NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Max-Q vs NVIDIA N1X 48SM Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct head-to-head benchmark results between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Max-Q and the NVIDIA N1X 48SM. Both entries show an average benchmark score of 0 and no nearest rivals are listed. This means the comparison must rely entirely on specification-derived performance indicators rather than measured application or game results.

Looking at raw compute throughput, the N1X 48SM holds a commanding lead in FP32 performance. The recorded data shows 28.83 TFLOPS for the N1X 48SM versus 9.032 TFLOPS for the RTX 4060 Max-Q. That places the N1X 48SM at roughly 3.2 times the single-precision compute output of the RTX 4060 Max-Q. Texture throughput tells a similar story: the N1X 48SM reaches 900.9 GTexel/s while the RTX 4060 Max-Q manages 141.1 GTexel/s, a margin of about 6.4 times in favor of the N1X 48SM.

Pixel throughput offers a narrower comparison. The N1X 48SM records 112.6 GPixel/s against 70.56 GPixel/s for the RTX 4060 Max-Q, a 1.6 times advantage. Both parts share 48 ROPs, so the pixel rate gap stems from clock speed differences rather than render output unit count.

Memory bandwidth also favors the N1X 48SM but by a smaller margin. The N1X 48SM delivers 273.2 GB/s over a 256-bit LPDDR5X interface, while the RTX 4060 Max-Q provides 256.0 GB/s through a 128-bit GDDR6 bus. That is a 6.7% bandwidth advantage for the N1X 48SM, a modest difference compared to the compute gap.

Clock behavior differs substantially between the two. The RTX 4060 Max-Q has a base clock of 1140 MHz and a boost clock of 1470 MHz. The N1X 48SM starts lower at 741 MHz base but boosts much higher to 2346 MHz. The effective memory clock also favors the N1X 48SM at 8.5 Gbps effective versus 16 Gbps effective for the RTX 4060 Max-Q, though the N1X 48SM's wider bus compensates for its lower memory clock.

# Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The RTX 4060 Max-Q uses the AD107 chip built on Ada Lovelace architecture, part of the GeForce 40 Mobile generation. The N1X 48SM uses the GB20B chip built on Blackwell 2.0 architecture, designated as part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation.

Both are fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC, but their physical characteristics diverge sharply. The RTX 4060 Max-Q measures 159 mm² with 18,900 million transistors, giving a transistor density of 118.9M per mm². The N1X 48SM has a die size of 382 mm², more than double the area, though its transistor count is listed as unknown and density is not recorded.

Shader resources differ by a factor of two. The N1X 48SM contains 6144 shading units, while the RTX 4060 Max-Q has 3072. Texture mapping units follow the same ratio: 384 TMUs versus 96. Both ROP counts are identical at 48. Ray tracing cores number 48 for the N1X 48SM against 24 for the RTX 4060 Max-Q, and tensor cores are 192 versus 96, again a 2:1 ratio.

Memory architecture presents one of the most significant differences. The RTX 4060 Max-Q uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus. The N1X 48SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, sixteen times the capacity with twice the bus width. This makes the N1X 48SM suitable for workloads requiring large memory footprints, while the RTX 4060 Max-Q targets conventional graphics workloads.

Interface capabilities differ as well. The RTX 4060 Max-Q connects through PCIe 4.0 x8, while the N1X 48SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16, offering substantially more host bandwidth. Display outputs also diverge: the RTX 4060 Max-Q lists "Portable Device Dependent" outputs, while the N1X 48SM lists a single HDMI output.

API support separates the two clearly. The RTX 4060 Max-Q supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1X 48SM records N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, indicating it does not expose these conventional graphics APIs. This suggests the N1X 48SM is designed for compute-focused or specialized workloads rather than general-purpose gaming or graphics rendering.

Power characteristics also differ. The RTX 4060 Max-Q has a TDP of 35 W, while the N1X 48SM's TDP is unknown. Both are IGP-class parts with no power connectors and portable-device integration. The RTX 4060 Max-Q launched in January 2023, while the N1X 48SM's release date falls in May 2026, placing them roughly three years apart in the database timeline.

# Where Each One Wins

The compute-heavy N1X 48SM dominates in raw throughput metrics. Its 28.83 TFLOPS FP32 output, 900.9 GTexel/s texture rate, and 112.6 GPixel/s pixel rate all exceed the RTX 4060 Max-Q's corresponding figures of 9.032 TFLOPS, 141.1 GTexel/s, and 70.56 GPixel/s. For workloads that scale with shader count and texture units, the N1X 48SM holds a decisive advantage.

Memory capacity is where the N1X 48SM wins most clearly. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X dwarfs the 8 GB GDDR6 on the RTX 4060 Max-Q. Any workload requiring large datasets resident in GPU memory, such as machine learning inference, scientific computing, or large-scale data processing, would favor the N1X 48SM. The bandwidth advantage, while present at 273.2 GB/s versus 256.0 GB/s, is not the primary differentiator; capacity is.

The RTX 4060 Max-Q wins in conventional graphics API compatibility. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the N1X 48SM records N/A across all three. For gaming, traditional rendering pipelines, or any software depending on these APIs, the RTX 4060 Max-Q is the functional choice.

Clock stability also favors the RTX 4060 Max-Q in efficiency terms. Its base clock of 1140 MHz sits closer to its boost clock of 1470 MHz, suggesting more consistent sustained performance. The N1X 48SM's base clock of 741 MHz with a boost of 2346 MHz implies a wider dynamic range, potentially leading to greater performance variability depending on thermal and power conditions.

The RTX 4060 Max-Q also has a clearly defined 35 W TDP, which aids system integration decisions. The N1X 48SM's unknown TDP leaves power planning less certain. For portable device designs where thermal envelopes are tight, the RTX 4060 Max-Q offers a known quantity.

# FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The N1X 48SM records 28.83 TFLOPS FP32, while the RTX 4060 Max-Q records 9.032 TFLOPS. The N1X 48SM delivers approximately 3.2 times the single-precision throughput.

Q: What are the memory capacities of each GPU?

A: The RTX 4060 Max-Q has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus. The N1X 48SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, sixteen times the capacity.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: No. The RTX 4060 Max-Q supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1X 48SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The N1X 48SM provides 273.2 GB/s over a 256-bit LPDDR5X interface, while the RTX 4060 Max-Q provides 256.0 GB/s over a 128-bit GDDR6 interface. The N1X 48SM holds a 6.7% bandwidth advantage.

Q: How do the ray tracing and tensor core counts compare?

A: The N1X 48SM has 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores. The RTX 4060 Max-Q has 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores. The N1X 48SM doubles both counts.

Q: Which GPU has a larger die?

A: The N1X 48SM has a die size of 382 mm², while the RTX 4060 Max-Q measures 159 mm². Both are fabricated on a 5 nm TSMC process.

# Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Max-Q | NVIDIA N1X 48SM |

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

| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Generation | GeForce 40 Mobile | Blackwell IGP (N1x) |

| Chip | AD107 | GB20B |

| Die Size | 159 mm² | 382 mm² |

| Transistors | 18,900 million | unknown |

| Base Clock | 1140 MHz | 741 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1470 MHz | 2346 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 2000 MHz, 16 Gbps effective | 1067 MHz, 8.5 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 128 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 273.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 3072 | 6144 |

| TMUs | 96 | 384 |

| ROPs | 48 | 48 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 24 | 48 |

| Tensor Cores | 96 | 192 |

| Pixel Rate | 70.56 GPixel/s | 112.6 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 141.1 GTexel/s | 900.9 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 9.032 TFLOPS | 28.83 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 9.032 TFLOPS (1:1) | 28.83 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 35 W | unknown |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x HDMI |

| DirectX | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | N/A |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | N/A |

| Vulkan | 1.4 | N/A |

| Release Date | 2023-01-02 | 2026-05-31 |

# The Verdict

The data presents two GPUs with fundamentally different design goals. The RTX 4060 Max-Q is a conventional mobile graphics processor with full API support, a defined 35 W power envelope, and a compact 159 mm² die. It delivers 9.032 TFLOPS FP32, 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 8 GB of memory, making it suitable for standard rendering workloads where DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan compatibility is required.

The N1X 48SM targets a different segment entirely. Its 28.83 TFLOPS FP32, 900.9 GTexel/s texture rate, and 128 GB memory capacity indicate a compute-oriented part. The absence of conventional graphics API support reinforces this interpretation. Its 382 mm² die and PCIe 5.0 x16 interface suggest deployment in systems where host bandwidth and compute density matter more than gaming compatibility.

For users needing a mobile GPU that runs standard graphics applications, the RTX 4060 Max-Q is the only viable option in this comparison. Its 35 W TDP and portable-device-dependent outputs align with thin-and-light laptop integration. The N1X 48SM, with its unknown TDP and single HDMI output, appears designed for embedded or specialized compute platforms rather than consumer graphics.

For workloads prioritizing raw computational throughput, large memory capacity, or texture processing, the N1X 48SM is clearly superior. Its 3.2 times FP32 advantage, 6.4 times texture rate, and 16 times memory capacity are decisive. The trade-off is software compatibility: no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan support means it cannot run conventional graphics stacks.

Both GPUs share the same 5 nm TSMC process, 48 ROPs, and IGP form factor with no power connectors. The RTX 4060 Max-Q launched in January 2023, while the N1X 48SM is dated May 2026. The choice between them rests entirely on workload requirements: standard graphics and gaming point to the RTX 4060 Max-Q, while compute-heavy, memory-intensive tasks point to the N1X 48SM.