NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Max-Q vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

FAQ

Q: What are the core specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Max-Q and the NVIDIA N1 20SM?

A: The RTX 4080 Max-Q uses the AD104 chip on the Ada Lovelace architecture, with 7424 shading units, 232 texture mapping units, 80 ROPs, 58 RT cores, and 232 tensor cores. The N1 20SM uses the GB20B chip on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, with 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores.

Q: How do the memory configurations compare between these two GPUs?

A: The RTX 4080 Max-Q has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding 432.0 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, but its bandwidth is lower at 273.2 GB/s, due to a slower effective memory clock of 8.5 Gbps versus 18 Gbps effective.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The RTX 4080 Max-Q has a base clock of 795 MHz and a boost clock of 1350 MHz. The N1 20SM starts lower at 741 MHz base but boosts significantly higher to 2346 MHz.

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The RTX 4080 Max-Q delivers 20.04 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which is substantially higher than the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS. The RTX 4080 Max-Q also leads in FP16 with 20.04 TFLOPS (1:1), versus 12.01 TFLOPS (1:1) for the N1 20SM.

Q: What are the production and release statuses of these two parts?

A: Both are listed as Active in production. The RTX 4080 Max-Q was released on 2023-01-02, while the N1 20SM has a release date of 2026-05-31. The RTX 4080 Max-Q has a predecessor in GeForce 30 Mobile and a successor in GeForce 50 Mobile.

Q: What are the API support differences?

A: The RTX 4080 Max-Q supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, indicating no formal API support in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The RTX 4080 Max-Q is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD104 chip, while the N1 20SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB20B chip. Both are fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The RTX 4080 Max-Q has a die size of 294 mm² and a transistor count of 35,800 million, giving a transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The N1 20SM has a larger die at 382 mm², but its transistor count is listed as unknown.

The processing core configurations differ substantially. The RTX 4080 Max-Q packs 7424 shading units, 232 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. The N1 20SM has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and only 24 ROPs. Ray tracing and tensor performance also scale accordingly: the RTX 4080 Max-Q has 58 RT cores and 232 tensor cores, while the N1 20SM has 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores. These differences directly influence the compute rates, with the RTX 4080 Max-Q reaching 108.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 313.2 GTexel/s texture rate, compared to 56.30 GPixel/s and 375.4 GTexel/s for the N1 20SM. Interestingly, the N1 20SM has a higher texture rate despite fewer TMUs, due to its much higher boost clock.

Memory architecture also diverges. The RTX 4080 Max-Q uses 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 432.0 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, but with only 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The memory clock is 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) for the RTX 4080 Max-Q, versus 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective) for the N1 20SM. The bus interface also differs: the RTX 4080 Max-Q uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the N1 20SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16.

Power and physical characteristics show both are integrated GPUs (IGP slot width) with no power connectors. The RTX 4080 Max-Q has a TDP of 60 W, while the N1 20SM's TDP is unknown. Display outputs also differ, with the RTX 4080 Max-Q being portable device dependent and the N1 20SM offering a single HDMI output.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct head-to-head benchmark entries between the RTX 4080 Max-Q and the N1 20SM, and neither GPU has individual benchmark scores or nearest rival data. However, the recorded specifications allow for a comparative analysis of their theoretical peak performance. The RTX 4080 Max-Q leads decisively in FP32 compute, delivering 20.04 TFLOPS versus 12.01 TFLOPS for the N1 20SM. This represents a 67% advantage in raw shader throughput. The same ratio applies to FP16, with both GPUs maintaining a 1:1 ratio.

Pixel fill rate strongly favors the RTX 4080 Max-Q. It reaches 108.0 GPixel/s, nearly double the N1 20SM's 56.30 GPixel/s, a 92% lead. This is driven by the RTX 4080 Max-Q's 80 ROPs versus 24 ROPs on the N1 20SM. Texture fill rate, however, tells a different story. The N1 20SM achieves 375.4 GTexel/s, which is 20% higher than the RTX 4080 Max-Q's 313.2 GTexel/s. This is a notable reversal, resulting from the N1 20SM's significantly higher boost clock of 2346 MHz versus 1350 MHz, which compensates for its lower TMU count.

Memory bandwidth also splits the comparison. The RTX 4080 Max-Q delivers 432.0 GB/s, which is 58% higher than the N1 20SM's 273.2 GB/s. However, the N1 20SM offers far more memory capacity at 128 GB versus 12 GB, a 10.7x difference. For workloads that need capacity over speed, the N1 20SM has a clear edge.

Clock speeds show a mixed picture. The RTX 4080 Max-Q has a slightly higher base clock (795 MHz versus 741 MHz), but the N1 20SM's boost clock is 74% higher (2346 MHz versus 1350 MHz). The RTX 4080 Max-Q's memory clock is much faster at 2250 MHz versus 1067 MHz, and its effective data rate is more than double (18 Gbps versus 8.5 Gbps).

The Verdict

Based on the recorded data, the RTX 4080 Max-Q is the stronger GPU for raw compute and rasterization performance. Its FP32 throughput of 20.04 TFLOPS is 67% higher than the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate of 108.0 GPixel/s is nearly double that of the N1 20SM. Memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s is 58% higher. For gaming or applications that rely on shader processing, pixel fill, and memory speed, the RTX 4080 Max-Q is clearly superior.

The N1 20SM, however, offers advantages in specific areas. Its texture fill rate of 375.4 GTexel/s exceeds the RTX 4080 Max-Q by 20%. Its 128 GB of memory is 10.7x larger, which is critical for large datasets, model loading, or multi-instance workloads that require massive capacity. Its boost clock of 2346 MHz is substantially higher, which could benefit latency-sensitive tasks that depend on peak single-threaded shader execution.

The RTX 4080 Max-Q also has full API support (DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4), whereas the N1 20SM lists N/A for all APIs, making it unsuitable for traditional graphics applications. The RTX 4080 Max-Q is an established product from 2023, while the N1 20SM is dated 2026 and appears oriented toward non-graphics compute roles.

The data does not include TDP for the N1 20SM, but the RTX 4080 Max-Q is rated at 60 W. Both are IGP form factors with no power connectors. For users needing a graphics-capable part, the RTX 4080 Max-Q is the only viable option. For workloads that prioritize memory capacity and texture throughput over pixel rate and API compatibility, the N1 20SM may hold an edge.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs:

• Chip: AD104 (RTX 4080 Max-Q) versus GB20B (N1 20SM)
• Architecture: Ada Lovelace versus Blackwell 2.0
• Generation: GeForce 40 Mobile versus Blackwell IGP (N1x)
• Die Size: 294 mm² versus 382 mm²
• Transistors: 35,800 million versus unknown
• Transistor Density: 121.8M / mm² versus null
• Base Clock: 795 MHz versus 741 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1350 MHz versus 2346 MHz
• Memory Clock: 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) versus 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective)
• Memory Size: 12 GB versus 128 GB
• Memory Type: GDDR6 versus LPDDR5X
• Memory Bus Width: 192 bit versus 256 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 432.0 GB/s versus 273.2 GB/s
• Shading Units: 7424 versus 2560
• TMUs: 232 versus 160
• ROPs: 80 versus 24
• RT Cores: 58 versus 20
• Tensor Cores: 232 versus 80
• Pixel Rate: 108.0 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 313.2 GTexel/s versus 375.4 GTexel/s
• FP32: 20.04 TFLOPS versus 12.01 TFLOPS
• FP16: 20.04 TFLOPS (1:1) versus 12.01 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 60 W versus unknown
• Bus Interface: PCIe 4.0 x16 versus PCIe 5.0 x16
• Display Outputs: Portable Device Dependent versus 1x HDMI
• API Support: DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4 versus N/A for all
• Release Date: 2023-01-02 versus 2026-05-31
• Predecessor: GeForce 30 Mobile versus null
• Successor: GeForce 50 Mobile versus null

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4080 Max-Q wins in scenarios that demand high shader throughput, pixel fill, and memory bandwidth. Its 20.04 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 compute make it suitable for graphics rendering, general compute, and AI inference where precision matters. The 108.0 GPixel/s pixel rate supports high-resolution rasterization. The 432.0 GB/s memory bandwidth helps with texture streaming and frame buffer access. Its full API support (DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4) makes it functional for gaming and traditional graphics applications. The 12 GB memory is adequate for most gaming and workstation tasks, and the 60 W TDP suggests efficient operation.

The N1 20SM wins in scenarios that prioritize memory capacity and texture rate. Its 128 GB memory is a 10.7x advantage, which is critical for large in-memory datasets, multi-model AI workloads, or scientific computing that cannot fit in 12 GB. Its 375.4 GTexel/s texture rate is 20% higher, which may benefit texturing-heavy workloads if they can operate without API support. The higher boost clock of 2346 MHz could enable faster peak execution for certain compute kernels. The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface offers newer bus technology, which may improve host-device data transfer rates.

The N1 20SM's lack of API support (DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan all N/A) restricts it to non-graphics or custom compute environments. The RTX 4080 Max-Q's established software ecosystem and driver support make it the safer choice for general-purpose use. The data shows no overlap in benchmark scores, as neither has recorded benchmark entries, so these conclusions rest on the specification deltas alone.