NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D vs NVIDIA N1X 40SM Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The data splits these two NVIDIA parts into completely different roles. The GeForce RTX 4090 D is a finished, measured desktop product with a defined benchmark profile. The N1X 40SM is an active integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no recorded benchmark scores, no average score, and no nearest rivals. So the 4090 D wins every measurable performance comparison, but the N1X 40SM wins on memory capacity, interface generation, and integration characteristics.

For gaming and compute workloads that use DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan, the RTX 4090 D is the only option with API support. The N1X 40SM lists all three APIs as N/A, meaning it cannot run those workloads through standard graphics APIs. The 4090 D also holds every shading, rasterization, and ray tracing advantage. Its 14,592 shading units, 176 ROPs, and 114 RT cores dwarf the N1X 40SM's 5,120 shading units, 40 ROPs, and 40 RT cores. In raw throughput, the 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS FP32 versus 24.02 TFLOPS for the N1X 40SM.

Where the N1X 40SM wins is in memory capacity and system integration. It carries 128 GB of LPDDR5X across a 256-bit bus, while the 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus. The N1X 40SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16, one generation ahead of the 4090 D's PCIe 4.0 x16. It also requires no power connectors and has no slot width, fitting as an IGP. The 4090 D needs a triple-slot cooler and a single 16-pin connector.

The production status differs sharply. The 4090 D is end-of-life, while the N1X 40SM is active. The 4090 D has a successor in GeForce 50, and a predecessor in GeForce 30. The N1X 40SM lists neither. The 4090 D launched on 2023-12-27 with a launch MSRP of 1,599 USD. The N1X 40SM has a release date of 2026-05-31 and no launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Does the N1X 40SM outperform the RTX 4090 D in any benchmark?

A: No. The N1X 40SM has zero recorded benchmark scores. Its avgBenchmarkScore is 0, and it has no nearest rivals. The RTX 4090 D has three recorded benchmark scores: 8,587 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 278,621 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 246,941 in Geekbench Vulkan.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 4090 D. It delivers 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth from 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus. The N1X 40SM provides 273.2 GB/s from 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus.

Q: Can the N1X 40SM run DirectX 12 Ultimate games?

A: No. Its DirectX support is listed as N/A, as are OpenGL and Vulkan. The RTX 4090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 114 RT cores. The N1X 40SM has 40 RT cores. The 4090 D also has 456 tensor cores versus 160 on the N1X 40SM.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: The RTX 4090 D uses 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. The N1X 40SM's transistor count is unknown, but its die size is 382 mm².

Q: Is the N1X 40SM a discrete graphics card?

A: No. It is an IGP with no slot width, no power connectors, and no dimensions recorded. The RTX 4090 D is a triple-slot card measuring 304 mm long, 137 mm high, and 61 mm wide.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The headToHeadBenchmarks array is empty, so there are no direct paired test results between these two GPUs. However, the RTX 4090 D has standalone benchmark scores that establish its performance level. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 8,587. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 278,621. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 246,941. Its avgBenchmarkScore is 178,050, placing it in the 98th percentile of all GPUs in the database.

The N1X 40SM sits at the 50th percentile with an avgBenchmarkScore of 0. It has no benchmark records, so no direct comparison exists. The nearest rivals for the RTX 4090 D provide context. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell averages 182,109, which is 2.2% higher. The A100 SXM4 80 GB averages 183,725, 3.1% higher. The RTX 5000 Ada Generation averages 184,664, 3.6% higher. The A100 SXM4 40 GB averages 187,147, 4.9% higher. This means the 4090 D trails those four workstation parts by small margins, between 2.2% and 4.9%, despite being a consumer gaming card.

The 4090 D's FP32 throughput of 73.54 TFLOPS is exactly 3.06 times the N1X 40SM's 24.02 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s is 4.73 times higher than the N1X 40SM's 93.84 GPixel/s. Its texture rate of 1,149.1 GTexel/s is 1.53 times higher than the N1X 40SM's 750.7 GTexel/s. These ratios come directly from the recorded figures.

Clock behavior shows a different story. The 4090 D has a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. The N1X 40SM has a base clock of 741 MHz and a boost clock of 2346 MHz. The N1X 40SM's boost clock is 174 MHz lower than the 4090 D's boost clock, but its base clock is 1,539 MHz lower, indicating a much wider clock range. The memory clocks differ too: the 4090 D runs at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective, while the N1X 40SM runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every measured specification. The RTX 4090 D uses the AD102 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture, while the N1X 40SM uses the GB20B chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture. Both are built on TSMC's 5 nm process, but the die sizes differ substantially: 609 mm² for the 4090 D versus 382 mm² for the N1X 40SM. Transistor density for the 4090 D is 125.3M per mm²; the N1X 40SM has no recorded transistor density.

Shading units: 14,592 versus 5,120. Texture mapping units: 456 versus 320. Raster output units: 176 versus 40. Ray tracing cores: 114 versus 40. Tensor cores: 456 versus 160. The 4090 D leads in every compute unit count.

Memory configuration differs completely. The 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The N1X 40SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The 4090 D has higher bandwidth, while the N1X 40SM has over five times the capacity.

Power and physical characteristics diverge. The 4090 D has a 425 W TDP, requires a single 16-pin connector, and needs an 800 W suggested PSU. It occupies a triple-slot cooler. The N1X 40SM has an unknown TDP, no power connectors, no suggested PSU, and is classified as an IGP with no slot width. The 4090 D's display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The N1X 40SM has a single HDMI output.

Bus interface differs by one generation: the 4090 D uses PCIe 4.0 x16, the N1X 40SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16. API support also differs: the 4090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the N1X 40SM lists N/A for all three.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is fundamental. The RTX 4090 D belongs to the GeForce 40 generation and uses Ada Lovelace, the architecture that preceded Blackwell. It is a discrete desktop GPU with a full consumer feature set. The N1X 40SM belongs to the Blackwell IGP generation and uses Blackwell 2.0, a different architecture designed for integrated use.

The 4090 D's transistor count is 76,300 million, a known figure. The N1X 40SM's transistor count is unknown. The 4090 D's die is 609 mm², which is 59.4% larger than the N1X 40SM's 382 mm² die. This size difference likely reflects the 4090 D's far larger compute array, but the N1X 40SM integrates memory on-package or in-system via LPDDR5X.

Clock architecture differs. The 4090 D has a boost clock of 2520 MHz, only 180 MHz above its base of 2280 MHz. The N1X 40SM has a boost clock of 2346 MHz, which is 1,605 MHz above its base of 741 MHz. This suggests the N1X 40SM is designed for variable power envelopes, ramping up when thermals allow. The 4090 D runs closer to its maximum clock continuously.

The 4090 D uses GDDR6X memory with a 384-bit bus, a high-bandwidth configuration suited to rasterization and ray tracing. The N1X 40SM uses LPDDR5X with a 256-bit bus, a lower-bandwidth but higher-capacity setup suited to data residency. The 4090 D's 1.01 TB/s bandwidth is 3.7 times higher than the N1X 40SM's 273.2 GB/s.

Both GPUs list FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, meaning each performs 73.54 TFLOPS FP16 on the 4090 D and 24.02 TFLOPS FP16 on the N1X 40SM. Neither lists a separate FP16 rate.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward split. For any gaming, rendering, or compute workload using standard graphics APIs, the RTX 4090 D is the only viable choice. It has DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 support. It delivers 73.54 TFLOPS FP32, 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth, 114 RT cores, and 456 tensor cores. Its three recorded benchmarks range from 8,587 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 to 278,621 in Geekbench OpenCL. It sits in the 98th percentile of all GPUs, trailing its nearest rivals by only 2.2% to 4.9%. It is end-of-life and has a successor in GeForce 50, but its performance data remains valid.

For applications that need massive memory capacity in a low-power integrated form factor, the N1X 40SM is the choice. It offers 128 GB of LPDDR5X, which is 5.33 times the 4090 D's 24 GB. It requires no power connectors, occupies no slot width, and uses PCIe 5.0 x16. Its API support is N/A, so it cannot run the same software stack. It has no benchmark scores, no average score, and no nearest rivals, placing it at the 50th percentile by default.

The 4090 D is a finished product with measurable performance. The N1X 40SM is an active IGP with capacity-focused specifications and unverified speed. A builder needing high frame rates or compute throughput should select the 4090 D. A system designer needing a large memory pool in an integrated package should select the N1X 40SM. The two GPUs do not compete in the same class; the data shows no overlap in their intended use cases.