Nvidia's N1X Chip Leaks: 20-Core Arm Processor Scores High in Geekbench, Rivals Top Mobile Chips

Nvidia’s rumored N1X SoC has made an appearance on Geekbench, potentially putting it on par with top mobile processors from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. According to a leak shared by Olarak on X, the alleged 20-core chip achieved an impressive score of over 3,000 points in single-core testing and nearly 19,000 points in multi-core performance, placing it close to AMD’s leading Strix Halo series. However, it's important to approach this information with caution, as Nvidia has not yet officially confirmed the existence of the N1X. The N1 family has been a subject of speculation for some time, indicating Nvidia’s ambition to enter the consumer Windows-on-Arm market. Nvidia reportedly partnered with MediaTek to develop the CPU part of the SoC using off-the-shelf Arm Cortex cores. The first tangible application of this collaboration is the DGX Spark (previously known as Project DIGITS), which features a powerful 20-core superchip consisting of 10 Cortex-X925 cores and 10 Cortex-A725 cores, paired with a GPU that boasts 6,144 CUDA cores based on the Blackwell architecture. According to the Geekbench listing, the N1X was tested on an HP development board (model HP 83A3) running Ubuntu 24.04.1. The chip appears to have a 20-thread configuration, suggesting it has 20 physical cores—a common scenario for Arm designs, which generally do not include simultaneous multithreading (SMT) capabilities like those found in Intel’s CPUs. The development board is also equipped with 128GB of system memory, 8GB of which is dedicated to the GPU. Performance comparisons can be tricky, especially when dealing with different operating systems and Geekbench versions. Nevertheless, the N1X’s scores of 3,096 in single-core and 18,837 in multi-core tests are noteworthy. These results, recorded with an average frequency of 4 GHz, place the chip in contention with other high-end mobile processors such as Intel’s Arrow Lake-HX and AMD’s Ryzen AI MAX (found in the Strix Halo). Here’s how the N1X stacks up against its competitors: Nvidia N1X: 3,096 (single-core), 18,837 (multi-core) — Linux (Ubuntu) 24.04.1, Geekbench 6.2.2 Preview AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395: 3,125 (single-core), 21,035 (multi-core) — Linux (CachyOS) 6.4.0 Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX: 3,078 (single-core), 22,104 (multi-core) — Windows 11, Geekbench 6.4.0 Apple M4 Max: 4,054 (single-core), 25,913 (multi-core) — macOS 15.1, Geekbench 6.3.0 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite: 2,693 (single-core), 13,950 (multi-core) — Windows 11, Geekbench 6.4.0 While the N1X outperforms Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, which is expected, given that the latter uses older Oryon V1 cores, it still lags behind Apple’s M4 Max by about 30% in single-core performance. Despite this, the N1X’s performance is highly competitive, indicating strong potential in the market. Nvidia did not mention the N1X or any of itsArm-based chips during their Computex presentation last month, which suggests a possible delay. The chip might not see a public release until 2026. Meanwhile, Nvidia is focusing on the DGX Spark, aiming to make these mini-PCs available for purchase before the upcoming holiday season. The landscape of high-performance mobile computing is rapidly evolving, with increased competition expected in the coming years. AMD is rumored to be working on its Sound Wave APUs, while Qualcomm’s X2 SoCs and Intel’s Panther Lake processors are also anticipated to challenge the market. This renewed competition promises significant advancements in performance and innovation, benefiting consumers and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in portable devices. For the latest updates and insights, follow Tom's Hardware on Google News and ensure you click the Follow button to stay informed about news, analysis, and reviews.