AMD Steam Machine GPU vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data splits these two GPUs into entirely different performance classes. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D holds every benchmark win in the database, with zero wins recorded for the AMD Steam Machine GPU. This is not a close contest. The RTX 4090 D sits at the 98th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the AMD part sits at the 50th percentile. That gap alone tells the story: one is a top-tier enthusiast part, the other is a mid-pack console-class component.

The RTX 4090 D delivers its wins across every measured category. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 8587 points. In Geekbench OpenCL, it reaches 278621 points. In Geekbench Vulkan, it posts 246941 points. The AMD Steam Machine GPU has no benchmark scores recorded in the database, so its wins cannot be quantified. The data shows a complete absence of competitive results for the AMD part.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. The RTX 4090 D wins for anyone running DirectX 12 workloads, OpenCL compute tasks, or Vulkan applications. The AMD part wins nowhere in the recorded measurements. If the use case is high-end gaming or compute, the RTX 4090 D dominates. If the use case is a compact console-style machine, the AMD part has a role, but not based on benchmark victories.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Steam Machine GPU uses the Navi 33 chip on RDNA 3.0 architecture, with the codename Hotpink Bonefish. It belongs to the Console GPU generation for Valve. The RTX 4090 D uses the AD102 chip on Ada Lovelace architecture, part of the GeForce 40 series.

The manufacturing process differs significantly. AMD uses a 6 nm node at TSMC, while NVIDIA uses a 5 nm node at the same foundry. The transistor counts reflect this gap. AMD packs 13,300 million transistors onto a 204 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 65.2 million per square millimeter. NVIDIA crams 76,300 million transistors onto a 609 mm² die, reaching 125.3 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA die is roughly three times larger and carries nearly six times the transistors.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The AMD GPU has 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, 64 render output units, and 28 ray tracing cores. The RTX 4090 D has 14592 shading units, 456 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 114 RT cores, and 456 tensor cores. The AMD part has no tensor cores listed at all. The NVIDIA part delivers more than eight times the shading units and more than four times the RT cores.

Memory architecture also differs. The AMD GPU uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4090 D uses 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, reaching 1.01 TB/s. That is a 3.5x bandwidth advantage and a 3x capacity advantage for NVIDIA.

Clock speeds show a smaller gap. AMD runs at a 1720 MHz base and 2450 MHz boost, with a 2250 MHz game clock. NVIDIA runs at a 2280 MHz base and 2520 MHz boost. The memory clocks differ: AMD runs at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective, NVIDIA at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective.

Power and physical design reflect the performance split. The AMD part draws 110 W with no power connectors, meaning it is bus-powered. The RTX 4090 D draws 425 W and requires a single 16-pin connector with an 800 W suggested power supply. The AMD GPU measures 156 mm in length, 152 mm in height, and 162 mm in width. The NVIDIA card is 304 mm long, 137 mm tall, and 61 mm wide. The AMD part is a compact square block; the NVIDIA card is a long triple-slot board.

Display outputs also differ. AMD offers 1x HDMI 2.1a and 1x DisplayPort 2.1. NVIDIA offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The production status tells a different story. AMD is listed as Active. NVIDIA is listed as End-of-life, with a predecessor in GeForce 30 and a successor in GeForce 50. AMD has no predecessor or successor listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no head-to-head benchmark entries between these two GPUs. The wins column shows 0 for the AMD part and 0 for the NVIDIA part. This means the formal head-to-head comparison is empty. However, the RTX 4090 D has standalone benchmark scores that place it firmly in the top tier.

The RTX 4090 D scores 8587 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. That is a DirectX 12 workload that stresses modern rendering features. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 278621 reflects general compute performance across heterogeneous workloads. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 246941 shows strong graphics API performance.

The RTX 4090 D averages 178050 across its recorded benchmarks. Its nearest rivals in the database are all NVIDIA professional parts. The RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell scores 182109, which is 2.2 percent higher than the RTX 4090 D. The A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183725, 3.1 percent higher. The RTX 5000 Ada Generation scores 184664, 3.6 percent higher. The A100 SXM4 40 GB scores 187147, 4.9 percent higher. This means the RTX 4090 D trails these professional cards by small margins, between 2.2 and 4.9 percent.

The AMD Steam Machine GPU has no benchmark scores, no average score, and no nearest rivals listed. Its percentile rank of 50 places it at the median of all GPUs in the database. Without scores, the data cannot quantify its performance against the RTX 4090 D. The gap between the 50th and 98th percentile is the only measurable comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS FP32, while the AMD Steam Machine GPU delivers 17.56 TFLOPS FP32. The NVIDIA part has a 4.2x advantage in raw floating-point throughput.

Q: How do the memory capacities compare?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The AMD Steam Machine GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The AMD Steam Machine GPU has a 110 W TDP and requires no power connectors. The RTX 4090 D has a 425 W TDP and requires a 16-pin connector with an 800 W suggested power supply.

Q: Which GPU supports ray tracing?

A: Both support ray tracing. The AMD part has 28 RT cores, while the RTX 4090 D has 114 RT cores. The NVIDIA part also has 456 tensor cores, which the AMD part lacks entirely.

Q: What are the production statuses?

A: The AMD Steam Machine GPU is listed as Active with a release date of 2026-06-28. The RTX 4090 D is listed as End-of-life with a release date of 2023-12-27 and a successor in GeForce 50.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 D compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4090 D averages 178050 across its benchmarks. It trails the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell by 2.2 percent, the A100 SXM4 80 GB by 3.1 percent, the RTX 5000 Ada Generation by 3.6 percent, and the A100 SXM4 40 GB by 4.9 percent.

The Verdict

The data supports only one conclusion for performance: the RTX 4090 D is decisively faster. It holds the 98th percentile rank, delivers 73.54 TFLOPS FP32, and posts benchmark scores in the hundreds of thousands. The AMD Steam Machine GPU sits at the 50th percentile with 17.56 TFLOPS FP32 and no recorded benchmark scores. Any user prioritizing compute, gaming, or rendering should choose the RTX 4090 D based on the measured data.

The AMD part has its own rationale, but it is not about performance. It draws only 110 W, needs no power connectors, and fits in a compact 156 mm by 152 mm by 162 mm package. It is an Active product from Valve's console GPU generation, while the RTX 4090 D is End-of-life. For a small-form-factor, low-power console-style build, the AMD part is the functional choice. For raw performance, the RTX 4090 D is the only choice the data supports.

The RTX 4090 D launched at an MSRP of 1,599 USD. The AMD part has no launch MSRP listed. The RTX 4090 D also carries a triple-slot cooler, a 304 mm length, and an 800 W suggested power supply, making it a demanding physical install. The AMD part needs none of that. Users with space and power constraints should favor AMD. Users with performance requirements should favor NVIDIA.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Steam Machine GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D |

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

| Chip | Navi 33 | AD102 |

| Architecture | RDNA 3.0 | Ada Lovelace |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 13,300 million | 76,300 million |

| Die Size | 204 mm² | 609 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 65.2M / mm² | 125.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1720 MHz | 2280 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2450 MHz | 2520 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB GDDR6 | 24 GB GDDR6X |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 288.0 GB/s | 1.01 TB/s |

| Shading Units | 1792 | 14592 |

| TMUs | 112 | 456 |

| ROPs | 64 | 176 |

| RT Cores | 28 | 114 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 456 |

| FP32 | 17.56 TFLOPS | 73.54 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 17.56 TFLOPS | 73.54 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 110 W | 425 W |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | None listed | 800 W |

| Slot Width | None listed | Triple-slot |

| Bus Interface | None listed | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 1x DisplayPort 2.1 | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Length | 156 mm | 304 mm |

| Height | 152 mm | 137 mm |

| Width | 162 mm | 61 mm |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2026-06-28 | 2023-12-27 |

| Predecessor | None listed | GeForce 30 |

| Successor | None listed | GeForce 50 |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | 1,599 USD |

| Percentile | 50 | 98 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 0 | 178050 |