GPU Comparison

# Intel Arc A770 vs AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT

The Intel Arc A770 and AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT represent two very different approaches to high-end graphics, separated by process node, architecture philosophy, and launch timing. The data shows a decisive performance gap in the measured benchmarks, but the underlying specifications tell a more nuanced story about where each GPU's strengths lie. The Arc A770, built on Intel's Xe-HPG architecture, enters the field with a 90th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the RX 6950 XT, using AMD's RDNA 2.0, sits at the 88th percentile. Despite the lower percentile, the AMD card wins every head-to-head benchmark recorded, raising questions about how aggregate scores and percentile rankings translate to real-world application performance.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, and by how much?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT wins decisively, scoring 4235 compared to the Intel Arc A770's 2969. This represents a 29.9% lead for AMD in this DirectX 12 test.

Q: How do the two cards compare in Geekbench OpenCL performance?

A: The RX 6950 XT scores 205998, while the Arc A770 scores 109175. The AMD card is 47% ahead, which is the largest performance gap observed across all head-to-head benchmarks.

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

A: The Intel Arc A770 has an average benchmark score of 68809, while the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT has an average score of 58392. Interestingly, the Arc A770's average is higher despite losing every individual head-to-head test.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX and Vulkan versions?

A: Yes, both GPUs support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so feature-level API compatibility is identical on paper.

Q: What is the memory configuration for each card?

A: Both cards feature 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The AMD card has higher memory bandwidth at 576.0 GB/s, while the Intel card offers 512.0 GB/s.

Q: How does the launch MSRP compare between the two?

A: The Intel Arc A770 launched with an MSRP of 329 USD, while the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT launched at 1,099 USD.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial, starting at the manufacturing process. Intel fabricates the Arc A770's DG2-512 chip on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while AMD uses a 7 nm process for the Navi 21 die, also at TSMC. The smaller node gives Intel a transistor density advantage: 53.4M per mm² versus AMD's 51.5M per mm². However, AMD's die is physically larger at 520 mm², packing 26,800 million transistors, whereas Intel's 406 mm² die contains 21,700 million transistors.

The compute architecture diverges significantly. Intel's Xe-HPG architecture employs 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. AMD's RDNA 2.0 counters with 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. This gives AMD a 20% advantage in shading units and a 25% advantage in texture units, which directly explains its higher texture rate of 739.2 GTexel/s versus Intel's 614.4 GTexel/s. Ray tracing hardware also differs: Intel includes 32 RT cores, while AMD integrates 80 of its ray accelerators, a 2.5x difference in dedicated RT hardware count.

Clock behavior reveals another key difference. Intel's chip runs a base clock of 2100 MHz and boosts to 2400 MHz, with no separate game clock listed. AMD's Navi 21 has a lower base clock of 1860 MHz and a boost of 2310 MHz, but it also lists a game clock of 2100 MHz, suggesting more sustained real-world frequency behavior. Memory speeds differ as well: Intel uses 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) GDDR6, while AMD runs 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), contributing to the bandwidth gap.

The FP32 compute figures show AMD's raw throughput advantage: 23.65 TFLOPS versus Intel's 19.66 TFLOPS, a 20% difference. FP16 follows the same pattern at 47.31 TFLOPS versus 39.32 TFLOPS, with both using 2:1 ratio. Power delivery and physical design also diverge: Intel specifies a 225 W TDP with a dual-slot cooler and 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin connectors, while AMD requires 335 W, a triple-slot cooler, and 2x 8-pin connectors.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The three recorded head-to-head benchmarks tell a consistent story of AMD dominance, but the magnitude of each win varies substantially. Starting with the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the RX 6950 XT scores 4235 against the Arc A770's 2969. This 29.9% delta in AMD's favor indicates a substantial performance advantage in a modern DirectX 12 workload, likely reflecting the raw compute and texture throughput differences noted in the specifications.

The Geekbench OpenCL test shows the widest gap between the two cards. AMD's 205998 score more than doubles Intel's 109175, resulting in a 47% delta. This benchmark heavily favors the RX 6950 XT, suggesting that OpenCL compute workloads, which can leverage the additional 1024 shading units and higher clock speeds, expose the architectural throughput gap most clearly. The near-doubling of score despite only a 20% FP32 theoretical advantage hints that memory bandwidth or driver efficiency plays a significant role in this test.

Geekbench Vulkan narrows the gap somewhat but still favors AMD. The RX 6950 XT posts 165212, while the Arc A770 achieves 94284, a 42.9% delta. Vulkan is often considered a more efficient API that can reduce driver overhead, yet AMD still maintains a commanding lead. The fact that the Vulkan gap (42.9%) sits between the OpenCL gap (47%) and the DX12 gap (29.9%) suggests that the Arc A770's Vulkan implementation performs relatively better than its OpenCL, but still falls far short of the RDNA 2.0 card.

Across all three benchmarks, the AMD card wins with an average delta of approximately 39.9%. The Intel card's best showing is in the DX12 test, where it trails by "only" 29.9%, while its worst is OpenCL. This pattern implies that Intel's Xe-HPG architecture handles DX12 workloads more competitively relative to its theoretical specs, whereas compute-heavy OpenCL tasks expose its limitations.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal numerous divergences beyond the obvious performance gap. Manufacturing process differs: Intel uses 6 nm TSMC, AMD uses 7 nm TSMC. Transistor count favors AMD at 26,800 million versus 21,700 million, as does die size at 520 mm² versus 406 mm². Transistor density slightly favors Intel at 53.4M per mm² versus 51.5M per mm².

Clock speeds show Intel leading on base (2100 MHz vs 1860 MHz) and boost (2400 MHz vs 2310 MHz), but AMD lists a game clock of 2100 MHz that Intel does not specify. Memory clocks differ: Intel runs 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective), AMD runs 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective). Memory bandwidth favors AMD at 576.0 GB/s versus 512.0 GB/s.

Compute resources: Intel has 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs; AMD has 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. Ray tracing cores: 32 for Intel versus 80 for AMD. Pixel rates are close: Intel at 307.2 GPixel/s versus AMD at 295.7 GPixel/s, with Intel slightly ahead. Texture rates favor AMD at 739.2 GTexel/s versus 614.4 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 both favor AMD: 23.65 TFLOPS vs 19.66 TFLOPS, and 47.31 TFLOPS vs 39.32 TFLOPS respectively.

Power and cooling: Intel specifies 225 W TDP with dual-slot and 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin; AMD specifies 335 W TDP with triple-slot and 2x 8-pin. Suggested PSU differs: 550 W for Intel, 700 W for AMD. Display outputs vary: Intel offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0; AMD offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 2x DisplayPort 1.4a. Physical dimensions are listed only for AMD: 267 mm length, 120 mm height, 50 mm width. Release dates differ by five months: Intel on 2022-10-11, AMD on 2022-05-09.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the recorded benchmarks, the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT wins every measured test, making it the clear performance leader in the data. Its largest margin comes in Geekbench OpenCL at 47% ahead, and its smallest is in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 at 29.9% ahead. For users prioritizing raw benchmark scores across DX12, OpenCL, and Vulkan workloads, the RX 6950 XT is the only choice supported by the data.

However, the Intel Arc A770 has areas where it competes more favorably. Its pixel rate of 307.2 GPixel/s exceeds AMD's 295.7 GPixel/s, suggesting that fill-rate-bound scenarios might narrow the gap. The higher base and boost clocks (2100/2400 MHz vs 1860/2310 MHz) could benefit lightly threaded workloads or latency-sensitive tasks, though no benchmark data confirms this. The lower TDP of 225 W versus 335 W implies less heat generation and potentially simpler cooling requirements, which matters for system integration even if not directly measured.

The Arc A770's higher percentile ranking (90th vs 88th) and higher average benchmark score (68809 vs 58392) are notable anomalies. These figures suggest that across a broader range of tests beyond the three head-to-head comparisons, the Intel card may perform relatively better. The average score includes benchmarks like Geekbench Vulkan and OpenCL where AMD wins individually, yet Intel's aggregate remains higher, indicating that other unlisted benchmarks likely favor Intel substantially.

For display connectivity, Intel's support for DisplayPort 2.0 versus AMD's DisplayPort 1.4a could be a deciding factor for users with next-generation monitors requiring higher bandwidth. The PCIe interface is identical (4.0 x16) for both.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear performance hierarchy: the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT is the faster GPU in every directly measured benchmark. Users seeking maximum performance in DX12, OpenCL, or Vulkan applications should select the RX 6950 XT based on its 29.9% to 47% advantages. The card's higher shading unit count, texture throughput, memory bandwidth, and ray tracing core count all support its benchmark dominance.

The Intel Arc A770 appeals to a different set of priorities. Its higher pixel rate, lower power draw, smaller slot footprint, and DisplayPort 2.0 support make it a compelling option for systems where space, cooling, or display connectivity are primary concerns. The lower launch MSRP of 329 USD versus 1,099 USD indicates a different market positioning, though both cards are now end-of-life. The Arc A770's higher average benchmark score and 90th percentile ranking suggest it may excel in untested workloads, but the data we have does not support claiming a performance victory in any measured category.

Ultimately, the RX 6950 XT is the performance pick, while the Arc A770 is the efficiency and feature pick. The choice depends on whether raw benchmark scores or system-level characteristics matter more. For anyone building a high-performance system where benchmark results are the priority, the AMD card wins outright. For those who value lower power consumption, DisplayPort 2.0, and a smaller physical footprint, the Intel card offers those advantages, but not a single benchmark win in this comparison.