AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT vs Intel Arc A770 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep for the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT across every shared benchmark. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the AMD card scores 4079 against the Intel Arc A770's 2969, a delta of -27.2% for Intel. This is the closest margin between the two in the head-to-head set, yet it still represents a substantial performance gap in a modern DirectX 12 workload.

The compute-oriented Geekbench OpenCL test widens the divide considerably. AMD posts 187673, while Intel manages 109175, a -41.8% delta. This result indicates a fundamental throughput advantage for the Radeon in general-purpose compute scenarios, not merely a graphics-specific edge. The Vulkan result falls between the other two: AMD scores 148525 against Intel's 94284, a -36.5% delta. Across all three tests, the RX 6900 XT leads by margins ranging from roughly 27% to 42%.

Context from the broader database reinforces this picture. The Arc A770 sits at the 90th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 6900 XT sits at the 86th percentile. The average benchmark score for Intel is 68809, while AMD averages 50951. That Intel's aggregate average is higher despite losing every direct comparison is explained by the different benchmark suites each card is tested with; the Intel card's recorded tests include no Passmark entries, while the AMD card carries a full Passmark load. The Intel card's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA CMP 90HX at 69000 (-0.3%) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 8200 at 69870 (-1.5%). The AMD card's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA CMP 50HX at 51790 (-1.6%) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 at 50001 (+1.9%).

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from opposing design philosophies. Intel's Arc A770 uses the DG2-512 chip built on the Xe-HPG architecture (Alchemist generation), fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. AMD's RX 6900 XT uses the Navi 21 chip on RDNA 2.0 (Navi II generation), fabricated on a 7 nm process, also at TSMC. The node advantage belongs to Intel in terms of process size, but AMD's chip is physically larger: 520 mm² versus 406 mm². Transistor counts follow suit, with AMD at 26,800 million and Intel at 21,700 million. Interestingly, Intel's smaller die achieves a higher transistor density of 53.4M per mm², compared to AMD's 51.5M per mm².

Shader resource allocation differs sharply. The RX 6900 XT fields 5120 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs. The Arc A770 counters with 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and the same 128 ROPs. AMD also holds the ray tracing core advantage with 80 RT cores versus Intel's 32. Neither card uses dedicated tensor cores.

Clock behavior tells a nuanced story. Intel's base clock is higher at 2100 MHz versus AMD's 1825 MHz, and its boost clock is also higher at 2400 MHz versus 2250 MHz. AMD lists an additional game clock of 2015 MHz, which Intel does not specify. Both cards run memory at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective speed. Memory configuration is identical on paper: 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256 bit bus, yielding 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth for both.

Despite Intel's higher clocks, AMD's larger shader count drives the throughput metrics. AMD's FP32 peak is 23.04 TFLOPS versus Intel's 19.66 TFLOPS, and FP16 peaks at 46.08 TFLOPS versus 39.32 TFLOPS. Texture rate favors AMD at 720.0 GTexel/s against 614.4 GTexel/s. Pixel rate is the one rasterization metric where Intel leads: 307.2 GPixel/s versus 288.0 GPixel/s. Power draw differs substantially: Intel is rated at 225 W TDP, AMD at 300 W TDP. The suggested PSU also scales, 550 W for Intel and 700 W for AMD.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 6900 XT wins every head-to-head benchmark recorded, so the use-case split is largely about degrees of advantage rather than outright reversals. The largest margin, 41.8%, comes in OpenCL compute. This suggests workloads that rely on general-purpose GPU compute, such as rendering, simulation, or data processing, will see the biggest relative benefit from the AMD card. The Vulkan gap of 36.5% also indicates a strong advantage in cross-platform graphics APIs. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result, at 27.2%, is the AMD card's smallest win, implying that pure DirectX 12 gaming is where Intel comes closest to closing the gap.

The Arc A770 does hold specific structural advantages that could matter in narrower scenarios. Its higher pixel rate of 307.2 GPixel/s versus 288.0 GPixel/s suggests a potential edge in fill-rate-bound situations, even though no benchmark in the head-to-head set isolates that metric. Its lower 225 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU make it the more accommodating card for system integration. The Intel card also carries DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, while AMD's RX 6900 XT offers DisplayPort 1.4a with a USB Type-C port.

For buyers prioritizing absolute performance in the recorded tests, the RX 6900 XT is the clear choice. For those prioritizing efficiency, lower system power requirements, and newer display output standards, the Arc A770 has qualitative appeal despite losing every numerical comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which card scores higher in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT scores 4079, while the Intel Arc A770 scores 2969. AMD leads by 27.2%.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Geekbench Vulkan?

A: AMD scores 148525 and Intel scores 94284, a delta of 36.5% in favor of AMD.

Q: Do both cards have the same memory configuration?

A: Yes. Both have 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256 bit bus with 512.0 GB/s bandwidth and 16 Gbps effective memory speed.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The Intel Arc A770 has a density of 53.4M transistors per mm², while the AMD RX 6900 XT has 51.5M per mm², despite AMD having more total transistors.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each card?

A: The Intel Arc A770 averages 68809 and sits at the 90th percentile. The AMD RX 6900 XT averages 50951 and sits at the 86th percentile.

Q: Which card requires a more powerful power supply?

A: The AMD RX 6900 XT suggests a 700 W PSU and has a 300 W TDP. The Intel Arc A770 suggests a 550 W PSU and has a 225 W TDP.

Specification Differences

The two cards share several specifications: both use GDDR6 memory with 16 GB capacity, a 256 bit bus, 512.0 GB/s bandwidth, 128 ROPs, PCIe 4.0 x16 interfaces, DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The differences are extensive:

• Process node: Intel uses 6 nm, AMD uses 7 nm, both at TSMC.
• Transistors: Intel has 21,700 million; AMD has 26,800 million.
• Die size: Intel measures 406 mm²; AMD measures 520 mm².
• Transistor density: Intel has 53.4M per mm²; AMD has 51.5M per mm².
• Base clock: Intel runs 2100 MHz; AMD runs 1825 MHz.
• Boost clock: Intel runs 2400 MHz; AMD runs 2250 MHz.
• Game clock: AMD lists 2015 MHz; Intel lists none.
• Shading units: Intel has 4096; AMD has 5120.
• TMUs: Intel has 256; AMD has 320.
• RT cores: Intel has 32; AMD has 80.
• Pixel rate: Intel has 307.2 GPixel/s; AMD has 288.0 GPixel/s.
• Texture rate: Intel has 614.4 GTexel/s; AMD has 720.0 GTexel/s.
• FP32: Intel has 19.66 TFLOPS; AMD has 23.04 TFLOPS.
• FP16: Intel has 39.32 TFLOPS; AMD has 46.08 TFLOPS.
• TDP: Intel is 225 W; AMD is 300 W.
• Slot width: Intel is dual-slot; AMD is triple-slot.
• Power connectors: Intel uses 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin; AMD uses 2x 8-pin.
• Suggested PSU: Intel recommends 550 W; AMD recommends 700 W.
• Display outputs: Intel has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0; AMD has 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C.
• Dimensions: AMD measures 267 mm by 120 mm by 50 mm; Intel lists no physical dimensions.
• Release date: Intel launched on 2022-10-11; AMD launched on 2020-10-27.
• Launch MSRP: Intel was 329 USD; AMD was 999 USD.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for raw performance: the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT dominates every recorded head-to-head benchmark. Its smallest win is 27.2% in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, and its largest is 41.8% in Geekbench OpenCL. Buyers who want maximum frame rates and compute throughput should choose the RX 6900 XT without hesitation.

The Intel Arc A770 is the choice for a different set of priorities. It draws 75 W less power, requires a 550 W PSU instead of 700 W, occupies a dual-slot footprint instead of triple-slot, and uses DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. Its higher pixel rate and higher boost clock show that Intel's architecture is not without merit, but those advantages do not translate into wins in any of the recorded tests.

The percentile data adds a wrinkle: Intel's 90th percentile and 68809 average exceed AMD's 86th percentile and 50951 average. This reflects the different benchmark suites each card undergoes, not a reversal of head-to-head performance. The nearest rival lists confirm the positioning: Intel competes in a cluster around 69000 points, while AMD competes in a cluster around 51000 points.

The verdict from the database is clear. For absolute performance in the tests recorded, the RX 6900 XT wins outright. For efficiency, physical footprint, and modern display connectivity, the Arc A770 offers qualitative advantages at a lower launch MSRP of 329 USD versus AMD's 999 USD. The choice depends entirely on whether the measured performance gap or the integration advantages matter more for a given build.