AMD Steam Machine GPU vs NVIDIA GB10 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data provides no direct head-to-head benchmark comparisons between the AMD Steam Machine GPU and the NVIDIA GB10. The AMD Steam Machine GPU has no benchmark scores or nearest rivals listed in the database, while the NVIDIA GB10 has two benchmark results. This asymmetry means the analysis relies entirely on the GB10's measured performance and the architectural specifications of both parts.

The NVIDIA GB10 delivers a Geekbench OpenCL score of 120,137 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 114,648. Its average benchmark score across these tests is 117,393. This places the GB10 in the 95th percentile of all GPUs in the database, a strong position that indicates top-tier performance relative to the broader GPU landscape. The AMD Steam Machine GPU, with no recorded benchmarks, sits at the 50th percentile, which represents the median of all GPUs, but this is a default placement rather than a measured result.

The GB10's nearest rivals provide context for its benchmark standing. The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation scores 117,088 on average, putting the GB10 just 0.3% ahead. The AMD Radeon PRO W7700 averages 118,976, meaning the GB10 trails it by 1.3%. The NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB averages 114,395, with the GB10 leading by 2.6%. The NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile averages 113,944, placing the GB10 3% ahead. These deltas are small in magnitude, indicating that the GB10 sits in a competitive cluster of professional and workstation GPUs. The data suggests that the GB10's performance is comparable to these established cards, with no single rival holding a decisive edge.

The absence of measured scores for the AMD Steam Machine GPU means that any performance comparison must be inferred from its architecture. The FP32 throughput of the AMD part is 17.56 TFLOPS, while the GB10 delivers 29.71 TFLOPS. That gap, approximately 69% higher for the GB10 in raw FP32 compute, is the most direct numerical performance indicator available. Similarly, texture rate favors the GB10 at 928.5 GTexel/s versus 274.4 GTexel/s for the AMD part, a substantial margin. Pixel rate, however, goes the other way: the AMD Steam Machine GPU achieves 156.8 GPixel/s, while the GB10 manages 116.1 GPixel/s. This suggests that the AMD part may have an advantage in fill-rate-bound scenarios, despite its lower overall compute throughput.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The AMD Steam Machine GPU uses the Navi 33 chip built on RDNA 3.0 architecture, with the codename "Hotpink Bonefish." It is classified as a Console GPU for Valve. The NVIDIA GB10 uses the GB20B chip on Blackwell 2.0 architecture and falls under the Server Blackwell generation. The manufacturing process differs as well: AMD uses TSMC's 6 nm node, while NVIDIA uses TSMC's 5 nm node. The smaller process gives the GB10 a potential density and efficiency advantage, though the AMD part's transistor density is listed at 65.2 million transistors per square millimeter, while the GB10's density is unknown.

The AMD chip contains 13,300 million transistors on a 204 mm² die. The GB10's transistor count is unknown, but its die size is 382 mm², substantially larger than the AMD die. The GB10's larger die and smaller process node suggest a more complex design, consistent with its server-oriented positioning.

Memory architecture shows stark differences. The AMD Steam Machine GPU uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA GB10 uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, providing 273.2 GB/s. The GB10 has 16 times the memory capacity but slightly lower bandwidth. This makes the GB10 suitable for large datasets and models that exceed the AMD part's capacity, while the AMD part's higher bandwidth relative to its capacity could benefit certain cache-intensive workloads.

Compute resources differ markedly. The AMD part has 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, 64 ROPs, and 28 ray tracing cores. The GB10 has 6,144 shading units, 384 TMUs, 48 ROPs, and 48 ray tracing cores. The GB10 also includes 384 tensor cores, while the AMD part lists none. The GB10's shading unit count is more than three times the AMD part's, and its TMU count is also more than three times higher. The AMD part has more ROPs, which aligns with its higher pixel rate. The GB10's tensor cores indicate dedicated AI and machine learning acceleration, a feature absent from the AMD part's specification sheet.

Clock speeds are similar. The AMD Steam Machine GPU has a base clock of 1720 MHz, a boost clock of 2450 MHz, and a game clock of 2250 MHz. The GB10 has a base clock of 1665 MHz and a boost clock of 2418 MHz, with no game clock listed. The AMD part's clocks are slightly higher, but the GB10's massive shader count compensates in raw throughput.

Power and physical design differ substantially. The AMD part has a 110 W TDP, while the GB10 is rated at 140 W. Neither uses external power connectors. The GB10 lists a suggested PSU of 300 W, while the AMD part has none. The GB10 is an integrated graphics package (IGP) with a slot width designation of "IGP," whereas the AMD part is a discrete card with dimensions of 156 mm length, 152 mm height, and 162 mm width. The GB10 measures 150 mm by 51 mm by 150 mm, making it much thinner. The GB10 uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, while the AMD part has no bus interface listed. Display outputs also differ: the AMD part provides one HDMI 2.1a and one DisplayPort 2.1, while the GB10 offers only one HDMI port.

API support is another dividing line. The AMD Steam Machine GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GB10 lists "N/A" for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, indicating it is not designed for traditional graphics API workloads. This reinforces the GB10's server and compute-oriented role, while the AMD part is clearly built for gaming and consumer graphics.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GB10 delivers 29.71 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, compared to 17.56 TFLOPS for the AMD Steam Machine GPU. The GB10 holds a significant lead in raw compute throughput.

Q: How does memory capacity compare between the two?

A: The NVIDIA GB10 has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, while the AMD Steam Machine GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6. The GB10 offers 16 times the capacity, though its bandwidth of 273.2 GB/s is slightly lower than the AMD part's 288.0 GB/s.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GB10 support DirectX or Vulkan?

A: The database lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support as "N/A" for the NVIDIA GB10. The AMD Steam Machine GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What is the transistor density of each chip?

A: The AMD Steam Machine GPU has a transistor density of 65.2 million transistors per square millimeter, with 13,300 million transistors on a 204 mm² die. The NVIDIA GB10's transistor count and density are unknown, but its die size is 382 mm².

Q: How does the GB10's benchmark performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GB10's average benchmark score of 117,393 puts it 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation, 1.3% behind the AMD Radeon PRO W7700, 2.6% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB, and 3% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile.

Q: Which GPU has more ROPs and pixel rate?

A: The AMD Steam Machine GPU has 64 ROPs and a pixel rate of 156.8 GPixel/s. The NVIDIA GB10 has 48 ROPs and a pixel rate of 116.1 GPixel/s. The AMD part leads in this specific area.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field in the database. The AMD Steam Machine GPU uses the Navi 33 chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA GB10 uses the GB20B chip with Blackwell 2.0. The AMD part is built on TSMC's 6 nm process, the GB10 on TSMC's 5 nm. The AMD die measures 204 mm² and contains 13,300 million transistors; the GB10 die measures 382 mm² with an unknown transistor count. Transistor density is 65.2M per mm² for AMD, unknown for NVIDIA.

Clock speeds show the AMD part with a 1720 MHz base, 2450 MHz boost, and 2250 MHz game clock. The GB10 has a 1665 MHz base and 2418 MHz boost, with no game clock. Memory differs in size, type, and bus width: 8 GB GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus for AMD versus 128 GB LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus for NVIDIA. Bandwidth is 288.0 GB/s for AMD and 273.2 GB/s for NVIDIA.

Compute unit counts diverge sharply. The AMD part has 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and 28 ray tracing cores, with no tensor cores. The GB10 has 6,144 shading units, 384 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 48 ray tracing cores, and 384 tensor cores. Pixel rate favors AMD at 156.8 GPixel/s versus 116.1 GPixel/s, while texture rate favors NVIDIA at 928.5 GTexel/s versus 274.4 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 are both 17.56 TFLOPS for AMD and 29.71 TFLOPS for NVIDIA.

Power and physical specs differ as well. TDP is 110 W for AMD and 140 W for NVIDIA. The GB10 lists a suggested PSU of 300 W; the AMD part has none. The GB10's bus interface is PCIe 5.0 x16, while the AMD part has no listed interface. The AMD part has display outputs of one HDMI 2.1a and one DisplayPort 2.1; the GB10 has one HDMI. API support is full for AMD (DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4) and "N/A" for NVIDIA. The AMD part is 156 mm by 152 mm by 162 mm, while the GB10 is 150 mm by 51 mm by 150 mm. The GB10 is designated as an IGP slot width, while the AMD part has no slot width listed. The GB10 has a predecessor, Server Hopper, and a successor, Server Rubin; the AMD part lists neither.

The Verdict

The data points to two very different products with different intended roles. The NVIDIA GB10 is a server-class Blackwell part with 128 GB of memory, tensor cores, and a 95th percentile benchmark standing. Its average benchmark score of 117,393 places it alongside professional workstation GPUs like the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation and Radeon PRO W7700, with deltas of 0.3% and -1.3% respectively. It has no graphics API support, which means it is not meant for gaming or traditional rendering workloads. Its FP32 throughput of 29.71 TFLOPS and texture rate of 928.5 GTexel/s are far above the AMD part's numbers.

The AMD Steam Machine GPU is a console-oriented RDNA 3.0 part with 8 GB of memory, full graphics API support, and a 50th percentile placement. Its strength lies in its balanced consumer feature set: DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, dual display outputs, and a higher pixel rate of 156.8 GPixel/s. Its lower TDP of 110 W and lack of external power connectors suggest a compact, efficient design for a console form factor.

For compute-heavy, AI, or large-memory workloads, the NVIDIA GB10 is the clear choice based on the data. For gaming, consumer graphics, and applications requiring DirectX or Vulkan, the AMD Steam Machine GPU is the only one of the two with the necessary API support. The GB10's lack of graphics APIs is a decisive limitation for any traditional rendering use case, regardless of its raw compute advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GB10 wins in raw compute throughput, memory capacity, and feature specialization. Its 29.71 TFLOPS FP32 performance is 69% higher than the AMD part's 17.56 TFLOPS. Its 128 GB of memory dwarfs the 8 GB on the AMD part, making it suitable for workloads that need to hold large models or datasets in memory. The 384 tensor cores provide dedicated AI acceleration that the AMD part lacks entirely. The GB10's texture rate of 928.5 GTexel/s is more than three times the AMD part's 274.4 GTexel/s, indicating a strong advantage in texture-heavy compute tasks. Its benchmark scores, placing it in the 95th percentile and competitive with professional cards, confirm its standing in the database's performance hierarchy.

The AMD Steam Machine GPU wins in consumer graphics capability, pixel throughput, and API compatibility. It is the only one of the two with DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support, making it viable for gaming and standard rendering applications. Its pixel rate of 156.8 GPixel/s exceeds the GB10's 116.1 GPixel/s by about 35%, suggesting an advantage in fill-rate-bound scenarios such as high-resolution rasterization. Its 64 ROPs versus 48 ROPs supports this interpretation. The AMD part also has a lower TDP of 110 W versus 140 W, and its dual display outputs (HDMI 2.1a and DisplayPort 2.1) give it more flexibility for multi-monitor setups than the GB10's single HDMI port. The AMD part's higher boost clock of 2450 MHz versus 2418 MHz is a minor edge in clock speed, though the GB10's larger shader count overcomes this in overall throughput.

The use-case split is clear from the specifications. The GB10 targets server, AI, and large-memory compute environments where graphics APIs are irrelevant. The AMD Steam Machine GPU targets a gaming console or consumer graphics environment where API support, display connectivity, and pixel throughput matter more than raw FP32 or tensor performance.