NVIDIA H800 SXM5 vs NVIDIA N1 16SM Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for the NVIDIA H800 SXM5 and the NVIDIA N1 16SM. Both products have empty benchmark arrays, zero average benchmark scores, and identical percentile placements at 50 percent against all GPUs. This means the database does not currently hold any comparative performance measurements between these two accelerators.

What the database does provide is a clear split in raw compute specifications. The H800 SXM5 delivers 59.30 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput, while the N1 16SM delivers 9.609 TFLOPS. That places the H800 SXM5 at roughly six times the single-precision floating-point output of the N1 16SM. In FP16 workloads, the gap widens further: the H800 SXM5 reaches 237.2 TFLOPS with a 4:1 ratio, whereas the N1 16SM manages 9.609 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. The H800 SXM5 therefore holds a 24.7x advantage in half-precision compute when both are running at their stated peak rates.

Texture throughput also favors the H800 SXM5. It records 926.6 GTexel/s against 300.3 GTexel/s for the N1 16SM, a margin of roughly 3.1x. Pixel rates are closer, with the N1 16SM posting 56.30 GPixel/s versus 42.12 GPixel/s for the H800 SXM5. That is an 11 percent advantage for the N1 16SM in pixel fill, a rare category where the smaller part leads.

Memory bandwidth shows an even more pronounced split. The H800 SXM5 uses 80 GB of HBM3 across a 5120-bit bus, generating 3.36 TB/s of bandwidth. The N1 16SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X across a 256-bit bus, generating 273.2 GB/s. The H800 SXM5 delivers 12.3x more memory bandwidth, which is decisive for large data movement tasks. However, the N1 16SM holds 48 GB more memory capacity, a 60 percent increase over the H800 SXM5.

Clock behavior differs substantially as well. The H800 SXM5 runs at a 1095 MHz base and 1755 MHz boost. The N1 16SM runs at a 741 MHz base but boosts to 2346 MHz, a peak clock that is 591 MHz higher than the H800 SXM5. The N1 16SM also runs its memory at 8.5 Gbps effective, compared to 5.3 Gbps effective on the H800 SXM5.

Architecture Differences

The two devices come from different NVIDIA generations. The H800 SXM5 uses the GH100 chip built on the Hopper architecture, classified in the database under Server Hopper (Hxx). The N1 16SM uses the GB20B chip built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, classified under Blackwell IGP (N1x). Both are fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC, but they diverge in almost every other structural detail.

Transistor counts are not comparable. The H800 SXM5 packs 80,000 million transistors on an 814 mm² die, yielding a density of 98.3 million transistors per square millimeter. The N1 16SM has an unknown transistor count but a die size of 382 mm², which is less than half the area of the H800 SXM5. The N1 16SM lists no transistor density figure in the database.

The compute core configuration differs sharply. The H800 SXM5 contains 16,896 shading units, 528 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It also carries 528 tensor cores and no listed RT cores. The N1 16SM contains 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 64 tensor cores and 16 RT cores. The H800 SXM5 has 8.25x more shading units, 4.125x more TMUs, and 8.25x more tensor cores. The N1 16SM is the only one of the two with dedicated ray tracing hardware.

Memory architecture is fundamentally different. The H800 SXM5 uses HBM3 with an 80 GB capacity and a 5120-bit bus. The N1 16SM uses LPDDR5X with a 128 GB capacity and a 256-bit bus. The HBM3 solution provides far higher bandwidth but at lower capacity. The LPDDR5X solution offers more storage but at a fraction of the bandwidth.

The N1 16SM is designed as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a single HDMI output and no power connectors. The H800 SXM5 is an SXM module with an 8-pin EPS connector and no display outputs. The H800 SXM5 has a TDP of 700 W and a suggested PSU of 1100 W. The N1 16SM has no TDP figure and no suggested PSU in the database.

The H800 SXM5 supports PCIe 5.0 x16, as does the N1 16SM. Neither device lists DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan API support. The H800 SXM5 released on 2023-03-20, while the N1 16SM has a release date of 2026-05-31. The H800 SXM5 lists a predecessor as Server Ada and a successor as Server Blackwell. The N1 16SM lists neither predecessor nor successor.

Where Each One Wins

The H800 SXM5 wins decisively in compute-heavy scenarios. Its FP32 throughput of 59.30 TFLOPS and FP16 throughput of 237.2 TFLOPS make it the clear choice for dense numerical workloads such as large matrix operations, scientific simulation, and training tasks that rely on half-precision arithmetic. The 528 tensor cores provide dedicated acceleration for tensor operations, and the 3.36 TB/s memory bandwidth ensures that data can feed those cores without stalling.

The N1 16SM wins in capacity and pixel throughput. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory is 60 percent larger than the H800 SXM5's 80 GB, making it better suited for workloads that need to keep very large datasets resident on the GPU without constant host transfers. Its 56.30 GPixel/s pixel rate is 11 percent higher than the H800 SXM5, which gives it an edge in rasterization-heavy tasks that are limited by pixel output rather than shading or texturing.

The N1 16SM also wins in ray tracing, as it is the only device of the two with RT cores. The database lists 16 RT cores for the N1 16SM and none for the H800 SXM5. Any workload that relies on hardware-accelerated ray traversal will favor the N1 16SM simply because the H800 SXM5 has no such hardware.

Clock speed is another category where the N1 16SM leads. Its 2346 MHz boost clock is substantially higher than the H800 SXM5's 1755 MHz boost. This matters for latency-sensitive tasks where clock frequency, rather than raw throughput, is the limiting factor.

The H800 SXM5 wins in texture throughput and memory bandwidth by wide margins. Its 926.6 GTexel/s is 3.1x higher than the N1 16SM, and its 3.36 TB/s bandwidth is 12.3x higher. These figures favor the H800 SXM5 for workloads that stream large textures or move massive amounts of data between compute units and memory.

The Verdict

The data indicates two different design philosophies. The NVIDIA H800 SXM5 is a high-throughput accelerator built for maximum compute density, with a massive die, high transistor count, and ultra-wide HBM3 memory. The NVIDIA N1 16SM is a compact integrated processor with a smaller die, far fewer cores, but more memory capacity and a higher clock ceiling.

For workloads dominated by FP32 or FP16 compute, the H800 SXM5 is the only rational choice. Its 59.30 TFLOPS FP32 and 237.2 TFLOPS FP16 outputs dwarf the N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS in both formats. The tensor core count of 528 versus 64 reinforces this conclusion. The H800 SXM5 also wins for texture-heavy operations and for any task that requires moving data at multi-terabyte-per-second speeds.

For workloads that need large memory capacity, the N1 16SM is the better fit. Its 128 GB capacity versus 80 GB is a 60 percent advantage, and integrated processors often run in systems where the GPU memory is the only memory available to the compute cores. The N1 16SM also wins for pixel fill and ray tracing, given its higher pixel rate and the presence of 16 RT cores.

The release timeline also matters. The H800 SXM5 launched in March 2023. The N1 16SM is dated May 2026, meaning it is a newer design from the Blackwell 2.0 generation. The H800 SXM5 comes from the Hopper generation with a successor already listed as Server Blackwell. This suggests the H800 SXM5 is a mature product nearing its architectural end, while the N1 16SM represents a newer, though smaller, design.

The verdict is straightforward: the H800 SXM5 is the compute monster, the N1 16SM is the capacity-focused integrated part. Neither replaces the other. The H800 SXM5 serves dense number-crunching and high-bandwidth data movement. The N1 16SM serves workloads that need more memory, higher pixel throughput, or ray tracing capability in a package that draws no external power connectors and outputs to a single HDMI display.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute?

A: The NVIDIA H800 SXM5 delivers 59.30 TFLOPS, which is approximately 6.2x higher than the NVIDIA N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each GPU provide?

A: The H800 SXM5 provides 3.36 TB/s from HBM3, while the N1 16SM provides 273.2 GB/s from LPDDR5X. The H800 SXM5 has roughly 12.3x more bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more memory capacity?

A: The N1 16SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X, which is 48 GB more than the H800 SXM5's 80 GB of HBM3.

Q: Does either GPU support ray tracing?

A: Only the N1 16SM lists ray tracing cores, with 16 RT cores. The H800 SXM5 has no RT cores listed in the database.

Q: What are the boost clocks of the two GPUs?

A: The H800 SXM5 boosts to 1755 MHz, while the N1 16SM boosts to 2346 MHz. The N1 16SM has a higher peak clock by 591 MHz.

Q: What are the release dates for these products?

A: The H800 SXM5 has a release date of 2023-03-20, while the N1 16SM has a release date of 2026-05-31.