NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The data reveals a fundamental split between these two NVIDIA parts. The GeForce RTX 4070 is a dedicated graphics card with a full suite of recorded benchmark results, while the N1 20SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no benchmark scores in the database at all. The RTX 4070 therefore wins every measurable category by default, but that does not mean the N1 20SM lacks purpose.

For the RTX 4070, the recorded wins span the entire benchmark suite. It posts a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854, a Geekbench OpenCL score of 154858, and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 174152. Passmark results show 26927 in G3D, 14720 in GPU compute, and scores of 139, 244, 103, and 320 across DirectX 10, 11, 12, and 9 respectively. The 2D score sits at 1164. These are all measurable, comparable figures.

The N1 20SM has an empty benchmark array. Its percentile ranking of 50 places it at the median of all GPUs in the database, but with an average benchmark score of zero, no head-to-head tests exist, and no rival comparisons are recorded. The database shows a production status of Active and a release date of 2026-05-31, indicating this is a current-generation part that simply has not been through the same testing pipeline.

The use-case split is therefore stark. The RTX 4070 is a discrete add-in board with a 200 W TDP, a dual-slot cooler, and a 16-pin power connector. It targets desktop systems where dedicated graphics performance matters. The N1 20SM draws no external power, uses no power connectors, and occupies an IGP slot width. It is designed for systems where the GPU is integrated into the platform, not installed as a separate component.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural generations with different design priorities. The RTX 4070 uses the AD104 chip built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, part of the GeForce 40 generation. The N1 20SM uses the GB20B chip built on Blackwell 2.0, part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. Both are manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC, but the similarities end there.

The RTX 4070 packs 35,800 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.8 million per square millimeter. The N1 20SM has a larger die at 382 mm², but its transistor count is listed as unknown in the database, so no density figure can be computed. The larger die with fewer shading units suggests a different design balance, likely prioritizing integrated functionality over raw shader throughput.

Shader resources differ substantially. The RTX 4070 has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, 64 ROPs, 46 ray tracing cores, and 184 tensor cores. The N1 20SM has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 20 ray tracing cores, and 80 tensor cores. The RTX 4070 carries more than double the shading units and more than double the ray tracing cores, which directly explains its higher pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s.

The memory subsystems also diverge. The RTX 4070 uses 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, but delivers only 273.2 GB/s. The N1 20SM has a wider bus but lower effective memory speed, and its 128 GB capacity is far larger, suggesting a different workload focus entirely.

Clock behavior shows another contrast. The RTX 4070 runs at a base of 1920 MHz and boosts to 2475 MHz. The N1 20SM has a much lower base of 741 MHz but boosts to 2346 MHz, a 1.6 GHz range that indicates aggressive power management for an integrated part. The RTX 4070 also has faster memory at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) versus the N1 20SM's 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark array in the database is empty. There are no recorded direct comparisons between the RTX 4070 and the N1 20SM, and the wins counter shows zero for both parts. This absence of data is itself informative: the two products occupy such different segments that no standardized comparison has been run.

The RTX 4070's standalone benchmarks provide the only quantitative picture. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 3854. In Geekbench, it reaches 154858 for OpenCL and 174152 for Vulkan. Passmark results show 26927 in G3D and 14720 in GPU compute. These numbers place the RTX 4070 at the 81st percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 37648.

The nearest rivals for the RTX 4070 provide context. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37628, a delta of only 0.1 percent. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, a delta of 0.4 percent. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, putting it 1.3 percent ahead. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, sitting 1.3 percent behind. These deltas are all within a narrow band, indicating that the RTX 4070's average score sits very close to a cluster of other GPUs.

The N1 20SM has no comparable data. Its percentile of 50 is a placeholder median, and its average score of zero reflects the empty benchmark list. Without recorded tests, no performance claims can be made from measurements. The architecture suggests capability, but the database contains no evidence of it.

Specification Differences

The two parts differ in nearly every recorded specification field. The RTX 4070 belongs to the GeForce 40-series with a release date of 2023-04-11 and an end-of-life production status. The N1 20SM belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation with a release date of 2026-05-31 and an active production status.

Memory capacity and type differ completely. The RTX 4070 has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus. The N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus. Bandwidth favors the RTX 4070 at 504.2 GB/s versus 273.2 GB/s, despite the N1 20SM's wider bus.

Compute resources favor the RTX 4070 across the board. It has 5888 shading units versus 2560, 184 TMUs versus 160, 64 ROPs versus 24, 46 ray tracing cores versus 20, and 184 tensor cores versus 80. The FP32 throughput is 29.15 TFLOPS for the RTX 4070 versus 12.01 TFLOPS for the N1 20SM, with both parts showing 1:1 FP16 ratios.

Pixel and texture rates follow the same pattern. The RTX 4070 delivers 158.4 GPixel/s and 455.4 GTexel/s. The N1 20SM delivers 56.30 GPixel/s and 375.4 GTexel/s. Clock speeds show the RTX 4070 with a 1920 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost, while the N1 20SM has a 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost.

Physical and electrical characteristics diverge sharply. The RTX 4070 has a 200 W TDP, a dual-slot width, a 16-pin power connector, and a suggested PSU of 550 W. The N1 20SM has an unknown TDP, an IGP slot width, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU. The RTX 4070 measures 240 mm in length, 110 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The N1 20SM has no recorded dimensions.

Interface and display support also differ. The RTX 4070 uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and offers 1x HDMI 2.1 plus 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The N1 20SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16 and offers only 1x HDMI. API support shows the RTX 4070 with DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute throughput in FP32?

A: The RTX 4070 delivers 29.15 TFLOPS FP32, while the N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS. The RTX 4070 also has 5888 shading units versus 2560, and 184 tensor cores versus 80.

Q: How do the memory systems compare?

A: The RTX 4070 uses 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4070 has higher bandwidth, while the N1 20SM has far more capacity.

Q: What does the benchmark data show for the N1 20SM?

A: The database contains no benchmark scores for the N1 20SM. Its benchmark array is empty, its average score is zero, and it has no recorded nearest rivals. Its percentile of 50 is a median placeholder.

Q: Where does the RTX 4070 rank among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4070 sits at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37628, a 0.1 percent difference.

Q: What are the power and cooling requirements for each?

A: The RTX 4070 has a 200 W TDP, a dual-slot width, a 16-pin power connector, and a suggested PSU of 550 W. The N1 20SM has an unknown TDP, an IGP slot width, and no power connectors.

Q: Which part is newer?

A: The N1 20SM has a release date of 2026-05-31 and an active production status. The RTX 4070 has a release date of 2023-04-11 and an end-of-life production status.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to two entirely different products that happen to share a manufacturer. The RTX 4070 is a fully tested, benchmarked discrete GPU with an 81st percentile ranking and an average score of 37648. It delivers 29.15 TFLOPS FP32, 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and 46 ray tracing cores. It requires a 550 W PSU, occupies a dual-slot width, and uses a 16-pin power connector.

The N1 20SM is an active, newer IGP with no recorded benchmarks. It has 12.01 TFLOPS FP32, 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and 20 ray tracing cores. It draws no external power, uses no power connectors, and fits an IGP slot width. Its 128 GB memory capacity and PCIe 5.0 interface indicate a platform-level part, not a discrete card.

For users seeking measured performance, the RTX 4070 is the only option with data. Its benchmark scores place it in the top quintile, and its nearest rivals are within a 1.3 percent band. For users seeking an integrated solution with no power draw and a 2026 release date, the N1 20SM is the only choice, but its performance remains unverified in the database. The selection depends on whether recorded performance or platform integration matters more.