Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE occupy entirely different positions in the hardware landscape. The Intel part is a data center compute accelerator built around the Ponte Vecchio chip, while the NVIDIA card is a consumer-oriented graphics product from the GeForce 50-series. The recorded data shows no direct benchmark comparisons between the two, so the verdict rests on architectural and specification differences.

The Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 targets workloads that demand massive memory capacity and raw compute throughput. Its 128 GB of HBM2e memory and 3.28 TB/s of bandwidth dwarf the NVIDIA card's 24 GB of GDDR7 and 1.34 TB/s. For large-scale data center compute, scientific simulation, or AI training that needs to hold enormous datasets on-chip, the Intel part is the clear choice based on memory resources alone.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE targets conventional graphics rendering and general-purpose compute in a desktop or workstation form factor. It delivers higher FP32 performance at 66.94 TFLOPS versus the Intel part's 52.43 TFLOPS, includes 160 ROPs for pixel output, and features display outputs. The Intel accelerator has zero pixel rate and no display outputs, meaning it cannot drive a monitor. For any interactive graphics, gaming, or rendering workflow, the NVIDIA card is the only viable option.

The data indicates the Intel part uses a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry, while the NVIDIA chip is built on a 5 nm process from TSMC. The Intel die is substantially larger at 1280 mm² against NVIDIA's 750 mm², though NVIDIA packs more transistors per square millimeter at 122.9M / mm² versus Intel's 78.1M / mm². The NVIDIA part is newer, with a release date in late 2025, while the Intel accelerator launched in early 2023.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 wins decisively in memory capacity and bandwidth. With 128 GB of HBM2e memory, it offers more than five times the capacity of the NVIDIA card. Its 8192-bit memory bus is more than twenty times wider than the 384-bit bus on the GeForce part, enabling the 3.28 TB/s bandwidth figure. Texture rate also favors Intel: 1,638.4 GTexel/s versus 1,045.9 GTexel/s on the NVIDIA card. The Intel part features 16384 shading units, 1024 TMUs, and 128 RT cores.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE wins in raw FP32 compute, delivering 66.94 TFLOPS against Intel's 52.43 TFLOPS. It also has a significant advantage in pixel throughput with 380.3 GPixel/s, while the Intel part manages 0 MPixel/s. The NVIDIA card includes 440 tensor cores and 160 ROPs, whereas the Intel part reports no tensor core count and zero ROPs. Clock speeds favor NVIDIA substantially: 1740 MHz base and 2377 MHz boost versus Intel's 900 MHz base and 1600 MHz boost. The NVIDIA card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, while the Intel part lists DirectX 12 (12_1) and no Vulkan support.

Power draw is lower on the NVIDIA side at 500 W TDP versus 600 W for Intel. The NVIDIA card uses a single 16-pin power connector and fits in a dual-slot form factor measuring 267 mm in length, while the Intel part is an OAM module with no specified power connector details.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 uses the Ponte Vecchio chip, built on Intel's Generation 12.5 architecture. It is fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The chip contains 100,000 million transistors across a 1280 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 78.1 million per square millimeter. Memory is HBM2e with a 128 GB capacity, connected through an 8192-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 1600 MHz with 3.2 Gbps effective speed.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE uses the GB202 chip, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. It is fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The chip contains 92,200 million transistors across a 750 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 122.9 million per square millimeter. Memory is GDDR7 with a 24 GB capacity, connected through a 384-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective speed.

The Intel part has more shading units (16384 versus 14080) and more texture mapping units (1024 versus 440). The NVIDIA part has more ROPs (160 versus 0) and includes 440 tensor cores, while the Intel part does not report a tensor core count. Both parts list 128 and 110 RT cores respectively.

The Intel accelerator has no display outputs, while the NVIDIA card provides 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs. The NVIDIA part supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6 but no Vulkan. Both use a PCIe 5.0 x16 bus interface.

The NVIDIA card has a dual-slot form factor and uses a 1x 16-pin power connector. The Intel part is an OAM module, which is a different physical form factor designed for data center mounting. The NVIDIA card has specified dimensions of 267 mm length, 111 mm height, and 40 mm width. The Intel part has no listed dimensions.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 has a bandwidth of 3.28 TB/s, compared to 1.34 TB/s for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE.

Q: Can the Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 output video to a display?

A: No. The Intel part has no display outputs and a pixel rate of 0 MPixel/s, whereas the NVIDIA card has 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs.

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE delivers 66.94 TFLOPS, ahead of the Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550's 52.43 TFLOPS.

Q: What is the difference in memory capacity between the two?

A: The Intel part has 128 GB of HBM2e memory, while the NVIDIA card has 24 GB of GDDR7 memory.

Q: Which GPU has more transistors?

A: The Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 contains 100,000 million transistors, compared to 92,200 million transistors in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE.

Q: What is the power draw difference?

A: The Intel part has a 600 W TDP, while the NVIDIA card has a 500 W TDP. The NVIDIA card also lists a suggested PSU of 900 W versus 1000 W for the Intel part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark results for these two products, so the comparison below relies on the recorded specification data. The wins each way are derived from measurable hardware attributes.

The most significant victory for the Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 is memory bandwidth. At 3.28 TB/s, it provides 2.45 times the bandwidth of the NVIDIA card's 1.34 TB/s. This advantage comes from the 8192-bit memory bus, which is 21.3 times wider than the NVIDIA card's 384-bit bus. The Intel part also leads in texture rate: 1,638.4 GTexel/s versus 1,045.9 GTexel/s, a 56.7% advantage. Memory capacity is another clear win, with 128 GB versus 24 GB, a 5.3 times difference.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 SE counters with a 27.7% higher FP32 throughput at 66.94 TFLOPS versus 52.43 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate of 380.3 GPixel/s is functionally infinite compared to the Intel part's 0 MPixel/s, since the Intel accelerator cannot perform rasterization output. Clock speeds also favor NVIDIA: the boost clock of 2377 MHz is 48.6% higher than Intel's 1600 MHz boost, and the base clock of 1740 MHz is 93.3% higher than Intel's 900 MHz base.

Transistor density tells a story of manufacturing efficiency. The NVIDIA chip achieves 122.9 million transistors per square millimeter on its 750 mm² die, which is 57.4% denser than Intel's 78.1 million per square millimeter on a 1280 mm² die. Despite the smaller die, the NVIDIA chip packs 92,200 million transistors, which is 92.2% of Intel's 100,000 million count.

Power efficiency favors NVIDIA when normalized to compute. The NVIDIA card delivers 66.94 TFLOPS at 500 W, while the Intel part delivers 52.43 TFLOPS at 600 W. This means the NVIDIA card produces 0.134 TFLOPS per watt, versus 0.087 TFLOPS per watt for the Intel part, a 53.6% efficiency advantage.

The API support difference is noteworthy. The NVIDIA card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and lists no Vulkan support. Both support OpenGL 4.6. This gives the NVIDIA card broader compatibility with modern graphics APIs.

The release timeline shows the NVIDIA card as a much newer product, with a release date at the end of 2025 versus the Intel part's January 2023 release. The NVIDIA card has a launch MSRP of 1,499 USD, while the Intel part has no listed MSRP. The NVIDIA card's predecessor is GeForce 40 and its successor is GeForce 60, while the Intel part's successor is listed as H3C Graphics.

The form factor difference is fundamental. The Intel part is an OAM module, which is a data center mounting standard. The NVIDIA card is a dual-slot PCIe card with a 16-pin power connector and dimensions of 267 mm by 111 mm by 40 mm. These physical differences make the two products suitable for entirely different installation environments.