NVIDIA N1X 48SM vs NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation Comparison

NVIDIA N1X 48SM and NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation are both active NVIDIA workstation-oriented products, but they occupy opposite ends of the physical and architectural spectrum. The N1X 48SM is an integrated GPU (IGP) built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, while the RTX 4000 SFF is a dual-slot, add-in-card based on Ada Lovelace. The recorded data shows a clear split in capabilities: the N1X 48SM focuses on massive memory capacity and compute throughput, whereas the RTX 4000 SFF delivers established API support and a proven software ecosystem. Benchmark results exist only for the RTX 4000 SFF, placing it in the 95th percentile of all GPUs, whereas the N1X 48SM has no recorded benchmarks and sits at the 50th percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The N1X 48SM wins decisively in raw compute and memory capacity. Its FP32 throughput is 28.83 TFLOPS, a 50.4% advantage over the RTX 4000 SFF's 19.17 TFLOPS. Texture rate also favors the N1X 48SM at 900.9 GTexel/s versus 299.5 GTexel/s, a threefold difference. The N1X 48SM also carries 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, which is 6.4 times the RTX 4000 SFF's 20 GB. This makes the N1X 48SM the choice for workloads that need to hold extremely large datasets, such as in-memory databases or large language model inference, where the 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth can be leveraged without constant data movement.

The RTX 4000 SFF wins in API compatibility and practical deployment. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the N1X 48SM lists N/A for all three APIs. This means the RTX 4000 SFF is the only one of the two that can run standard graphics and compute applications without proprietary or custom translation layers. The RTX 4000 SFF also has a higher pixel rate (99.84 GPixel/s vs 112.6 GPixel/s, actually the N1X is higher) and more ROPs (64 vs 48), though the N1X still leads in pixel throughput. The RTX 4000 SFF also has a defined power envelope at 70 W TDP, a suggested PSU of 250 W, and a dual-slot form factor that fits standard workstation chassis. The N1X 48SM, as an IGP, has no power connectors and no TDP listed, making its system-level power requirements unknown.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different NVIDIA architectures. The N1X 48SM uses the GB20B chip on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The die size is 382 mm². The RTX 4000 SFF uses the AD104 chip on Ada Lovelace, also on a 5 nm TSMC process, but with a smaller die at 294 mm². The RTX 4000 SFF has a known transistor count of 35,800 million, yielding a density of 121.8 million transistors per mm². The N1X 48SM's transistor count is listed as unknown.

Core configuration differs significantly. Both have 6144 shading units and 192 tensor cores, but the N1X 48SM has 384 TMUs versus the RTX 4000 SFF's 192 TMUs. The N1X 48SM has 48 ROPs, while the RTX 4000 SFF has 64 ROPs. Both have 48 RT cores. The clock speeds tell a different story: the N1X 48SM boosts to 2346 MHz, while the RTX 4000 SFF boosts to 1560 MHz. The base clocks are similar (741 MHz vs 720 MHz), but the N1X 48SM's higher boost clock contributes to its higher compute rates.

Memory architecture is fundamentally different. The N1X 48SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, achieving 273.2 GB/s. The RTX 4000 SFF uses 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, achieving 280.0 GB/s. Despite the N1X 48SM having a wider bus, the RTX 4000 SFF has slightly higher bandwidth due to faster memory clocks (14 Gbps effective vs 8.5 Gbps effective). The N1X 48SM's memory clock runs at 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective), while the RTX 4000 SFF's memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

The N1X 48SM uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, while the RTX 4000 SFF uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs differ as well: the N1X 48SM has a single HDMI output, whereas the RTX 4000 SFF has four mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. 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. The N1X 48SM is an IGP with no slot width, dimensions, or power connectors listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark comparisons between these two GPUs. The only recorded benchmark scores belong to the RTX 4000 SFF. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 124,812, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 109,364. Its average benchmark score is 117,088, placing it in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. The N1X 48SM has no benchmark entries, an average score of 0, and sits in the 50th percentile.

For context, the RTX 4000 SFF's nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GB10 with an average score of 117,393 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 at 118,976 (1.6% higher), the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB at 114,395 (2.4% lower), and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile at 113,944 (2.8% lower). These deltas show the RTX 4000 SFF is tightly clustered with these competitors, all within a 5.6% spread. The RTX 4000 SFF's OpenCL score of 124,812 is notably higher than its Vulkan score, suggesting OpenCL-heavy workloads may perform better relative to Vulkan-based applications.

Since the N1X 48SM has no benchmark scores, the data cannot confirm its real-world performance against the RTX 4000 SFF or any other GPU. The theoretical FP32 and texture rates suggest it would outperform the RTX 4000 SFF in compute-heavy tasks, but that remains unverified by recorded measurements. The RTX 4000 SFF has a confirmed benchmark presence, which is a practical advantage for deployment decisions.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs, based solely on the recorded data:

• Architecture: N1X 48SM uses Blackwell 2.0; RTX 4000 SFF uses Ada Lovelace.
• Chip: N1X 48SM uses GB20B; RTX 4000 SFF uses AD104.
• Process Node: Both are 5 nm (TSMC), no difference here.
• Die Size: N1X 48SM is 382 mm²; RTX 4000 SFF is 294 mm².
• Transistors: N1X 48SM is unknown; RTX 4000 SFF is 35,800 million.
• Transistor Density: N1X 48SM is null; RTX 4000 SFF is 121.8M / mm².
• Base Clock: N1X 48SM is 741 MHz; RTX 4000 SFF is 720 MHz.
• Boost Clock: N1X 48SM is 2346 MHz; RTX 4000 SFF is 1560 MHz.
• Memory Clock: N1X 48SM is 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective); RTX 4000 SFF is 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).
• Memory Size: N1X 48SM is 128 GB; RTX 4000 SFF is 20 GB.
• Memory Type: N1X 48SM is LPDDR5X; RTX 4000 SFF is GDDR6.
• Memory Bus Width: N1X 48SM is 256 bit; RTX 4000 SFF is 160 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: N1X 48SM is 273.2 GB/s; RTX 4000 SFF is 280.0 GB/s.
• TMUs: N1X 48SM has 384; RTX 4000 SFF has 192.
• ROPs: N1X 48SM has 48; RTX 4000 SFF has 64.
• Pixel Rate: N1X 48SM is 112.6 GPixel/s; RTX 4000 SFF is 99.84 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: N1X 48SM is 900.9 GTexel/s; RTX 4000 SFF is 299.5 GTexel/s.
• FP32: N1X 48SM is 28.83 TFLOPS; RTX 4000 SFF is 19.17 TFLOPS.
• FP16: Both are 1:1 with FP32 values, same as above.
• TDP: N1X 48SM is unknown; RTX 4000 SFF is 70 W.
• Slot Width: N1X 48SM is IGP; RTX 4000 SFF is Dual-slot.
• Power Connectors: N1X 48SM is None; RTX 4000 SFF is None.
• Suggested PSU: N1X 48SM is null; RTX 4000 SFF is 250 W.
• Bus Interface: N1X 48SM is PCIe 5.0 x16; RTX 4000 SFF is PCIe 4.0 x16.
• Display Outputs: N1X 48SM is 1x HDMI; RTX 4000 SFF is 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a.
• APIs: N1X 48SM lists DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan as N/A; RTX 4000 SFF lists DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4.
• Dimensions: N1X 48SM has none listed; RTX 4000 SFF is 168 mm (6.6 inches) long, 69 mm (2.7 inches) high.
• Release Date: N1X 48SM is 2026-05-31; RTX 4000 SFF is 2023-03-20.
• Predecessor: N1X 48SM is null; RTX 4000 SFF is Workstation Ampere.
• Successor: N1X 48SM is null; RTX 4000 SFF is Blackwell PRO W.
• Percentile: N1X 48SM is 50th; RTX 4000 SFF is 95th.
• Average Benchmark Score: N1X 48SM is 0; RTX 4000 SFF is 117,088.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF has 280.0 GB/s, while the N1X 48SM has 273.2 GB/s. The RTX 4000 SFF wins by 2.5% despite having a narrower 160-bit bus, due to faster GDDR6 memory at 14 Gbps effective.

Q: Does the N1X 48SM support DirectX?

A: No, the database lists DirectX as N/A for the N1X 48SM. The RTX 4000 SFF supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the RTX 4000 SFF?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF has an average benchmark score of 117,088, which places it in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GB10, scores 117,393, which is 0.3% higher.

Q: Are there any benchmark results for the N1X 48SM?

A: No, the database contains no benchmark entries for the N1X 48SM. Its average benchmark score is 0, and it sits in the 50th percentile.

Q: How many TMUs does each GPU have?

A: The N1X 48SM has 384 TMUs, while the RTX 4000 SFF has 192 TMUs. The N1X 48SM has exactly double the texture units.

Q: What is the difference in boost clock speed?

A: The N1X 48SM boosts to 2346 MHz, while the RTX 4000 SFF boosts to 1560 MHz. The N1X 48SM's boost clock is 50.4% higher.

The Verdict

The data points to a fundamental use-case divergence. The N1X 48SM is a compute-oriented IGP with 128 GB of memory and 28.83 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput, making it suitable for large-memory, high-throughput compute tasks where graphics API support is not required. Its 900.9 GTexel/s texture rate and 112.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are also class-leading in this comparison. However, its lack of recorded benchmarks means its real-world performance is unverified, and its N/A API support for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan limits it to specialized, likely proprietary or custom workloads.

The RTX 4000 SFF is the practical workstation choice. It has verified benchmark scores in the 95th percentile, full API support across DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, and a 70 W TDP with a suggested 250 W PSU. Its 20 GB of GDDR6 memory and 280.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for many professional tasks, and its four mini-DisplayPort outputs support multi-monitor setups. The RTX 4000 SFF's dual-slot form factor and PCIe 4.0 interface are standard and compatible with existing workstation infrastructure.

For builders who need a conventional, benchmarked GPU with broad software compatibility, the RTX 4000 SFF is the only option with supporting data. For those who require massive memory capacity and are willing to operate outside standard graphics APIs, the N1X 48SM offers theoretical compute advantages that are not yet confirmed by any recorded benchmark. The RTX 4000 SFF is 2.4% faster than the Tesla V100 SXM2 and 2.8% faster than the RTX A5500 Mobile, confirming its competitive position. The N1X 48SM has no such reference points. The verdict from the data is clear: choose the RTX 4000 SFF for proven, supported performance; choose the N1X 48SM only if the specific need for 128 GB of memory and 50% higher FP32 outweighs the absence of benchmark validation and API compatibility.