NVIDIA N1 16SM vs NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Comparison

FAQ

Q: What are the core architectural differences between the NVIDIA N1 16SM and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server?

A: Both use the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and TSMC 5 nm process, but they are distinct chips. The N1 16SM uses the GB20B chip and is classified as a Blackwell IGP (N1x) part, while the RTX PRO 6000 uses the GB202 chip and belongs to the Server Blackwell (Bxx) generation. The N1 16SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP), whereas the RTX PRO 6000 is a dual-slot add-in card.

Q: How do their memory subsystems compare?

A: The N1 16SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, yielding 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX PRO 6000 has 96 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus, yielding 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The RTX PRO 6000 delivers over 6.5 times the raw memory bandwidth.

Q: What is the benchmark score for the RTX PRO 6000, and how does it rank?

A: The RTX PRO 6000 has an average benchmark score of 5996 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its percentile versus all GPUs is 34, and its nearest rivals include the GeForce GTX 770M (6000, -0.1%), Radeon RX 6400 (6001, -0.1%), FirePro W4100 (5987, +0.2%), and Quadro K4000M (5986, +0.2%). The N1 16SM has no recorded benchmark scores in the database.

Q: Which card has more shading units, texture mapping units, and raster operation units?

A: The RTX PRO 6000 has 24,064 shading units, 752 TMUs, and 192 ROPs. The N1 16SM has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The RTX PRO 6000 leads by approximately 11.8 times in shaders, 5.9 times in TMUs, and 8 times in ROPs.

Q: What are the clock speeds for each GPU?

A: The N1 16SM runs at a base clock of 741 MHz and a boost clock of 2346 MHz. The RTX PRO 6000 runs at a base clock of 1590 MHz and a boost clock of 2617 MHz. The RTX PRO 6000 has a higher base clock by 849 MHz and a higher boost clock by 271 MHz.

Q: What are the API support differences?

A: The RTX PRO 6000 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 16SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, indicating no standard graphics API support is recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs share the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and TSMC 5 nm foundry process, but the similarities end at the family level. The N1 16SM is an integrated graphics processor built on the GB20B chip, designed for the N1x generation of Blackwell IGP products. The RTX PRO 6000 is a discrete server GPU built on the GB202 chip, belonging to the Server Blackwell (Bxx) generation. The die sizes differ substantially: the N1 16SM measures 382 mm², while the RTX PRO 6000 measures 750 mm², nearly double the area.

Transistor counts are recorded only for the RTX PRO 6000, at 92,200 million, with a transistor density of 122.9 million per mm². The N1 16SM's transistor count is listed as unknown, and its density is not recorded. The physical format diverges completely: the N1 16SM is an IGP with no slot width, no power connectors, and a single HDMI output. The RTX PRO 6000 is a dual-slot card with one 16-pin power connector, a 267 mm length, 111 mm height, and 40 mm width, plus four DisplayPort 2.1b outputs.

The memory architectures are fundamentally different. The N1 16SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, a configuration typical for integrated parts where the memory controller is shared with the host system. The RTX PRO 6000 uses 96 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus, a dedicated high-bandwidth arrangement. The RTX PRO 6000 also has a much higher memory clock at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) versus 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective) for the N1 16SM.

Ray tracing and tensor core counts scale with the compute configuration. The N1 16SM has 16 RT cores and 64 tensor cores. The RTX PRO 6000 has 188 RT cores and 752 tensor cores, approximately 11.8 times and 11.8 times more, respectively. The API support also differs, with the RTX PRO 6000 exposing DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the N1 16SM has no API support recorded.

The production status for both is Active, and both use PCIe 5.0 x16 for the bus interface. The release dates differ, with the RTX PRO 6000 arriving earlier on 2025-03-17, while the N1 16SM is dated 2026-05-31. The RTX PRO 6000 has a recorded predecessor (Server Hopper) and successor (Server Rubin), while the N1 16SM has none listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains only one benchmark result for the RTX PRO 6000: a score of 5996 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. The N1 16SM has no benchmark scores recorded, and the head-to-head benchmark list is empty. This means a direct comparison of measured performance is impossible from the recorded data.

The RTX PRO 6000's benchmark score of 5996 places it at the 34th percentile versus all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the GeForce GTX 770M averages 6000 (-0.1%), the Radeon RX 6400 averages 6001 (-0.1%), the FirePro W4100 averages 5987 (+0.2%), and the Quadro K4000M averages 5986 (+0.2%). The delta percentages are small, indicating the RTX PRO 6000's Steel Nomad result sits within a narrow performance band around those older or lower-tier parts.

The N1 16SM's average benchmark score is listed as 0, with no benchmark entries. Its percentile versus all GPUs is 50, which is a placeholder rather than a measured ranking. Without any recorded test results, the data cannot confirm how the IGP performs in real workloads.

The theoretical compute rates provide a different perspective. The RTX PRO 6000 delivers 126.0 TFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16 (1:1), while the N1 16SM delivers 9.609 TFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16 (1:1). The RTX PRO 6000 is approximately 13.1 times higher in floating-point throughput. Pixel rate favors the RTX PRO 6000 at 502.5 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s for the N1 16SM, an 8.9 times difference. Texture rate favors the RTX PRO 6000 at 1,968.0 GTexel/s versus 300.3 GTexel/s, a 6.6 times difference.

These theoretical figures are not directly comparable to the Steel Nomad result, but they indicate the RTX PRO 6000's architectural advantage is large across every measured throughput category. The N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS FP32 figure is a fraction of the RTX PRO 6000's 126.0 TFLOPS, suggesting the IGP is aimed at a completely different performance tier.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs:

• Chip: GB20B (N1 16SM) versus GB202 (RTX PRO 6000)
• Generation: Blackwell IGP (N1x) versus Server Blackwell (Bxx)
• Transistors: unknown versus 92,200 million
• Die size: 382 mm² versus 750 mm²
• Transistor density: not recorded versus 122.9M / mm²
• Base clock: 741 MHz versus 1590 MHz
• Boost clock: 2346 MHz versus 2617 MHz
• Memory clock: 1067 MHz 8.5 Gbps effective versus 1750 MHz 28 Gbps effective
• Memory size: 128 GB versus 96 GB
• Memory type: LPDDR5X versus GDDR7
• Memory bus width: 256 bit versus 512 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 273.2 GB/s versus 1.79 TB/s
• Shading units: 2048 versus 24064
• TMUs: 128 versus 752
• ROPs: 24 versus 192
• RT cores: 16 versus 188
• Tensor cores: 64 versus 752
• Pixel rate: 56.30 GPixel/s versus 502.5 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 300.3 GTexel/s versus 1,968.0 GTexel/s
• FP32: 9.609 TFLOPS versus 126.0 TFLOPS
• FP16: 9.609 TFLOPS (1:1) versus 126.0 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: unknown versus 600 W
• Slot width: IGP versus Dual-slot
• Power connectors: None versus 1x 16-pin
• Suggested PSU: not recorded versus 1000 W
• Display outputs: 1x HDMI versus 4x DisplayPort 2.1b
• APIs: DirectX N/A, OpenGL N/A, Vulkan N/A versus DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4
• Dimensions: not recorded versus 267 mm length, 111 mm height, 40 mm width
• Release date: 2026-05-31 versus 2025-03-17
• Predecessor: none versus Server Hopper
• Successor: none versus Server Rubin
• Percentile versus all GPUs: 50 versus 34
• Average benchmark score: 0 versus 5996
• Benchmarks: none versus 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (5996)

Fields that are identical include the manufacturer (NVIDIA), architecture (Blackwell 2.0), process node (5 nm), foundry (TSMC), bus interface (PCIe 5.0 x16), and production status (Active). The N1 16SM has no launch MSRP recorded, and the RTX PRO 6000 also has no launch MSRP recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX PRO 6000 wins in every measured and theoretical performance category present in the database. Its FP32 throughput of 126.0 TFLOPS is 13.1 times the N1 16SM's 9.609 TFLOPS. Its texture rate of 1,968.0 GTexel/s is 6.6 times higher. Its pixel rate of 502.5 GPixel/s is 8.9 times higher. Its memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is 6.5 times higher. Its shading unit count of 24,064 is 11.8 times higher, and its RT core count of 188 is 11.8 times higher.

The RTX PRO 6000 also holds the only recorded benchmark result, scoring 5996 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The N1 16SM has no benchmark scores, so the data cannot show any measured win for the IGP.

The N1 16SM does lead in memory capacity: 128 GB versus 96 GB, a 32 GB advantage. It also has a smaller die (382 mm² versus 750 mm²), which could imply lower manufacturing cost per wafer, though no cost data is recorded. The N1 16SM's IGP form factor means no separate power connectors and no slot width, making it suitable for systems where a discrete card cannot be installed. Its single HDMI output is minimal but sufficient for basic display tasks.

The RTX PRO 6000's API support (DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4) is a clear functional advantage over the N1 16SM's N/A entries, meaning the IGP likely cannot run standard graphics workloads that require these APIs. The RTX PRO 6000's four DisplayPort 2.1b outputs also support multi-display configurations, while the N1 16SM offers only one HDMI port.

The TDP for the RTX PRO 6000 is recorded at 600 W, with a suggested PSU of 1000 W, while the N1 16SM's TDP is unknown. The RTX PRO 6000's power draw is substantial, but the N1 16SM's absence of a TDP figure means no direct power comparison is possible from the data.

The Verdict

The recorded data positions the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server as the overwhelmingly more capable GPU. Its measured 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5996 is the only benchmark result available, and its theoretical specifications dwarf the N1 16SM across every compute metric: FP32, FP16, pixel rate, texture rate, shading units, TMUs, ROPs, RT cores, tensor cores, and memory bandwidth. The RTX PRO 6000 also offers full API support and a 600 W TDP with a 1000 W suggested PSU, making it a high-power discrete server part.

The NVIDIA N1 16SM has no benchmark scores in the database, so its real-world performance cannot be quantified. Its theoretical FP32 of 9.609 TFLOPS and memory bandwidth of 273.2 GB/s are far lower than the RTX PRO 6000, but its 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory exceeds the RTX PRO 6000's 96 GB. The IGP form factor, lack of power connectors, and single HDMI output suggest it is designed for integrated, low-power systems rather than high-performance compute.

The decision between the two depends on the workload and form factor requirements. The RTX PRO 6000 is the clear choice for any task requiring maximum compute throughput, ray tracing, tensor operations, or standard graphics APIs. The N1 16SM is the only viable option where an integrated GPU is mandatory, given its IGP slot width and absence of external power connectors, and its larger memory capacity could matter for memory-bound workloads that fit within the lower bandwidth envelope.

The benchmark data favors the RTX PRO 6000 without exception. The N1 16SM's percentile of 50 versus the RTX PRO 6000's percentile of 34 may appear counterintuitive, but the RTX PRO 6000's percentile is based on its actual Steel Nomad score, while the N1 16SM's 50 appears to be a default value with no benchmark backing. Users seeking measured performance should select the RTX PRO 6000; users constrained to an IGP should consider the N1 16SM solely for its integration and memory capacity.