture rate follows a similar pattern: NVIDIA's 244.1 GTexel/s outpaces AMD's 129.6 GTexel/s by a factor of 1.88. Pixel rates, however, are much closer, with AMD's 86.40 GPixel/s edging out NVIDIA's 81.36 GPixel/s by 6.2%, a narrow margin that reflects the differing ROP counts and clock strategies.

Memory bandwidth tells a different story. The RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation achieves 256.0 GB/s through its 128-bit GDDR6 interface, while the Ryzen Z2 GPU manages 119.9 GB/s over a 128-bit LPDDR5X bus. That represents a 113.5% bandwidth advantage for NVIDIA, more than double the AMD part's throughput. The gap in shading units is equally pronounced: NVIDIA packs 4,608 shading units against AMD's 768, a 6x difference. TMU counts show 144 versus 48 (3x), and ROPs stand at 48 versus 32 (1.5x).

Clock behavior inverts the expected relationship. AMD's Ryzen Z2 GPU boosts to 2700 MHz from an 800 MHz base, while NVIDIA's RTX 3000 Mobile runs a 1395 MHz base and 1695 MHz boost. The AMD part's boost clock is 59.3% higher than NVIDIA's, yet the NVIDIA chip still achieves its compute lead through sheer parallel width rather than clock speed. FP16 throughput mirrors FP32 exactly on both parts, with each delivering a 1:1 ratio, so neither gains a precision-mode advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU wins in two measured categories: pixel rate and boost clock. Its 86.40 GPixel/s fill rate exceeds NVIDIA's 81.36 GPixel/s, suggesting an edge in scenarios dominated by pixel shading and output resolution, though the margin is modest. The 2700 MHz boost clock versus 1695 MHz also favors AMD for latency-sensitive workloads that respond to raw clock speed, though the architecture's lower shader count limits the practical impact.

The NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation wins decisively in every other throughput category. FP32 compute at 15.62 TFLOPS positions it as the stronger part for general-purpose compute, physics simulation, and shader-heavy rendering. The 244.1 GTexel/s texture rate gives it a clear lead in texture-bound scenes, and the 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supports larger texture fetches and higher-resolution buffer operations. The 4,608 shading units and 144 TMUs provide the parallel resources that scale with modern game engines, while 36 ray tracing cores and 144 tensor cores add specialized hardware that the AMD part lacks entirely in its listed specifications.

The 8 GB memory capacity on NVIDIA versus 16 GB on AMD presents a tradeoff: the RTX 3000 Mobile doubles the available capacity, which benefits large datasets and high-resolution textures, but NVIDIA's GDDR6 type offers higher bandwidth per pin, while AMD's LPDDR5X provides more capacity at lower bandwidth. For workloads that fit within 8 GB, NVIDIA's bandwidth advantage dominates; for workloads that exceed 8 GB, AMD's capacity allows the workload to run at all, albeit with reduced throughput.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs stem from different foundry processes and transistor budgets. AMD's Ryzen Z2 GPU uses a 4 nm TSMC process with 25,390 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 142.6M per mm². NVIDIA's RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation uses a 5 nm TSMC process with 22,900 million transistors on a 188 mm² die, resulting in 121.8M per mm². AMD's denser packing delivers more transistors in a smaller area, while NVIDIA spreads fewer transistors across a larger die.

The compute architectures diverge fundamentally. AMD employs RDNA 3.0 with 768 shading units, 12 ray tracing cores, and no tensor cores listed. NVIDIA uses Ada Lovelace with 4,608 shading units, 36 ray tracing cores, and 144 tensor cores. The ray tracing core count favors NVIDIA by 3x, and the tensor core presence enables AI-accelerated features such as DLSS, while AMD's part lacks any tensor core equivalent in the database.

Memory subsystems differ in type and speed. AMD pairs 16 GB of LPDDR5X with a 937 MHz memory clock (7.5 Gbps effective), while NVIDIA uses 8 GB of GDDR6 at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). Both share a 128-bit bus width, but the effective data rates produce the 2.13x bandwidth gap noted earlier. Power profiles also diverge: AMD's TDP is 28 W, while NVIDIA's is 115 W, a 4.1x difference that reflects the NVIDIA part's higher performance ceiling and greater cooling requirements.

The NVIDIA part includes a PCIe 4.0 x16 bus interface, while the AMD part lists no bus interface in the database. Display outputs also differ: AMD provides 1x USB Type-C, while NVIDIA's outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," indicating the RTX 3000 Mobile is designed for integration into laptops where display routing varies by manufacturer. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API compatibility is identical.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation delivers 15.62 TFLOPS, which is 88.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU's 8.294 TFLOPS.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: NVIDIA's RTX 3000 Mobile achieves 256.0 GB/s over GDDR6, while AMD's Ryzen Z2 GPU reaches 119.9 GB/s over LPDDR5X. NVIDIA's bandwidth is 113.5% higher despite both using a 128-bit bus.

Q: What is the difference in ray tracing and tensor core counts?

A: NVIDIA includes 36 ray tracing cores and 144 tensor cores, while AMD lists 12 ray tracing cores and no tensor cores in the database.

Q: Which GPU has the higher boost clock?

A: AMD's Ryzen Z2 GPU boosts to 2700 MHz, compared to NVIDIA's 1695 MHz boost, a 59.3% higher clock for AMD.

Q: What are the power consumption ratings?

A: AMD's Ryzen Z2 GPU is rated at 28 W TDP, while NVIDIA's RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation is rated at 115 W TDP, a 4.1x difference.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same graphics APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, with identical API feature sets.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU | NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation |

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

| 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 | 800 MHz | 1395 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2700 MHz | 1695 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 937 MHz (7.5 Gbps effective) | 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 16 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Type | LPDDR5X | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 119.9 GB/s | 256.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 768 | 4608 |

| TMUs | 48 | 144 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| RT Cores | 12 | 36 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 144 |

| Pixel Rate | 86.40 GPixel/s | 81.36 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 129.6 GTexel/s | 244.1 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 8.294 TFLOPS | 15.62 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 8.294 TFLOPS (1:1) | 15.62 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 28 W | 115 W |

| Bus Interface | None listed | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x USB Type-C | Portable Device Dependent |

| Release Date | 2024-12-31 | 2023-03-20 |

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear performance hierarchy, with the NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation holding substantial leads in compute throughput, texture rate, memory bandwidth, and specialized hardware. Its 15.62 TFLOPS FP32, 244.1 GTexel/s, and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth make it the stronger choice for compute-intensive rendering, high-resolution texture work, and ray-traced scenes, supported by 36 RT cores and 144 tensor cores. The 115 W TDP reflects the cost of that performance in power and thermal terms.

The AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU offers a different tradeoff. Its 28 W TDP makes it suitable for power-constrained designs, and its 16 GB memory capacity doubles NVIDIA's 8 GB, which benefits workloads that exceed the smaller frame buffer. The 86.40 GPixel/s pixel rate and 2700 MHz boost clock are the only measured categories where AMD leads, indicating an advantage in pixel-bound output and clock-sensitive tasks. Its 4 nm process and 25,390 million transistors on a smaller die show a denser, more efficient physical design.

Users prioritizing maximum compute and bandwidth should select the NVIDIA RTX 3000 Mobile Ada Generation based on the recorded performance ratios. Users requiring higher memory capacity or lower power draw with a faster boost clock should consider the AMD Ryzen Z2 GPU. The absence of head-to-head benchmark scores in the database means these conclusions rely on the specification-level measurements, which consistently favor NVIDIA across most throughput metrics.