NVIDIA N1 20SM vs NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark measurements for these two parts, so a score-by-score comparison is not possible. The wins tally stands at zero for both sides. What the data does provide is a set of theoretical peak performance figures derived from each design's clock rates and execution resources, and those numbers show a decisive separation in raw throughput.

The RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server delivers 50.70 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the N1 20SM reaches 12.01 TFLOPS. That is a 4.2x difference in favor of the server card. A similar gap appears in FP16 throughput, where the RTX PRO 4500 again posts 50.70 TFLOPS and the N1 20SM posts 12.01 TFLOPS, both operating in a 1:1 ratio with their FP32 rates. The texture rate follows the same pattern: the server part reaches 792.1 GTexel/s versus 375.4 GTexel/s for the integrated GPU, a 2.1x advantage. Pixel throughput is even more lopsided, with the RTX PRO 4500 achieving 270.5 GPixel/s against 56.30 GPixel/s, a 4.8x margin.

Memory bandwidth also favors the discrete card substantially. The RTX PRO 4500 uses GDDR7 across a 256-bit bus to deliver 800.3 GB/s, while the N1 20SM relies on LPDDR5X across the same 256-bit width for 273.2 GB/s. That is a 2.9x bandwidth advantage. The RTX PRO 4500 also runs higher clocks, with a base of 1215 MHz and a boost of 2415 MHz, compared to the N1 20SM's base of 741 MHz and boost of 2346 MHz. The boost delta is modest at 69 MHz, but the base clock difference of 474 MHz is substantial and indicates a much higher sustained operating point.

Neither part has recorded benchmark scores or percentile rankings beyond the default 50th percentile placeholder, and neither has any nearest rivals listed. The data therefore supports only a theoretical comparison based on peak specifications, not a measured performance delta.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The underlying chips differ: the N1 20SM uses the GB20B die, while the RTX PRO 4500 uses the GB203 die. Die sizes are nearly identical at 382 mm² for the N1 20SM and 378 mm² for the RTX PRO 4500, but the transistor counts diverge sharply. The RTX PRO 4500 packs 45,600 million transistors onto its 378 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 120.6M per mm². The N1 20SM's transistor count is listed as unknown, so no density figure can be derived.

Execution resources differ by a wide margin. The RTX PRO 4500 carries 10,496 shading units, 328 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 82 RT cores, and 328 tensor cores. The N1 20SM has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores. In every category the server part has more than 4x the resources, with the ROP count being the extreme case at 4.7x. The SM count implied by the N1 20SM name is 20, which aligns with its shading unit total of 2,560 (128 per SM). The RTX PRO 4500's 10,496 shading units across 328 TMUs suggests a different SM configuration, though the exact SM count is not listed.

Memory technology is another major divider. The N1 20SM uses LPDDR5X with a 1067 MHz memory clock and 8.5 Gbps effective data rate, totaling 128 GB. The RTX PRO 4500 uses GDDR7 with a 1563 MHz memory clock and 25 Gbps effective data rate, totaling 32 GB. The bus width is the same at 256 bits, but the memory type and speed create the large bandwidth gap noted above.

Form factor and power delivery are fundamentally different. The N1 20SM is an integrated GPU (IGP) with no power connectors and no slot width beyond the IGP designation. The RTX PRO 4500 is a single-slot card measuring 267 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 40 mm in width, powered by a single 16-pin connector. The RTX PRO 4500 has a TDP of 165 W and a suggested PSU rating of 450 W; the N1 20SM's TDP is unknown.

API support also separates the two. The RTX PRO 4500 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists all three APIs as N/A, indicating no consumer graphics API support in the recorded data. Display outputs differ as well: the N1 20SM has one HDMI output, while the RTX PRO 4500 has no outputs at all, consistent with a server-oriented card.

Release timing shows the RTX PRO 4500 arrived earlier, with a release date of 2026-03-16, while the N1 20SM followed on 2026-05-31. The RTX PRO 4500's predecessor is listed as Server Hopper and its successor as Server Rubin. The N1 20SM has no predecessor or successor recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server wins decisively in every measured compute category. Its FP32 and FP16 throughput of 50.70 TFLOPS dwarfs the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS, making it the clear choice for workloads that stress shader or tensor math. The 82 RT cores versus 20, and 328 tensor cores versus 80, reinforce this direction. The 800.3 GB/s memory bandwidth also gives it a substantial edge in data-intensive tasks, and the 112 ROPs enable high pixel throughput for any rasterization work, though the server card lacks display outputs.

The N1 20SM's wins are narrower. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory is four times the capacity of the RTX PRO 4500's 32 GB, making it the better fit for workloads that need large resident datasets rather than fast streaming. The single HDMI output means it can drive a display, whereas the RTX PRO 4500 cannot. Its integrated form factor with no power connectors suits compact or low-power systems, and its lower base clock of 741 MHz suggests a more conservative power envelope, though no TDP is recorded. The N1 20SM also uses the same 256-bit bus width as the RTX PRO 4500, so memory parallelism is comparable even if bandwidth is not.

The RTX PRO 4500 wins on software compatibility for graphics workloads, with full DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 support. The N1 20SM's N/A API entries indicate it is not positioned for conventional graphics APIs. For server compute, the RTX PRO 4500's higher boost clock of 2415 MHz and larger resource counts make it the stronger general-purpose accelerator.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute?

A: The RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server delivers 50.70 TFLOPS FP32, which is 4.2x the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS.

Q: How do memory capacities compare?

A: The N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X, while the RTX PRO 4500 has 32 GB of GDDR7. The N1 20SM holds 4x the capacity, but the RTX PRO 4500 has 2.9x the bandwidth at 800.3 GB/s versus 273.2 GB/s.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same graphics APIs?

A: No. The RTX PRO 4500 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists all three APIs as N/A.

Q: What process node and foundry do both use?

A: Both are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process, and both use the Blackwell 2.0 architecture.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The RTX PRO 4500 has 10,496 shading units, compared to 2,560 on the N1 20SM, a ratio of approximately 4.1x.

Q: Is the RTX PRO 4500 a display-capable card?

A: No. It has no display outputs. The N1 20SM has one HDMI output and can drive a display.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA N1 20SM | NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server |

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

| Chip | GB20B | GB203 |

| Generation | Blackwell IGP (N1x) | Server Blackwell (Bxx) |

| Transistors | unknown | 45,600 million |

| Die Size | 382 mm² | 378 mm² |

| Transistor Density | null | 120.6M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 741 MHz | 1215 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2346 MHz | 2415 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1067 MHz 8.5 Gbps effective | 1563 MHz 25 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 128 GB | 32 GB |

| Memory Type | LPDDR5X | GDDR7 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 273.2 GB/s | 800.3 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2560 | 10496 |

| TMUs | 160 | 328 |

| ROPs | 24 | 112 |

| RT Cores | 20 | 82 |

| Tensor Cores | 80 | 328 |

| Pixel Rate | 56.30 GPixel/s | 270.5 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 375.4 GTexel/s | 792.1 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 12.01 TFLOPS | 50.70 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 12.01 TFLOPS (1:1) | 50.70 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | unknown | 165 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | null | 450 W |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI | No outputs |

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

| OpenGL | N/A | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | N/A | 1.4 |

| Dimensions | null | 267 mm 10.5 inches length, 111 mm 4.4 inches height, 40 mm 1.6 inches width |

| Release Date | 2026-05-31 | 2026-03-16 |

| Predecessor | null | Server Hopper |

| Successor | null | Server Rubin |

The Verdict

The recorded data points to a straightforward conclusion for compute-oriented buyers. The RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server is the superior accelerator in raw throughput, with 50.70 TFLOPS FP32, 50.70 TFLOPS FP16, 800.3 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 82 RT cores. Its full API support and 165 W TDP within a single-slot, 267 mm form factor make it a practical server component. The 2,415 MHz boost clock and 10,496 shading units give it a wide margin over the N1 20SM in every execution resource category.

The N1 20SM is the choice only when memory capacity or display output matters more than speed. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X exceeds the RTX PRO 4500's 32 GB by a factor of four, and its single HDMI output provides video connectivity that the server card lacks. Its integrated design with no power connectors suits systems where expansion slots and external power are unavailable. The 12.01 TFLOPS FP32 ceiling and 273.2 GB/s bandwidth cap its compute potential, and the lack of DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support excludes it from mainstream graphics workloads.

The release timeline shows the RTX PRO 4500 came first in 2026-03-16, with the N1 20SM following on 2026-05-31. Both remain in active production. The RTX PRO 4500 sits in a server lineage between Server Hopper and Server Rubin, while the N1 20SM has no recorded predecessor or successor. For users prioritizing compute density, memory bandwidth, and API compatibility, the RTX PRO 4500 is the data-supported pick. For users needing large memory pools and integrated simplicity, the N1 20SM fills that specific role.