NVIDIA N1 16SM vs NVIDIA RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data positions the NVIDIA RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation as the stronger performer for traditional graphics and compute workloads. Its FP32 throughput of 15.82 TFLOPS is roughly 65% higher than the N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate of 98.88 GPixel/s almost doubles the N1 16SM's 56.30 GPixel/s. The RTX 3500 also brings a full API stack with DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the N1 16SM lists no API support in the database. For any application relying on established graphics APIs, the RTX 3500 is the clear choice.

The NVIDIA N1 16SM, however, is a different class of product. Its memory configuration is extraordinary: 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth. That is 11.5 GB more memory capacity than a typical desktop GPU, and the bandwidth figure is competitive even against discrete options. The N1 16SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on TSMC's 5 nm process, with a die size of 382 mm² compared to the RTX 3500's 294 mm². The N1 also supports PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 3500 is limited to PCIe 4.0 x16.

The verdict from the data: the RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation wins on raw compute, rasterization, and software compatibility. The N1 16SM wins on memory capacity, memory type, bus width, and interface generation. Users who need maximum shader throughput and broad API support should select the RTX 3500. Users who need vast memory for large datasets, AI inference workloads, or multi-application contexts should select the N1 16SM. Neither product is a substitute for the other.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different NVIDIA generations. The N1 16SM is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. It uses the GB20B chip. The RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation uses the Ada Lovelace architecture, specifically the AD104 chip, and belongs to the Ada-MW generation.

Both are manufactured on the same 5 nm process at TSMC. The N1 16SM has a larger die at 382 mm² versus the RTX 3500's 294 mm². Transistor counts differ significantly: the RTX 3500 packs 35,800 million transistors, while the N1 16SM's transistor count is listed as unknown in the database. The RTX 3500's transistor density is 121.8M per mm². The N1 16SM's density is not recorded.

Core counts show a major divergence. The RTX 3500 has 5,120 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, 64 ROPs, 40 ray tracing cores, and 160 tensor cores. The N1 16SM has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 16 ray tracing cores, and 64 tensor cores. The RTX 3500 has 2.5 times the shader count, 2.5 times the ray tracing cores, and 2.5 times the tensor cores, but the N1 16SM has more TMUs per shader and a higher texture rate per core.

Clock speeds also differ. The N1 16SM runs at a base of 741 MHz and boosts to 2346 MHz. The RTX 3500 has a higher base clock of 1110 MHz but a lower boost clock of 1545 MHz. Memory clocks are 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective) for the N1 16SM and 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) for the RTX 3500.

The RTX 3500 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 16SM lists no API support in the database, which suggests it is not designed for conventional graphics software stacks. Its display output is a single HDMI port, whereas the RTX 3500's display outputs are listed as portable device dependent.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation delivers 15.82 TFLOPS FP32, which is approximately 65% higher than the N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS.

Q: How do the memory capacities compare?

A: The N1 16SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, while the RTX 3500 has 12 GB of GDDR6. The N1 16SM has more than ten times the capacity.

Q: Which GPU has faster memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 3500 has 432.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 273.2 GB/s for the N1 16SM. The RTX 3500's bandwidth is about 58% higher.

Q: What is the difference in ray tracing core counts?

A: The RTX 3500 has 40 ray tracing cores, while the N1 16SM has 16. The RTX 3500 has 2.5 times as many.

Q: Are both GPUs manufactured on the same process node?

A: Yes, both are fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. The N1 16SM has a larger die (382 mm²) than the RTX 3500 (294 mm²).

Q: Which GPU supports newer PCIe technology?

A: The N1 16SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 3500 uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA N1 16SM | NVIDIA RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation |

|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------------|

| Architecture | Blackwell 2.0 | Ada Lovelace |

| Chip | GB20B | AD104 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 5 nm |

| Die Size | 382 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Transistors | unknown | 35,800 million |

| Transistor Density | null | 121.8M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 741 MHz | 1110 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2346 MHz | 1545 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1067 MHz 8.5 Gbps effective | 2250 MHz 18 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 128 GB | 12 GB |

| Memory Type | LPDDR5X | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 273.2 GB/s | 432.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 5120 |

| TMUs | 128 | 160 |

| ROPs | 24 | 64 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 16 | 40 |

| Tensor Cores | 64 | 160 |

| Pixel Rate | 56.30 GPixel/s | 98.88 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 300.3 GTexel/s | 247.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 9.609 TFLOPS | 15.82 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 9.609 TFLOPS (1:1) | 15.82 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | unknown | 100 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI | Portable Device Dependent |

| DirectX | N/A | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| OpenGL | N/A | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | N/A | 1.4 |

| Predecessor | null | Ampere-MW |

| Successor | null | Blackwell-MW |

| Release Date | 2026-05-31 | 2023-03-20 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark results for these two products. Both have an average benchmark score of 0 and a percentile rank of 50 against all GPUs. The nearest rival lists are empty for each. Therefore, the comparison relies entirely on the recorded specification data and derived performance metrics.

The largest performance advantage for the RTX 3500 comes in FP32 throughput. The RTX 3500's 15.82 TFLOPS exceeds the N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS by 6.211 TFLOPS, a margin of about 65%. This advantage stems from its higher shader count (5,120 versus 2,048) and higher base clock (1110 MHz versus 741 MHz), even though the N1 16SM boosts much higher (2346 MHz versus 1545 MHz).

Pixel throughput also strongly favors the RTX 3500. Its 98.88 GPixel/s is 75.6% higher than the N1 16SM's 56.30 GPixel/s, driven by the RTX 3500's 64 ROPs versus 24 ROPs. For fill-rate-bound workloads, the RTX 3500 is the more capable part.

Texture rate tells a different story. The N1 16SM achieves 300.3 GTexel/s, which is 21.5% higher than the RTX 3500's 247.2 GTexel/s. The N1 16SM's higher boost clock and denser TMU arrangement (128 TMUs at 2346 MHz) overcome the RTX 3500's TMU count advantage (160 TMUs at 1545 MHz). This suggests the N1 16SM is the better choice for texture-heavy workloads.

Memory bandwidth favors the RTX 3500. Its 432.0 GB/s is 58.1% higher than the N1 16SM's 273.2 GB/s, despite the N1's wider 256-bit bus. The RTX 3500's GDDR6 at 18 Gbps effective compensates for its narrower 192-bit interface. However, memory capacity is a complete reverse: the N1 16SM's 128 GB dwarfs the RTX 3500's 12 GB by a factor of 10.7.

The FP16 figures mirror FP32 exactly for both parts: 9.609 TFLOPS for the N1 16SM and 15.82 TFLOPS for the RTX 3500, both at a 1:1 ratio. No separate FP16 acceleration is recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3500 Mobile Ada Generation wins in every scenario that demands raw shader compute. Its FP32 and FP16 throughput of 15.82 TFLOPS is the highest recorded figure in this comparison, making it suitable for general-purpose GPU compute, graphics rendering, and any workload that scales with shading unit count. The 40 ray tracing cores and 160 tensor cores provide 2.5 times the ray tracing and tensor hardware of the N1 16SM, which matters for ray-traced rendering and AI acceleration. Its pixel rate of 98.88 GPixel/s indicates strong rasterization throughput for high-resolution output. The RTX 3500 also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, meaning it can run standard graphics software without compatibility gaps. Its memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s is higher, which benefits data-intensive shader workloads. The RTX 3500's 100 W TDP is recorded, whereas the N1 16SM's power draw is unknown.

The N1 16SM wins on memory capacity by a massive margin. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X is more than ten times the RTX 3500's 12 GB, making it the only choice for workloads that require holding very large datasets in GPU memory. Its texture rate of 300.3 GTexel/s is higher, indicating an advantage in texture-heavy rendering paths. The N1 16SM uses a newer PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, doubling the link generation of the RTX 3500's PCIe 4.0 x16, which matters for CPU-to-GPU data transfer. Its boost clock of 2346 MHz is substantially higher than the RTX 3500's 1545 MHz, a sign of aggressive single-thread shader performance per core. The N1 16SM also comes from a later release date (2026-05-31 versus 2023-03-20) and is built on the newer Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a larger die at 382 mm². For applications that need enormous memory capacity, the N1 16SM has no rival in this comparison.