NVIDIA L4 vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

The Verdict

The database records show two very different NVIDIA products. The NVIDIA L4 is a server-oriented accelerator built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) from the Blackwell 2.0 family. The L4 posts an average benchmark score of 131,072, placing it in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. The N1 20SM has no recorded benchmarks, an average score of 0, and sits at the 50th percentile. The L4 is the clear performance choice based on measured data.

The L4 delivers 30.29 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS. The L4 also has 7,424 shading units compared to 2,560 for the N1 20SM. The L4 uses 24 GB of GDDR6 memory with 300.1 GB/s bandwidth, while the N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM offers a larger memory pool but lower bandwidth and far less compute throughput. The L4 is a single-slot PCIe 4.0 x16 card with no display outputs, while the N1 20SM is an IGP with a single HDMI output.

The data suggests the L4 is intended for compute workloads in servers, while the N1 20SM targets integrated graphics scenarios where a large memory pool and a display output matter more than raw compute. For any task requiring heavy parallel processing, the L4 is the only option with recorded benchmark results. The N1 20SM has no benchmark entries in the database, so any quantitative comparison relies on the L4's measured scores and the architectural differences recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA L4 has an average benchmark score of 131,072, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM has an average benchmark score of 0, as no benchmark results are recorded for it.

Q: How do their FP32 compute capabilities compare?

A: The L4 delivers 30.29 TFLOPS FP32, while the N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS FP32. The L4 is roughly 2.5 times higher in FP32 throughput.

Q: What are the memory differences?

A: The L4 uses 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 300.1 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1 20SM has more capacity but lower bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units and ray tracing cores?

A: The L4 has 7,424 shading units, 240 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 60 RT cores, and 240 tensor cores. The N1 20SM has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores.

Q: What is the difference in process node and die size?

A: Both use a 5 nm process from TSMC. The L4 has a die size of 294 mm² with 35,800 million transistors. The N1 20SM has a larger die size of 382 mm², but its transistor count is listed as unknown.

Q: What are the bus interfaces and display outputs?

A: The L4 uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and has no display outputs. The N1 20SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16 and has a single HDMI output.

Architecture Differences

The NVIDIA L4 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using the AD104 chip, part of the Server Ada (Lxx) generation. The NVIDIA N1 20SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB20B chip, part of the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. Both are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process, but the underlying designs diverge significantly.

The L4's AD104 die measures 294 mm² and packs 35,800 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 121.8 million per mm². The N1 20SM's GB20B die measures 382 mm², which is larger, but its transistor count is marked as unknown in the database, so no density figure can be computed. The N1 20SM is classified as an integrated graphics processor (IGP), meaning it is designed to be part of a larger system-on-chip, whereas the L4 is a discrete single-slot server card.

The L4 supports a full set of graphics APIs: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists all three APIs as N/A, indicating it is not intended for traditional graphics API workloads. The L4 has no display outputs, while the N1 20SM has a single HDMI output, suggesting the N1 20SM is meant to drive a display directly, whereas the L4 is a compute-only accelerator.

The L4's clock behavior also differs: it has a base clock of 795 MHz and a boost clock of 2040 MHz. The N1 20SM has a lower base clock of 741 MHz but a higher boost clock of 2346 MHz. The N1 20SM's higher boost clock does not compensate for its far smaller core count. The L4's memory clock runs at 1563 MHz with 12.5 Gbps effective data rate, while the N1 20SM's memory runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show clear separation between the two parts.

Compute resources: The L4 has 7,424 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. The N1 20SM has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The L4 also has 60 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, versus 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores for the N1 20SM.

Performance rates: The L4 achieves 163.2 GPixel/s pixel fill rate and 489.6 GTexel/s texture fill rate. The N1 20SM achieves 56.30 GPixel/s and 375.4 GTexel/s, respectively. The L4's FP32 throughput is 30.29 TFLOPS, and its FP16 throughput is also 30.29 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. The N1 20SM has 12.01 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, also with a 1:1 ratio.

Memory subsystem: The L4 uses 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 300.1 GB/s. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 273.2 GB/s. The N1 20SM has over five times the memory capacity but about 9% less bandwidth.

Power and physical: The L4 has a thermal design power (TDP) of 72 W, a single-slot form factor, and no power connectors. Its suggested PSU is 250 W. The N1 20SM has no recorded TDP, is an IGP, and has no power connectors. The L4 measures 169 mm in length and 56 mm in height. The N1 20SM has no recorded dimensions.

Interface and outputs: The L4 uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and has no display outputs. The N1 20SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16 and has a single HDMI output. The L4's production status is Active, released on 2023-03-20, with a predecessor of Server Ampere and a successor of Server Hopper. The N1 20SM is also Active, with a release date of 2026-05-31, and no recorded predecessor or successor.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark entries between the NVIDIA L4 and the NVIDIA N1 20SM. The N1 20SM has no benchmark results recorded at all, which makes a direct score comparison impossible. However, the L4's measured performance can be placed in context using its nearest rivals.

The L4's average benchmark score is 131,072. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti with an average score of 131,938, a delta of -0.7%. The NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation scores 135,218, putting the L4 3.1% behind. The NVIDIA A10M also scores 135,230, again 3.1% behind. The AMD Radeon PRO W6800 scores 135,396, 3.2% behind the L4. These deltas indicate the L4 sits just below a cluster of high-end accelerators, within 3.2% of each rival.

The L4's percentile rank of 95 among all GPUs reflects its position near the top of the recorded performance distribution. The N1 20SM's percentile rank of 50, combined with an average score of 0, indicates it has no measured performance data in the database. The wins counter shows 0 for both parts, since no head-to-head benchmark results exist.

The largest recorded performance gap comes from comparing the L4's compute rates to the N1 20SM's specifications. The L4's FP32 throughput of 30.29 TFLOPS is 2.52 times the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS. The L4's pixel rate of 163.2 GPixel/s is 2.90 times the N1 20SM's 56.30 GPixel/s. The L4's texture rate of 489.6 GTexel/s is 1.30 times the N1 20SM's 375.4 GTexel/s. These ratios come directly from the recorded specification fields, not from benchmark runs.

The memory bandwidth comparison is closer: the L4 delivers 300.1 GB/s versus the N1 20SM's 273.2 GB/s, a 9.8% advantage for the L4. The N1 20SM compensates with 128 GB of memory versus 24 GB, but the L4's higher bandwidth and far higher compute throughput make it the stronger performer for parallel workloads.

The L4's nearest rival data shows it is competitive with the RTX 3090 Ti, within 0.7%. Against the RTX 4000 Ada Generation, the A10M, and the Radeon PRO W6800, the L4 trails by roughly 3%. These are the only quantitative comparisons available, and they are all relative to the L4, not the N1 20SM.

For the N1 20SM, the absence of any benchmark entries means the database cannot confirm its real-world performance. Its specifications suggest a low-power integrated part with a large memory pool, but no measured scores exist to validate that. The L4, by contrast, has two recorded benchmark scores: 140,838 in Geekbench OpenCL and 121,306 in Geekbench Vulkan. These scores contribute to its average of 131,072 and its 95th percentile ranking.

The data indicates the L4 is the only one of the two with verified performance results. The N1 20SM remains an unmeasured entry in the database, with its 50th percentile rank reflecting a default placement rather than any tested outcome. Any decision between the two should rely on the L4's recorded scores and the N1 20SM's lack of them.