AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE vs Intel Arc A770 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two recorded head-to-head tests paint a starkly split picture. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE posts a score of 5424 against the Intel Arc A770's 2969. That is a 45.3% gap, with the AMD card winning outright. This is a massive single-test margin, one that suggests a generational leap in raw graphics throughput under DX12 workloads. The Intel part, despite its higher shading unit count, cannot keep pace in this particular rasterization-heavy scenario.

The Geekbench OpenCL test tells a completely different story. Here the two cards are virtually inseparable: the RX 9070 GRE scores 109309, while the Arc A770 scores 109175. The delta is a razor-thin 0.1% in favor of AMD. For all practical purposes, this is a statistical tie. OpenCL compute performance, at least as measured by this synthetic workload, shows no meaningful advantage for either architecture. The AMD card wins the head-to-head on paper, but the data indicates that any real-world difference in OpenCL compute tasks would be imperceptible.

There is also a Geekbench Vulkan score recorded only for the Intel Arc A770: 94284. No comparable Vulkan score exists for the RX 9070 GRE in the database, so a direct comparison is impossible. However, the Arc A770's Vulkan result is notably lower than its own OpenCL score, suggesting that the Intel architecture may be more optimized for OpenCL compute than for Vulkan graphics in this specific benchmark environment.

The aggregate benchmark averages reinforce the complexity. The Arc A770's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 68809, while the RX 9070 GRE averages 57367. That places the Intel card roughly 20% higher in overall average score, a surprising outcome given the AMD card's dominant DX12 win. The explanation lies in the benchmark composition: the Arc A770 has three recorded scores, including a strong Geekbench Vulkan result, while the RX 9070 GRE has only two. The Intel card's average is buoyed by its OpenCL and Vulkan compute numbers, while the AMD card's average is dragged down by its relatively lower OpenCL score compared to its DX12 output.

Percentile rankings also diverge from expectations. The Arc A770 sits in the 90th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the RX 9070 GRE sits in the 87th percentile. Despite the RX 9070 GRE's decisive DX12 victory, the Intel card holds a higher overall percentile placement. This indicates that the benchmark suite as a whole favors the Intel architecture's compute strengths, even though the AMD card wins the most demanding modern graphics test.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 9070 GRE's win is concentrated in DX12 gaming performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad test is designed to stress modern graphics pipelines, and the AMD card's 5424 score versus 2969 represents a 45.3% advantage. For users running DX12 titles, particularly those with heavy geometry and shading workloads, the data points clearly to the AMD card. This is the kind of result that translates directly to higher frame rates in current-generation games.

The Arc A770, by contrast, demonstrates its strength in compute-oriented workloads. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 109175 is effectively tied with the RX 9070 GRE's 109309, a 0.1% difference that falls well within measurement noise. But the Intel card also records a Vulkan score of 94284, and while no RX 9070 GRE Vulkan result exists for comparison, the Intel card's average benchmark score of 68809 versus 57367 for AMD indicates that the Arc A770 holds a broader compute advantage across the full test suite.

The Geekbench Vulkan score is particularly telling. At 94284, it is roughly 14% lower than the Arc A770's OpenCL score. This suggests that Intel's Xe-HPG architecture handles OpenCL compute more efficiently than Vulkan graphics workloads. For users running OpenCL acceleration tasks, video encoding pipelines, or other compute-heavy applications, the Arc A770 appears to be the stronger choice based on the recorded data.

The RX 9070 GRE's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Arc A580 at a 0.7% lower average score, the AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM at 1.2% lower, and the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT at 1.8% lower. These tight margins around the 57367 average suggest that the RX 9070 GRE occupies a competitive position in its performance tier, though its average is still well below the Arc A770's 68809. The Arc A770, meanwhile, sits within 1.7% of the NVIDIA Quadro P6000 and within 0.3% of the NVIDIA CMP 90HX, indicating that its compute-oriented average places it alongside professional-grade workstation cards.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from fundamentally different architectural lineages. The Intel Arc A770 uses the DG2-512 chip built on Xe-HPG architecture, part of the Alchemist generation. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE uses the Navi 48 chip based on RDNA 4.0, part of the Navi IV (RX 9000) generation. These are not iterative improvements on a shared design; they are entirely separate approaches to GPU construction.

Manufacturing process differences are striking. The Arc A770 is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the RX 9070 GRE uses a 4 nm process, also at TSMC. The smaller node gives AMD a significant density advantage: the RX 9070 GRE packs 53,900 million transistors onto a 357 mm² die, yielding a density of 151.0 million transistors per square millimeter. The Arc A770, by contrast, contains 21,700 million transistors on a larger 406 mm² die, for a density of just 53.4 million per square millimeter. The RX 9070 GRE crams more than 2.5 times the transistor density into a smaller physical package.

Core configurations also diverge. The Arc A770 fields 4096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs, along with 32 ray tracing cores. The RX 9070 GRE counters with 3072 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, but carries 48 ray tracing cores. The Intel card has more raw shading hardware, while the AMD card has 50% more RT cores. This explains why the AMD card wins the DX12 test despite having fewer shaders: the newer RDNA 4.0 architecture appears to extract more performance per shading unit, particularly in ray-traced or modern rendering paths.

Memory configurations differ substantially. The Arc A770 offers 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 9070 GRE has 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, for 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel card has both more capacity and more bandwidth, a notable advantage for texture-heavy workloads or large datasets. However, the RX 9070 GRE runs its memory at a higher effective speed of 18 Gbps compared to the Arc A770's 16 Gbps, partially compensating for the narrower bus.

Clock behavior reveals another divergence. The Arc A770 has a higher base clock at 2100 MHz, but a lower boost clock at 2400 MHz. The RX 9070 GRE starts lower at 1420 MHz base, but boosts far higher to 2790 MHz, with a game clock of 2220 MHz. The AMD card's aggressive boost behavior likely contributes to its DX12 dominance. Compute throughput numbers reflect this: the RX 9070 GRE delivers 34.28 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the Arc A770 delivers 19.66 TFLOPS. The AMD card is roughly 74% ahead in raw FP32 throughput, a massive gap that the DX12 benchmark confirms.

FP16 performance shows an architectural philosophical difference. The Arc A770 achieves 39.32 TFLOPS FP16 through a 2:1 ratio relative to FP32, indicating dedicated or rate-doubled half-precision paths. The RX 9070 GRE matches its FP32 number at 34.28 TFLOPS FP16, using a 1:1 ratio, meaning it treats FP16 and FP32 with equal throughput. For workloads that leverage FP16 acceleration, the Intel card actually leads in raw half-precision throughput despite its lower FP32 performance.

Power and interface specifications are broadly similar. Both cards are dual-slot designs with a 550 W suggested PSU. The Arc A770 draws 225 W TDP and uses a single 6-pin plus single 8-pin connector, while the RX 9070 GRE draws 220 W TDP and uses dual 8-pin connectors. The RX 9070 GRE uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the Arc A770 uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The newer PCIe generation on the AMD card provides additional headroom for bandwidth-sensitive applications, though the practical impact depends on the workload.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split based on workload type. For DX12 gaming performance, the RX 9070 GRE is the definitive choice. Its 45.3% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad is not a marginal improvement; it is a generational leap. The AMD card's higher boost clock, superior FP32 throughput, and newer RDNA 4.0 architecture all point toward better modern gaming performance. Users whose primary concern is current-generation DX12 titles should select the RX 9070 GRE without hesitation.

For compute-oriented workloads, particularly OpenCL, the choice is less obvious. The two cards are effectively tied in Geekbench OpenCL, with a 0.1% difference that carries no practical significance. However, the Arc A770's higher average benchmark score of 68809 versus 57367, combined with its 90th percentile placement versus 87th for AMD, indicates that the Intel card offers broader compute strengths across the full benchmark suite. The Arc A770 also provides 16 GB of VRAM versus 12 GB, a meaningful advantage for large datasets or memory-hungry compute tasks.

The RT core count favors AMD at 48 versus 32, and combined with the DX12 benchmark results, this suggests the RX 9070 GRE is better positioned for ray-traced workloads. The AMD card's 48 ray tracing cores on a newer architecture likely deliver superior RT performance, though no direct RT benchmark exists in the recorded data.

Ultimately, the choice depends on the target application. The RX 9070 GRE wins where it matters most for gamers: DX12 performance. The Arc A770 wins on compute breadth, memory capacity, and average benchmark standing. Neither card is universally superior; the data simply reflects two different priorities in GPU design.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Arc A770 averages 68809 across all recorded benchmarks, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE averages 57367. The Arc A770 also ranks in the 90th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the RX 9070 GRE's 87th percentile.

Q: How much faster is the RX 9070 GRE in DX12 gaming benchmarks?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the RX 9070 GRE scores 5424 versus the Arc A770's 2969, a 45.3% advantage for the AMD card.

Q: Are the two cards similar in OpenCL compute performance?

A: Yes, the Geekbench OpenCL scores are nearly identical: the RX 9070 GRE scores 109309 and the Arc A770 scores 109175, a difference of just 0.1% in favor of AMD.

Q: Which card has more memory and bandwidth?

A: The Intel Arc A770 has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 512.0 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD RX 9070 GRE has 12 GB on a 192-bit bus with 432.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the launch prices of the two cards?

A: The Intel Arc A770 had a launch MSRP of 329 USD, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE had a launch MSRP of 549 USD.

Q: Which card has a newer PCIe interface?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the Intel Arc A770 uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

Specification Differences

The Intel Arc A770 uses the DG2-512 chip on Xe-HPG architecture from the Alchemist (Arc 7) generation on a 6 nm TSMC process. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE uses the Navi 48 chip on RDNA 4.0 from the Navi IV (RX 9000) generation on a 4 nm TSMC process. The RX 9070 GRE contains 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die with 151.0 million per mm², while the Arc A770 has 21,700 million on 406 mm² with 53.4 million per mm².

Clock speeds differ significantly: the Arc A770 runs at 2100 MHz base and 2400 MHz boost, while the RX 9070 GRE runs at 1420 MHz base, 2220 MHz game, and 2790 MHz boost. Memory speed also differs: 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective for Intel versus 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective for AMD.

The Arc A770 has 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, 128 ROPs, and 32 RT cores. The RX 9070 GRE has 3072 shading units, 192 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 48 RT cores. Pixel rate is 307.2 GPixel/s for Intel versus 267.8 GPixel/s for AMD. Texture rate is 614.4 GTexel/s versus 535.7 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 19.66 TFLOPS for Intel versus 34.28 TFLOPS for AMD. FP16 is 39.32 TFLOPS (2:1) for Intel versus 34.28 TFLOPS (1:1) for AMD.

The Arc A770 uses a single 6-pin plus single 8-pin power connector, while the RX 9070 GRE uses dual 8-pin connectors. TDP is 225 W for Intel and 220 W for AMD, with both recommending a 550 W PSU. Display outputs differ: Intel offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0, while AMD offers 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1a. The RX 9070 GRE uses PCIe 5.0 x16 versus PCIe 4.0 x16 for Intel. Production status is end-of-life for Intel and active for AMD, with release dates of October 2022 for the Arc A770 and May 2025 for the RX 9070 GRE.