NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows no direct head-to-head benchmark results between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D and the NVIDIA N1 20SM. The head-to-head test list is empty, and neither product records a win in a shared benchmark. This absence of direct comparison data means any analysis must rely on the separately recorded benchmark scores and the architectural specifications available in the database.

The RTX 4090 D has three recorded benchmark scores. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 8,587 points. In Geekbench OpenCL, it reaches 278,621 points. In Geekbench Vulkan, it records 246,941 points. These results place the card at the 98th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 178,050.

The N1 20SM has no recorded benchmark scores. Its average benchmark score is listed as 0, and its percentile stands at 50. With no scores in the database, there is no numerical basis for a direct performance comparison. The N1 20SM also has no nearest rivals listed, while the RTX 4090 D has four.

Looking at the RTX 4090 D's nearest rivals provides context for its standing. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell averages 182,109 points, which is 2.2% higher than the RTX 4090 D's average. The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB averages 183,725 points, 3.1% higher. The NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation averages 184,664 points, 3.6% higher. The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB averages 187,147 points, 4.9% higher. The RTX 4090 D trails all four of its closest rivals by these margins, placing it just below a cluster of high-end workstation and data center parts.

FAQ

Q: Does the RTX 4090 D have any recorded benchmark wins over the N1 20SM?

A: No. The head-to-head benchmark list is empty, and winsA is 0 for the RTX 4090 D and winsB is 0 for the N1 20SM. There is no direct comparison data.

Q: What is the N1 20SM's average benchmark score?

A: The database records an average benchmark score of 0 for the N1 20SM, with no individual benchmark entries. Its percentile is 50.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 D's average score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The RTX 4090 D averages 178,050 points. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell, averages 182,109 points, which is 2.2% higher.

Q: What memory configurations do the two GPUs use?

A: The RTX 4090 D uses 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the shading unit counts for each GPU?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 14,592 shading units. The N1 20SM has 2,560 shading units.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The RTX 4090 D boosts to 2,520 MHz. The N1 20SM boosts to 2,346 MHz.

Architecture Differences

The RTX 4090 D is built on the AD102 chip using the Ada Lovelace architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The die measures 609 mm² and contains 76,300 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 125.3 million per mm². The N1 20SM uses the GB20B chip with the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, also on a 5 nm TSMC process. Its die is 382 mm², and its transistor count is listed as unknown in the database.

The RTX 4090 D belongs to the GeForce 40 generation, with the GeForce 30 series as its predecessor and the GeForce 50 series as its successor. The N1 20SM belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation and has no listed predecessor or successor.

Feature support differs substantially. The RTX 4090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support as N/A. The RTX 4090 D includes 114 ray tracing cores and 456 tensor cores. The N1 20SM includes 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores.

The RTX 4090 D is a triple-slot expansion card with a 1x 16-pin power connector and a suggested PSU of 800 W. The N1 20SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no power connectors and no suggested PSU listed. The bus interface also differs: the RTX 4090 D uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the N1 20SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every recorded specification field. The RTX 4090 D has a base clock of 2,280 MHz and a boost clock of 2,520 MHz. The N1 20SM has a base clock of 741 MHz and a boost clock of 2,346 MHz. Memory clocks also differ: the RTX 4090 D runs at 1,313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective, while the N1 20SM runs at 1,067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective.

Memory capacity and type separate the two clearly. The RTX 4090 D offers 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, achieving 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM offers 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, achieving 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4090 D has 14,592 shading units, 456 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs. The N1 20SM has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 24 ROPs.

Pixel and texture rates reflect the compute gap. The RTX 4090 D records 443.5 GPixel/s and 1,149.1 GTexel/s. The N1 20SM records 56.30 GPixel/s and 375.4 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 performance stand at 73.54 TFLOPS for the RTX 4090 D (1:1 ratio) versus 12.01 TFLOPS for the N1 20SM (also 1:1).

Power and physical specifications diverge completely. The RTX 4090 D has a TDP of 425 W and measures 304 mm in length, 137 mm in height, and 61 mm in width. The N1 20SM has an unknown TDP and no recorded dimensions. Display outputs differ: the RTX 4090 D provides 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the N1 20SM provides only 1x HDMI.

Production status separates the products as well. The RTX 4090 D is marked end-of-life with a release date of December 2023. The N1 20SM is marked active with a release date of May 2026.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4090 D wins on raw graphics compute in every measurable category. Its FP32 throughput of 73.54 TFLOPS is roughly six times the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS. Pixel rate stands at 443.5 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s, and texture rate at 1,149.1 GTexel/s versus 375.4 GTexel/s. The shading unit count of 14,592 versus 2,560 reinforces this gap. For any workload that stresses the GPU's rendering pipeline, the RTX 4090 D is the clear choice based on the data.

The N1 20SM wins on memory capacity. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X dwarfs the RTX 4090 D's 24 GB of GDDR6X. This capacity advantage matters for workloads that hold large datasets on the GPU, such as inference batches or in-memory model storage. However, the N1 20SM's bandwidth of 273.2 GB/s is far lower than the RTX 4090 D's 1.01 TB/s, meaning the N1 20SM moves data much more slowly despite holding more of it.

The N1 20SM also wins on integration and power footprint. As an IGP with no power connectors and no suggested PSU, it fits into systems where a discrete triple-slot card with a 16-pin connector and 800 W PSU requirement would be impractical. The RTX 4090 D's 425 W TDP stands against the N1 20SM's unknown but connector-free design. The N1 20SM's PCIe 5.0 x16 interface is newer than the RTX 4090 D's PCIe 4.0 x16, though the RTX 4090 D's much higher data throughput suggests the older interface is not a bottleneck for its workload.

The RTX 4090 D wins on API support. DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 are all available, while the N1 20SM lists N/A for all three. Software that requires these APIs will not run on the N1 20SM.

The Verdict

The RTX 4090 D is a high-performance discrete GPU with recorded benchmark scores, a 98th percentile ranking, and an average score of 178,050. The N1 20SM has no recorded benchmarks, no average score beyond 0, and a 50th percentile ranking. On the strength of recorded data alone, the RTX 4090 D is the only one of the two with demonstrated graphics performance.

The RTX 4090 D's nearest rivals all score slightly higher, with deltas ranging from 2.2% to 4.9%. This places the card just below the top tier of workstation and data center GPUs in the database. Its 73.54 TFLOPS FP32 output and 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth position it for demanding rendering and compute tasks.

The N1 20SM's 128 GB memory capacity is its single standout specification. No other recorded field suggests competitive performance against the RTX 4090 D. Its 12.01 TFLOPS FP32 is a fraction of the RTX 4090 D's capability, and its lack of API support limits its software compatibility.

For a system that needs maximum graphics throughput, the RTX 4090 D is the data-supported pick. For a system that needs maximum GPU memory capacity and minimal physical footprint, the N1 20SM offers 128 GB in an IGP form factor. The choice depends entirely on whether the workload prioritizes compute speed or memory size, as the recorded data shows no overlap in their respective strengths.