NVIDIA N1 20SM vs NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation Comparison

The Verdict

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is the clear performance leader in this comparison. Its average benchmark score of 117,088 places it at the 95th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM sits at the 50th percentile with an average benchmark score of 0. The RTX 4000 SFF delivers 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, 99.84 GPixel/s pixel throughput, and 299.5 GTexel/s texture fill, all figures that dwarf the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS, 56.30 GPixel/s, and 375.4 GTexel/s respectively. The N1 20SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no standalone benchmark results recorded, no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan support listed, and no power consumption data. The RTX 4000 SFF is a fully supported workstation card with DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4, and a 70 W TDP. The data indicates the RTX 4000 SFF should be selected for any application requiring software ecosystem support and verified compute performance. The N1 20SM, with its PCIe 5.0 interface and 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, is suitable only for systems where massive memory capacity and the absence of discrete power connectors are the primary requirements.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from distinct NVIDIA architectures. The N1 20SM uses the GB20B chip built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, specifically from the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation uses the AD104 chip built on Ada Lovelace, from the Workstation Ada generation. Both are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process, but the underlying designs diverge significantly. The N1 20SM has a die size of 382 mm² with transistor count listed as unknown, while the RTX 4000 SFF has a smaller 294 mm² die containing 35,800 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 121.8 million per mm².

The N1 20SM integrates 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, 24 ROPs, 20 ray tracing cores, and 80 tensor cores. The RTX 4000 SFF contains 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 48 RT cores, and 192 tensor cores. The RTX 4000 SFF has more than double the shading units, double the RT cores, and more than double the tensor cores. The memory subsystems differ as well: the N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus delivering 273.2 GB/s, while the RTX 4000 SFF uses 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus delivering 280.0 GB/s. The N1 20SM has a slight bandwidth deficit despite its much larger capacity.

Clock behavior also separates the two. The N1 20SM runs at a 741 MHz base clock and boosts to 2346 MHz, with memory clocked at 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective). The RTX 4000 SFF has a 720 MHz base and 1560 MHz boost, with memory at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The N1 20SM's higher boost clock explains its competitive texture rate of 375.4 GTexel/s against the RTX 4000 SFF's 299.5 GTexel/s, despite the latter having more TMUs. The RTX 4000 SFF's pixel rate of 99.84 GPixel/s versus the N1 20SM's 56.30 GPixel/s reflects its 64 ROPs versus 24.

Feature support marks a fundamental divide. The N1 20SM lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan as N/A, meaning no software API support is recorded. The RTX 4000 SFF supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RTX 4000 SFF is a dual-slot card measuring 168 mm (6.6 inches) in length and 69 mm (2.7 inches) in height, with four mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The N1 20SM is an IGP with a single HDMI output and no dimensions recorded. The RTX 4000 SFF requires no power connectors and has a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the N1 20SM also uses no power connectors but has an unknown TDP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Direct head-to-head benchmark results are not available in the database, so the comparison relies on the recorded absolute scores and specifications. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has two benchmark records: a Geekbench OpenCL score of 124,812 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 109,364. These produce an average benchmark score of 117,088. The N1 20SM has no benchmark entries at all, resulting in an average score of 0 and a 50th percentile ranking versus all GPUs. The RTX 4000 SFF's 95th percentile ranking indicates it outperforms the vast majority of recorded graphics processors.

The nearest rivals for the RTX 4000 SFF provide context. The NVIDIA GB10 scores 117,393, which is 0.3% higher than the RTX 4000 SFF. The AMD Radeon PRO W7700 scores 118,976, 1.6% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB scores 114,395, which is 2.4% lower. The NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile scores 113,944, 2.8% lower. The RTX 4000 SFF therefore sits in a competitive band where its closest rival, the GB10, edges it by a negligible margin, while it clearly beats the Tesla V100 and RTX A5500 Mobile.

Compute throughput numbers favor the RTX 4000 SFF decisively. Its FP32 performance of 19.17 TFLOPS is 59.6% higher than the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS. The FP16 figures match the FP32 figures for both cards, indicating 1:1 FP16/FP32 ratios. Pixel fill rate favors the RTX 4000 SFF at 99.84 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s, a 77.3% advantage. Texture fill rate is the one specification where the N1 20SM leads, achieving 375.4 GTexel/s versus 299.5 GTexel/s, a 25.3% advantage. This likely stems from the N1 20SM's higher boost clock combined with its 160 TMUs, though the RTX 4000 SFF has more TMUs at 192.

Memory bandwidth is nearly identical: the N1 20SM delivers 273.2 GB/s and the RTX 4000 SFF delivers 280.0 GB/s, a 2.5% difference in favor of the RTX 4000 SFF. Memory capacity heavily favors the N1 20SM at 128 GB versus 20 GB, a 6.4x difference. The N1 20SM's 256-bit bus versus the RTX 4000 SFF's 160-bit bus explains how the larger capacity still achieves comparable bandwidth, though the GDDR6 memory on the RTX 4000 SFF runs at a higher effective speed of 14 Gbps versus 8.5 Gbps.

FAQ

Q: Which card has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation delivers 19.17 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16, while the N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS in both. The RTX 4000 SFF is approximately 60% faster in raw compute throughput.

Q: Does the N1 20SM support DirectX or Vulkan?

A: No. The database lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan as N/A for the N1 20SM. The RTX 4000 SFF supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4000 SFF has 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus with 280.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the performance percentile ranking for each card?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF ranks at the 95th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The N1 20SM ranks at the 50th percentile with an average benchmark score of 0, as no benchmark results are recorded for it.

Q: Which card has higher pixel and texture fill rates?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF has a higher pixel rate at 99.84 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s. The N1 20SM has a higher texture rate at 375.4 GTexel/s versus 299.5 GTexel/s.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF has a TDP of 70 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W, with no power connectors needed. The N1 20SM has an unknown TDP and also requires no power connectors.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation wins in every compute-heavy category. Its FP32 throughput of 19.17 TFLOPS exceeds the N1 20SM by 7.16 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate of 99.84 GPixel/s is 43.54 GPixel/s higher. Its shading unit count of 6144 is more than double the N1 20SM's 2560. Its ray tracing core count of 48 doubles the N1 20SM's 20. Its tensor core count of 192 is 2.4x the N1 20SM's 80. The RTX 4000 SFF also carries full API support including DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it the only viable option for software that relies on these interfaces. The recorded Geekbench scores of 124,812 OpenCL and 109,364 Vulkan confirm real-world measurable performance, placing it at the 95th percentile.

The N1 20SM wins in specific niche categories. Its 128 GB memory capacity is 6.4x larger than the RTX 4000 SFF's 20 GB. Its texture fill rate of 375.4 GTexel/s is 75.9 GTexel/s higher. Its boost clock of 2346 MHz exceeds the RTX 4000 SFF's 1560 MHz. Its PCIe 5.0 x16 interface is one generation newer than the RTX 4000 SFF's PCIe 4.0 x16. Its die size of 382 mm² is larger than the RTX 4000 SFF's 294 mm². The N1 20SM is an IGP with a single HDMI output, whereas the RTX 4000 SFF is a dual-slot discrete card with four mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The N1 20SM's lack of recorded benchmarks and lack of API support means those advantages exist only on paper for specialized integration scenarios where memory capacity and texture throughput matter more than software compatibility.

The RTX 4000 SFF's nearest rival data shows it is competitive within its class. It trails the NVIDIA GB10 by only 0.3% and the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 by 1.6%, while leading the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB by 2.4% and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile by 2.8%. This places the RTX 4000 SFF in the upper tier of workstation GPUs. The N1 20SM has no nearest rival data, reflecting its status as an uncategorized integrated processor.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA N1 20SM | NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation |

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

| Chip | GB20B | AD104 |

| Architecture | Blackwell 2.0 | Ada Lovelace |

| Generation | Blackwell IGP (N1x) | Workstation Ada |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | TSMC |

| Transistors | unknown | 35,800 million |

| Die Size | 382 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Transistor Density | null | 121.8M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 741 MHz | 720 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2346 MHz | 1560 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1067 MHz 8.5 Gbps effective | 1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 128 GB | 20 GB |

| Memory Type | LPDDR5X | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 160 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 273.2 GB/s | 280.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2560 | 6144 |

| TMUs | 160 | 192 |

| ROPs | 24 | 64 |

| RT Cores | 20 | 48 |

| Tensor Cores | 80 | 192 |

| Pixel Rate | 56.30 GPixel/s | 99.84 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 375.4 GTexel/s | 299.5 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 12.01 TFLOPS | 19.17 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 12.01 TFLOPS (1:1) | 19.17 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | unknown | 70 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | None |

| Suggested PSU | null | 250 W |

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

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI | 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a |

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

| OpenGL | N/A | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | N/A | 1.4 |

| Length | null | 168 mm 6.6 inches |

| Height | null | 69 mm 2.7 inches |

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

| Predecessor | null | Workstation Ampere |

| Successor | null | Blackwell PRO W |

| Production Status | Active | Active |

| Percentile vs All GPUs | 50 | 95 |

| Avg Benchmark Score | 0 | 117,088 |