NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 vs NVIDIA N1X 48SM Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains no direct benchmark scores for either GPU, and the head-to-head benchmark array is empty. With zero wins recorded for each side, the quantitative comparison must rely entirely on the specification-level measurements and derived throughput figures available in the database. The FP32 compute figures place the two very close: the RTX 4070 AD103 delivers 29.15 TFLOPS against 28.83 TFLOPS for the N1X 48SM, a margin of roughly 1.1% in favor of the GeForce part. That difference is small enough that real-world workloads would likely see performance parity in compute-bound scenarios, assuming identical driver and thermal conditions.

The texture rate tells a different story. The N1X 48SM outputs 900.9 GTexel/s, which is nearly double the 455.4 GTexel/s of the RTX 4070 AD103. This stems directly from the N1X having 384 TMUs against 184 on the GeForce, and the higher texture throughput means the Blackwell IGP part should handle texture-heavy rendering, such as certain types of procedural generation or texture-filtering workloads, with a substantial advantage. Conversely, the pixel rate favors the RTX 4070 AD103 at 158.4 GPixel/s versus 112.6 GPixel/s, a 40.7% lead that comes from its 64 ROPs compared to 48 on the N1X. Rasterization output stages that depend on pixel fill will run faster on the GeForce.

Memory bandwidth is another clear split. The RTX 4070 AD103 reaches 504.2 GB/s using 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, while the N1X 48SM offers 273.2 GB/s from 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus. The GeForce has 84.5% more bandwidth, which benefits large data transfers and high-resolution texture streaming. However, the N1X has over ten times the memory capacity, 128 GB versus 12 GB, which matters for datasets that exceed the VRAM limit of the RTX 4070 AD103.

Clock speeds show a notable divergence. The RTX 4070 AD103 has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost of 2475 MHz, while the N1X 48SM sits at 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost. The GeForce runs at significantly higher base frequency, but the boost clocks are closer, with the N1X reaching 94.8% of the RTX 4070's boost. The N1X compensates for its lower base clock through a larger shader count, 6144 versus 5888, and more tensor cores, 192 versus 184, though the FP32 output remains nearly identical due to the clock deficit.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and target entirely different use cases. The RTX 4070 AD103 uses the Ada Lovelace architecture on TSMC's 5 nm process, with a die size of 379 mm² and 45,900 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 121.1 million per square millimeter. The N1X 48SM is based on Blackwell 2.0, also on a 5 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 382 mm². The database does not list a transistor count for the N1X, so density cannot be computed, but the die sizes are nearly identical, within 0.8% of each other.

The shader configurations differ in composition. The RTX 4070 AD103 has 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores. The N1X 48SM has 6144 shading units, 384 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 48 RT cores, and 192 tensor cores. The N1X carries 4.3% more shaders, 108.7% more texture units, 4.3% more RT cores, and 4.3% more tensor cores, but 25% fewer ROPs. The TMU disparity is the most dramatic architectural difference, and it explains the texture rate advantage.

Memory architecture is fundamentally different. The RTX 4070 AD103 uses dedicated GDDR6X VRAM with a 192-bit interface, while the N1X 48SM uses LPDDR5X system memory with a 256-bit interface. The N1X is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor), meaning it shares memory with the host system, whereas the RTX 4070 is a discrete add-in board with its own VRAM. The N1X has no power connectors and a slot width of "IGP", indicating it is not a standalone card, while the RTX 4070 AD103 is a dual-slot card requiring a single 16-pin connector and a 550 W suggested PSU.

API support also separates them. The RTX 4070 AD103 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it suitable for modern gaming and general-purpose compute. The N1X 48SM lists "N/A" for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, which suggests it is not intended for standard graphics APIs, possibly targeting specialized compute or embedded workloads. The N1X also has only a single HDMI output, while the RTX 4070 AD103 provides one HDMI 2.1 and three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

The process node is identical at 5 nm for both, and both use TSMC as the foundry. The RTX 4070 AD103 belongs to the GeForce 40 generation with a release date of 2024-02-29 and is marked end-of-life, while the N1X 48SM belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation with a release date of 2026-05-31 and is still active in production. The N1X uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, double the bus bandwidth of the RTX 4070's PCIe 4.0 x16, which matters for CPU-to-GPU data transfers.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 delivers 29.15 TFLOPS, which is 0.32 TFLOPS higher than the N1X 48SM at 28.83 TFLOPS, a lead of about 1.1%.

Q: How do the memory capacities compare?

A: The N1X 48SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X, while the RTX 4070 AD103 has 12 GB of GDDR6X. The N1X offers more than ten times the capacity, but the RTX 4070 has 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth versus 273.2 GB/s.

Q: What explains the N1X's texture rate advantage?

A: The N1X 48SM has 384 TMUs, which is 108.7% more than the 184 TMUs on the RTX 4070 AD103. This drives its 900.9 GTexel/s texture rate against 455.4 GTexel/s on the GeForce.

Q: Are both GPUs on the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both use TSMC's 5 nm process. The die sizes are also close, with the RTX 4070 AD103 at 379 mm² and the N1X 48SM at 382 mm².

Q: What are the power connector requirements?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 uses a single 16-pin connector and has a TDP of 200 W, while the N1X 48SM has no power connectors and its TDP is listed as unknown. The RTX 4070 also has a suggested PSU of 550 W.

Q: Which GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate?

A: Only the RTX 4070 AD103 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The N1X 48SM lists N/A for all three APIs.

Specification Differences

| Specification | RTX 4070 AD103 | N1X 48SM |

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

| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Blackwell 2.0 |

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

| Process Node | 5 nm | 5 nm |

| Die Size | 379 mm² | 382 mm² |

| Transistors | 45,900 million | unknown |

| Transistor Density | 121.1M / mm² | null |

| Base Clock | 1920 MHz | 741 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2475 MHz | 2346 MHz |

| Memory Size | 12 GB | 128 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6X | LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | 192 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 504.2 GB/s | 273.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 5888 | 6144 |

| TMUs | 184 | 384 |

| ROPs | 64 | 48 |

| RT Cores | 46 | 48 |

| Tensor Cores | 184 | 192 |

| Pixel Rate | 158.4 GPixel/s | 112.6 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 455.4 GTexel/s | 900.9 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 29.15 TFLOPS | 28.83 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 200 W | unknown |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

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

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | null |

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

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

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

| OpenGL | 4.6 | N/A |

| Vulkan | 1.4 | N/A |

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

| Release Date | 2024-02-29 | 2026-05-31 |

| Launch MSRP | 599 USD | null |

The Verdict

The data describes two GPUs with nearly identical FP32 compute but opposite strengths in memory and throughput characteristics. The RTX 4070 AD103 is a conventional discrete graphics card with dedicated GDDR6X memory, modern API support, and a complete display output suite. Its pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s and memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s make it the stronger choice for rasterization-heavy tasks and bandwidth-sensitive workloads. The N1X 48SM, by contrast, is an integrated processor with a massive 128 GB memory pool and a texture rate of 900.9 GTexel/s, but it lacks standard graphics API support and has no power connectors, indicating a fundamentally different deployment context.

For users seeking a general-purpose GPU that works with DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, the RTX 4070 AD103 is the only viable option, as the N1X lists N/A for all three APIs. The GeForce also has a higher boost clock, 2475 MHz versus 2346 MHz, and a much higher base clock, which suggests better sustained performance under load. The N1X, on the other hand, offers 128 GB of memory, which is necessary for workloads that exceed the 12 GB capacity of the RTX 4070. Its lower memory bandwidth, 273.2 GB/s, may still be sufficient for large but less bandwidth-hungry datasets.

The RTX 4070 AD103 has a launch MSRP of 599 USD, while the N1X has no recorded launch price. The production status differs as well: the GeForce is end-of-life, while the N1X is active, with a release date roughly two years later. The N1X also has double the texture units and a higher texture rate, which could benefit specific compute kernels that rely heavily on texture fetches. However, the absence of API support and display outputs beyond a single HDMI limits its applicability in standard graphics environments.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4070 AD103 wins in scenarios that demand high pixel throughput, memory bandwidth, and standard API compatibility. Its 158.4 GPixel/s pixel rate is 40.7% higher than the N1X, and its 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth exceeds the N1X by 84.5%. These figures indicate an advantage in high-resolution rendering, post-processing effects, and any workload that moves large amounts of data quickly. The GeForce also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it the clear choice for gaming and general compute software that relies on these APIs. Its 200 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU are standard for a discrete card, and its dual-slot form factor with three DisplayPort outputs and one HDMI 2.1 accommodates multi-monitor setups.

The N1X 48SM wins in texture-heavy operations and memory capacity. Its 900.9 GTexel/s texture rate is 97.9% higher than the GeForce, driven by 384 TMUs, and its 128 GB memory capacity is over ten times the 12 GB on the RTX 4070. For workloads that load large models or datasets into memory, the N1X can hold everything locally, whereas the RTX 4070 would be constrained by its 12 GB limit. The N1X also has more shading units, 6144 versus 5888, and more tensor cores, 192 versus 184, which may help in compute tasks that scale with those units. Its PCIe 5.0 x16 interface provides double the bus bandwidth of the GeForce's PCIe 4.0 x16, reducing transfer bottlenecks when communicating with the host system.

The N1X is an IGP with no power connectors and no dimensions listed, so it fits in a different physical and power envelope than the dual-slot RTX 4070 AD103. The GeForce, with its 240 mm length, 110 mm height, and 40 mm width, requires a standard expansion slot and a 16-pin power connection. The N1X, being integrated, has no such requirements. The release dates also matter: the RTX 4070 launched in February 2024 and is end-of-life, while the N1X is scheduled for May 2026 and remains active, indicating the N1X is the newer design despite sharing the same process node.