NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D vs NVIDIA N1 16SM Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D and NVIDIA N1 16SM share the same Blackwell 2.0 architecture and TSMC 5 nm process, but they are otherwise fundamentally different products. The RTX 5090 D is a discrete flagship add-in board with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, while the N1 16SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with 128 GB of LPDDR5X. The database contains a full benchmark suite for the RTX 5090 D, whereas the N1 16SM has no recorded benchmark results, so the analysis below relies on the measured performance of the RTX 5090 D and the architectural specifications of both parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The RTX 5090 D has ten recorded benchmark scores, and the N1 16SM has zero recorded scores. This means no direct head-to-head comparison is possible from the database. The recorded data shows the RTX 5090 D achieves an average benchmark score of 77,712 across all tests, with a percentile rank of 92 among all GPUs. That percentile places it in the top 8 percent of all graphics processors in the database. The N1 16SM, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 0 and a percentile rank of 50, which reflects the absence of any test results rather than a measured performance level.

Within the RTX 5090 D benchmark suite, the strongest result is in Geekbench Vulkan, where it scores 376,915. The Geekbench OpenCL result is 310,674, which is about 17.6 percent lower than the Vulkan score. The Passmark G3D score is 44,065, while the Passmark GPU Compute score is 28,396. These four tests represent the main compute and graphics workloads. The remaining Passmark tests show lower scores: DirectX 9 at 434, DirectX 11 at 371, DirectX 10 at 231, and DirectX 12 at 219. The Passmark G2D score is 1,487.

The nearest rivals listed for the RTX 5090 D are all mobile or datacenter parts, which puts the flagship desktop card in an unusual comparison group. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT has an average score of 76,904, which is 1.1 percent ahead of the RTX 5090 D. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, which is 1.6 percent behind the RTX 5090 D. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79,396, which is 2.1 percent behind. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79,605, which is 2.4 percent behind. These deltas are small, all within a range of about 3.5 percentage points, indicating that the RTX 5090 D sits in a tight cluster with these three rivals based on the database average.

The lack of N1 16SM benchmarks means the database cannot confirm any performance relationship between the two NVIDIA parts. The wins counter shows zero wins for each side, which is consistent with the empty head-to-head benchmark list. The RTX 5090 D delivers a maximum recorded single-test score of 376,915 in Vulkan, and the lowest recorded score is 219 in Passmark DirectX 12, a spread that reflects the very different workloads measured by those two test suites. The data confirms the RTX 5090 D is a high-end part by percentile rank, but no comparable data exists for the N1 16SM.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs use the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The RTX 5090 D uses the GB202 chip with a die size of 750 mm² and 92,200 million transistors, giving a transistor density of 122.9 million per mm². The N1 16SM uses the GB20B chip with a die size of 382 mm², which is roughly 49 percent smaller than the GB202 die, but its transistor count is listed as unknown, so density cannot be calculated. The foundry is the same for both.

The RTX 5090 D belongs to the GeForce 50-series generation, with a predecessor in the GeForce 40 series and a successor in the GeForce 60 series. The N1 16SM is part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation, with no predecessor or successor listed. This generation split explains why the two parts share architecture fundamentals but diverge in implementation.

The shader and fixed-function hardware differs enormously. The RTX 5090 D has 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, 176 render output units, 170 ray tracing cores, and 680 tensor cores. The N1 16SM has 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, 24 render output units, 16 ray tracing cores, and 64 tensor cores. That means the RTX 5090 D has roughly 10.6 times more shading units, 5.3 times more texture units, 7.3 times more render output units, 10.6 times more ray tracing cores, and 10.6 times more tensor cores. These ratios are consistent across the shader and RT/tensor arrays, indicating a much larger execution engine in the discrete card.

Clock speeds also differ. The RTX 5090 D has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. The N1 16SM has a base clock of 741 MHz and a boost clock of 2346 MHz. The boost clocks are relatively close, with the RTX 5090 D about 2.6 percent higher, but the base clocks are far apart, with the RTX 5090 D running about 2.7 times higher. The N1 16SM likely relies on power and thermal constraints typical of an integrated part, which explains the low base clock.

The memory subsystems are completely different. The RTX 5090 D uses 32 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus, with a memory clock of 1750 MHz and 28 Gbps effective, yielding a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The N1 16SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, with a memory clock of 1067 MHz and 8.5 Gbps effective, yielding a bandwidth of 273.2 GB/s. The RTX 5090 D delivers about 6.5 times more bandwidth despite having one quarter the memory capacity. The N1 16SM has four times the capacity, which points to a system memory or shared memory role rather than a dedicated graphics memory array.

Both parts support PCIe 5.0 x16 as the bus interface, which is a shared feature. The RTX 5090 D has a TDP of 575 W, a dual-slot cooling design, and a single 16-pin power connector, with a suggested power supply of 950 W. The N1 16SM has an unknown TDP, an IGP slot width, and no power connectors, since it is designed to draw power from the system. The RTX 5090 D has a 304 mm length, 137 mm height, and 48 mm width, while the N1 16SM has no listed dimensions, consistent with an integrated solution that has no physical card.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 5090 D wins on every metric where the database has recorded data, simply because the N1 16SM has no benchmark entries. The measured scores for the RTX 5090 D show it is strongest in Vulkan compute with 376,915, followed by OpenCL with 310,674 and Passmark G3D with 44,065. These results suggest the discrete card is well suited to graphics-intensive workloads such as DirectX 12 Ultimate rendering, Vulkan applications, and general compute via OpenCL. The Passmark GPU Compute score of 28,396 further indicates strong parallel throughput for non-graphics tasks.

The RTX 5090 D also leads in pixel throughput, with a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s for the N1 16SM. That is a 7.5 times advantage. The texture rate is 1,636.8 GTexel/s versus 300.3 GTexel/s, a 5.5 times advantage. The FP32 compute is 104.8 TFLOPS versus 9.609 TFLOPS, a 10.9 times advantage. FP16 is identical to FP32 on both parts, with a 1:1 ratio, so the same multiplier applies. These figures confirm the RTX 5090 D dominates raw compute and rasterization throughput.

The N1 16SM wins on memory capacity, with 128 GB versus 32 GB, which is a 4 times advantage. That capacity, combined with LPDDR5X and a 256-bit bus, suggests the N1 16SM is intended for unified memory architectures where large system memory pools are more important than peak bandwidth. The N1 16SM also has a much smaller die size at 382 mm² versus 750 mm², which typically enables lower power consumption and simpler integration, though the TDP is unknown. The N1 16SM has no power connectors and an IGP slot width, so it fits into designs where a discrete card cannot.

The RTX 5090 D supports a full API stack: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 16SM lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan as N/A. This means the N1 16SM cannot run the same graphics APIs, at least according to the recorded specifications. For gaming and workstation graphics, the RTX 5090 D is the only option with API support. For compute tasks that do not require those APIs, the N1 16SM might still function, but the database offers no performance data to confirm.

The RTX 5090 D also has more display outputs, with 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b, versus just 1x HDMI for the N1 16SM. The RTX 5090 D is an active production part with a release date in January 2025, while the N1 16SM is also active with a release date in May 2026. Both are current products, but the RTX 5090 D has a clearly defined role as a desktop flagship, while the N1 16SM is an integrated solution with no benchmark footprint.

Specification Differences

The two parts differ in nearly every specification category. The chip is GB202 for the RTX 5090 D and GB20B for the N1 16SM. The die size is 750 mm² versus 382 mm². The transistor count is 92,200 million versus unknown. Transistor density is 122.9M per mm² versus not listed. The generation is GeForce 50 versus Blackwell IGP (N1x). The RTX 5090 D has a predecessor and successor, while the N1 16SM has neither.

Clock speeds differ as noted: base 2017 MHz versus 741 MHz, boost 2407 MHz versus 2346 MHz, memory 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective versus 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective. Memory size is 32 GB GDDR7 versus 128 GB LPDDR5X. Bus width is 512-bit versus 256-bit. Bandwidth is 1.79 TB/s versus 273.2 GB/s.

The execution units differ: shading units 21,760 versus 2,048; TMUs 680 versus 128; ROPs 176 versus 24; RT cores 170 versus 16; tensor cores 680 versus 64. Pixel rate is 423.6 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 1,636.8 GTexel/s versus 300.3 GTexel/s. FP32 is 104.8 TFLOPS versus 9.609 TFLOPS. FP16 is 104.8 TFLOPS (1:1) versus 9.609 TFLOPS (1:1).

The TDP is 575 W versus unknown. Slot width is dual-slot versus IGP. Power connectors are 1x 16-pin versus none. The suggested PSU is 950 W versus not listed. Bus interface is PCIe 5.0 x16 for both, which is a shared spec. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1b plus 3x DisplayPort 2.1b versus 1x HDMI. API support is full for the RTX 5090 D and N/A for the N1 16SM.

Dimensions exist for the RTX 5090 D only: 304 mm length, 137 mm height, 48 mm width. The N1 16SM has no dimensions. The RTX 5090 D has a launch MSRP of 2,299 USD, while the N1 16SM has no launch MSRP. Release dates are January 29, 2025 for the RTX 5090 D and May 31, 2026 for the N1 16SM. Production status is active for both. The RTX 5090 D has a percentile rank of 92 and an average benchmark score of 77,712; the N1 16SM has a percentile rank of 50 and an average score of 0.

FAQ

Q: Does the NVIDIA N1 16SM have any recorded benchmark scores?

A: No. The database lists no benchmark entries for the N1 16SM, so its average benchmark score is 0 and its percentile rank is 50. The RTX 5090 D has ten recorded scores with an average of 77,712.

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 5090 D has a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s from 32 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus. The N1 16SM has 273.2 GB/s from 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, which is roughly 6.5 times lower.

Q: What is the FP32 compute difference?

A: The RTX 5090 D delivers 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32, while the N1 16SM delivers 9.609 TFLOPS. The RTX 5090 D is about 10.9 times higher. Both parts have FP16 at the same rate as FP32, with a 1:1 ratio.

Q: Are both GPUs based on the same architecture?

A: Yes. Both use Blackwell 2.0 and are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The RTX 5090 D uses the GB202 chip with a 750 mm² die, while the N1 16SM uses the GB20B chip with a 382 mm² die.

Q: Does the N1 16SM support DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan?

A: The database lists all three APIs as N/A for the N1 16SM. The RTX 5090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: Which GPU has more render output units?

A: The RTX 5090 D has 176 ROPs, while the N1 16SM has 24 ROPs. The pixel rate is 423.6 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s, a 7.5 times difference.

Q: What are the release dates?

A: The RTX 5090 D was released on January 29, 2025, and the N1 16SM was released on May 31, 2026. Both are listed as active in production.