NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Max-Q vs NVIDIA N1X 48SM Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no recorded head-to-head benchmark results for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Max-Q versus the NVIDIA N1X 48SM. Both entries show zero benchmark scores, zero average benchmark scores, and zero wins in the comparison matrix. This means any direct performance comparison must be derived from the architectural and specification data available, rather than from measured frame rates or synthetic test results.

The absence of benchmark data is significant. Neither the RTX 4050 Max-Q nor the N1X 48SM has any recorded measurements in the database. The RTX 4050 Max-Q sits at the 50th percentile across all GPUs in the database, and the N1X 48SM also sits at the 50th percentile. Without actual scores, the percentile ranking indicates both are positioned at the median of the recorded GPU population, but this tells us nothing about their relative performance against each other.

What the data does show is a dramatic difference in raw compute capacity. The N1X 48SM delivers 28.83 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is approximately 3.5 times the 8.218 TFLOPS of the RTX 4050 Max-Q. In FP16, the same ratio holds: 28.83 TFLOPS versus 8.218 TFLOPS, with both using a 1:1 ratio. The texture rate gap is even wider in relative terms. The N1X 48SM processes 900.9 GTexel/s compared to 128.4 GTexel/s on the RTX 4050 Max-Q, a multiple of roughly 7 times. Pixel rate favors the N1X 48SM as well, at 112.6 GPixel/s versus 77.04 GPixel/s.

These figures come from the specification sheets, not from any benchmark run. The interpretation is straightforward: the N1X 48SM has substantially more shading units, texture mapping units, ray tracing cores, and tensor cores, and it clocks much higher at boost. The RTX 4050 Max-Q has a higher base clock at 1140 MHz versus 741 MHz, but the N1X 48SM's boost clock of 2346 MHz far exceeds the 1605 MHz boost of the RTX 4050 Max-Q. The N1X 48SM also has a much larger memory subsystem, with 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus delivering 273.2 GB/s, compared to 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus delivering 192.0 GB/s.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The N1X 48SM delivers 28.83 TFLOPS, which is 3.5 times higher than the 8.218 TFLOPS of the RTX 4050 Max-Q.

Q: How do the memory configurations differ?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth. The N1X 48SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q boosts to 1605 MHz, while the N1X 48SM boosts to 2346 MHz. The base clocks are 1140 MHz and 741 MHz, respectively.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The N1X 48SM has 48 ray tracing cores, compared to 20 on the RTX 4050 Max-Q.

Q: What is the transistor density of each chip?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q's AD107 chip has a transistor density of 118.9 million transistors per square millimeter, with 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The N1X 48SM's GB20B chip has 382 mm² die size, but its transistor count and density are listed as unknown.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1X 48SM lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan as N/A.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The RTX 4050 Max-Q is built on Ada Lovelace, using the AD107 chip, and belongs to the GeForce 40 Mobile generation. The N1X 48SM uses the GB20B chip and is based on Blackwell 2.0, part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. Both are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process node, but the similarities end there.

The die sizes diverge significantly. The AD107 chip measures 159 mm² and contains 18,900 million transistors, giving a transistor density of 118.9 million per square millimeter. The GB20B chip is larger at 382 mm², but the database lists its transistor count and density as unknown. The larger die area combined with far higher shading unit counts suggests a much bigger compute complex.

Shader resources are heavily skewed toward the N1X 48SM. It has 6144 shading units, 384 texture mapping units, 48 ray tracing cores, and 192 tensor cores. The RTX 4050 Max-Q has 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, 20 ray tracing cores, and 80 tensor cores. Both have 48 ROPs, which is the only major execution resource that matches.

The memory architecture is fundamentally different. The RTX 4050 Max-Q uses dedicated GDDR6 memory with a 96-bit interface. The N1X 48SM uses LPDDR5X system memory on a 256-bit interface. The N1X 48SM's memory clock is listed as 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective, while the RTX 4050 Max-Q's memory clock is 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective. Despite the lower effective speed, the N1X 48SM's wider bus and larger capacity produce higher total bandwidth.

There are also differences in API support and system integration. The RTX 4050 Max-Q supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1X 48SM lists all three as N/A, which indicates it may not be designed for conventional graphics API workloads in the same way. The N1X 48SM also uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, whereas the RTX 4050 Max-Q uses PCIe 4.0 x8. Both are IGP form factors with no power connectors.

Specification Differences

The RTX 4050 Max-Q and N1X 48SM differ across nearly every measured specification. The process node is the same at 5 nm, and both come from TSMC, but the chips are otherwise distinct. The RTX 4050 Max-Q uses the AD107 chip with 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The N1X 48SM uses the GB20B chip with an unknown transistor count on a 382 mm² die.

Clock speeds show a split personality. The RTX 4050 Max-Q has a higher base clock at 1140 MHz versus 741 MHz. The N1X 48SM has a much higher boost clock at 2346 MHz versus 1605 MHz. Memory clocks also differ: the RTX 4050 Max-Q runs at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective, while the N1X 48SM runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective.

Memory capacity and type are completely different. The RTX 4050 Max-Q has 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth. The N1X 48SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1X 48SM offers more than 20 times the capacity and about 42 percent more bandwidth.

Execution resources favor the N1X 48SM across the board except for ROPs. Shading units are 6144 versus 2560, TMUs are 384 versus 80, RT cores are 48 versus 20, and tensor cores are 192 versus 80. Both have 48 ROPs. The N1X 48SM's pixel rate of 112.6 GPixel/s exceeds the 77.04 GPixel/s of the RTX 4050 Max-Q, and its texture rate of 900.9 GTexel/s dwarfs the 128.4 GTexel/s of the RTX 4050 Max-Q.

Power and connectivity also differ. The RTX 4050 Max-Q has a TDP of 35 W. The N1X 48SM lists TDP as unknown. The RTX 4050 Max-Q uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the N1X 48SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16. Display outputs are portable device dependent for the RTX 4050 Max-Q, while the N1X 48SM has a single HDMI output. The RTX 4050 Max-Q was released in January 2023, while the N1X 48SM has a release date of May 2026.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4050 Max-Q wins on efficiency and compatibility. Its 35 W TDP makes it a low-power part suitable for thin-and-light portable systems. It has full DirectX 12 Ultimate support, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which means it can run conventional PC games and graphics applications without API compatibility issues. Its higher base clock of 1140 MHz suggests it can maintain reasonable performance at lower sustained loads. The 6 GB GDDR6 memory is sufficient for basic gaming and productivity tasks, and the 192.0 GB/s bandwidth is workable for its compute level.

The N1X 48SM wins on raw compute, memory capacity, and bandwidth. Its 28.83 TFLOPS FP32 performance is roughly 3.5 times that of the RTX 4050 Max-Q. The 128 GB LPDDR5X memory is an enormous capacity advantage, suitable for large datasets, model inference, or memory-heavy workloads. The 273.2 GB/s bandwidth, while not proportionally as large as the compute advantage, still exceeds the RTX 4050 Max-Q by about 42 percent. The 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores provide substantially more hardware acceleration for ray-traced rendering and AI workloads. The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface offers double the lane width and a newer generation compared to PCIe 4.0 x8.

The N1X 48SM also has a much higher boost clock at 2346 MHz, which allows it to reach its high TFLOPS figures under load. Its 900.9 GTexel/s texture rate indicates it can feed its shading units far more effectively than the RTX 4050 Max-Q can feed its own. The pixel rate advantage of 112.6 GPixel/s versus 77.04 GPixel/s means it can fill more pixels in fill-rate-limited scenarios.

The Verdict

The data points to two different devices for two different purposes. The RTX 4050 Max-Q is a conventional mobile GPU with known API support, a fixed 35 W power envelope, and a modest 6 GB memory configuration. Its 50th percentile ranking in the database places it at the median of all GPUs, which is consistent with a mainstream laptop part. It is designed for standard graphics workloads and portable systems where power draw is a primary constraint.

The N1X 48SM is a different class of device. Its 28.83 TFLOPS FP32 output, 128 GB memory capacity, and 192 tensor cores position it as a compute-oriented part, likely for AI inference, data processing, or large-scale rendering tasks. The lack of DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support in the database suggests it may not be intended for traditional gaming workloads at all. Its unknown TDP and IGP form factor indicate it is integrated into a larger system rather than being a discrete add-in card.

For a gaming laptop or a general-purpose mobile workstation, the RTX 4050 Max-Q is the safer choice based on its API compatibility and established driver ecosystem. For compute-heavy tasks that can use the full 28.83 TFLOPS and 128 GB memory, the N1X 48SM is the clear winner on paper. The 50th percentile ranking for both GPUs in the database does not distinguish between them, so the decision rests entirely on the specification differences. The N1X 48SM is the more powerful part in nearly every measurable way, but the RTX 4050 Max-Q is the only one of the two with conventional graphics API support.