AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU vs Intel Arc A380E Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU and Intel Arc A380E target different roles despite sharing the same DirectX 12 Ultimate feature level. The Ryzen Z1 GPU is a 30 W embedded part with 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, designed for fanless or low-power systems where physical outputs are not required. The Arc A380E is a 75 W single-slot card with 6 GB of GDDR6 and four DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, built for edge displays and small-form-factor workstations. The database shows the Ryzen Z1 GPU sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, and the Arc A380E also sits at the 50th percentile, so neither holds a global performance advantage in aggregate rankings. However, the A380E delivers 60% higher FP32 throughput, 3x the pixel rate, and 3.2x the texture rate, making it the stronger choice for compute-heavy or output-bound tasks. The Ryzen Z1 GPU counters with 2.7x the memory capacity, a 4 nm process, and zero display outputs, which suits headless or low-power integration. Choose the A380E for active rendering or multi-display workloads; choose the Ryzen Z1 GPU for compact, low-power, memory-heavy embedded roles.

Architecture Differences

The Ryzen Z1 GPU uses the Phoenix chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 4 nm TSMC process with 25,390 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Arc A380E uses the DG2-128 chip with Xe-HPG architecture under the Alchemist (Arc 3) generation, built on a 6 nm TSMC process with 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die. The transistor density difference is substantial: the Ryzen Z1 GPU packs 142.6 million transistors per mm² versus 45.9 million for the A380E. That density advantage comes from the newer node, but the A380E compensates with a larger shader array.

The Ryzen Z1 GPU has 256 shading units, 16 texture mapping units, 8 raster operation units, and 4 ray tracing cores. The Arc A380E has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 8 ray tracing cores. That is a 4x difference in shader count and TMUs, and a 4x difference in ROPs. The A380E also doubles the ray tracing core count. Clock behavior differs as well: the Ryzen Z1 GPU runs at a 1500 MHz base and 2500 MHz boost, while the A380E is fixed at 2000 MHz for both base and boost. The A380E uses a 6 nm process with fewer transistors but a similar die size, which explains its lower density.

Memory architecture splits the two completely. The Ryzen Z1 GPU uses 16 GB of LPDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, with memory clocked at 800 MHz and 6.4 Gbps effective, yielding 51.20 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc A380E uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus, with memory at 1937 MHz and 15.5 Gbps effective, yielding 186.0 GB/s. That is 3.6x more bandwidth for the Intel part, but 2.7x less capacity. The Ryzen Z1 GPU has no display outputs, while the A380E has four DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. The A380E also exposes a PCIe 4.0 x8 bus interface, while the Ryzen Z1 GPU lists no bus interface in the database.

Feature support is identical at the API level: both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Neither has tensor cores listed. The Ryzen Z1 GPU measures 280 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 21 mm wide; the A380E measures 254 mm long, 127 mm tall, and 20 mm wide. The A380E is single-slot, while the Ryzen Z1 GPU has no slot width listed. Power delivery differs: the Ryzen Z1 GPU has a 30 W TDP with no power connectors, and the A380E has a 75 W TDP with no power connectors but a 250 W suggested PSU.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen Z1 GPU wins on memory capacity and power efficiency. Its 16 GB of LPDDR5 dwarfs the A380E's 6 GB of GDDR6, making it the better fit for workloads that need large working sets, such as AI inference buffers or large data caches. The 30 W TDP versus 75 W means the Ryzen Z1 GPU can operate in thermally constrained enclosures. The 4 nm process and 142.6M transistors per mm² indicate a denser, more modern design. The Ryzen Z1 GPU also has a higher boost clock at 2500 MHz versus 2000 MHz, though it starts at a lower 1500 MHz base.

The Arc A380E wins on raw throughput and display capability. Its FP32 performance of 4.096 TFLOPS is 60% ahead of the Ryzen Z1 GPU's 2.560 TFLOPS. Pixel rate is 64.00 GPixel/s versus 20.00 GPixel/s, a 3.2x advantage. Texture rate is 128.0 GTexel/s versus 40.00 GTexel/s, also a 3.2x advantage. The 4x shader count and 4x ROP count translate directly into higher fill rates. The A380E's 186.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is 3.6x higher, which benefits bandwidth-sensitive rendering. The four DisplayPort 2.0 outputs make it the only one of the two that can drive physical monitors. The A380E also has a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, enabling standard motherboard installation.

The production status differs: the Ryzen Z1 GPU is Active, while the A380E is End-of-life with a successor named Battlemage. Release dates are close, with the Ryzen Z1 GPU on 2023-09-17 and the A380E on 2024-03-31. The Ryzen Z1 GPU has a launch MSRP of 599 USD, while the A380E has no launch MSRP in the database. The A380E lists a predecessor of Xe Graphics, while the Ryzen Z1 GPU lists none.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Arc A380E has 186.0 GB/s of bandwidth versus 51.20 GB/s for the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU. That is a 3.6x advantage for the A380E, driven by its 96-bit GDDR6 memory at 15.5 Gbps effective versus the Ryzen Z1 GPU's 64-bit LPDDR5 at 6.4 Gbps effective.

Q: Can either GPU drive a display directly?

A: No, the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU has no display outputs at all. The Intel Arc A380E has 4x DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, so only the A380E can connect to monitors directly.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The Intel Arc A380E has 8 ray tracing cores, double the 4 found in the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU has a 30 W TDP, while the Intel Arc A380E has a 75 W TDP. The A380E also lists a 250 W suggested PSU, while the Ryzen Z1 GPU does not list a suggested PSU.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The Intel Arc A380E has 1024 shading units, which is 4x the 256 shading units on the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU.

Q: Are both GPUs the same size?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU measures 280 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 21 mm wide. The Intel Arc A380E measures 254 mm long, 127 mm tall, and 20 mm wide, and it is a single-slot card.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark scores, but the recorded specifications allow direct comparison of theoretical peak rates. The most decisive win for the Intel Arc A380E is FP32 compute: 4.096 TFLOPS versus 2.560 TFLOPS for the AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU. That is a 60% advantage for Intel. The A380E also leads in FP16 at 8.192 TFLOPS versus 5.120 TFLOPS, a 60% margin as well. Pixel throughput favors the A380E at 64.00 GPixel/s versus 20.00 GPixel/s, which is 3.2x higher. Texture throughput follows the same pattern: 128.0 GTexel/s versus 40.00 GTexel/s, also 3.2x higher.

Memory bandwidth is another clear A380E win: 186.0 GB/s versus 51.20 GB/s. That 3.6x advantage matters for texture-heavy scenes or large framebuffers. The A380E also doubles ray tracing cores, 8 versus 4, and quadruples both TMUs and ROPs. The shader count difference, 1024 versus 256, explains the compute gap directly.

The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU wins on memory capacity: 16 GB versus 6 GB, a 2.7x advantage. That capacity can offset the bandwidth deficit in workloads that fit within the smaller A380E's 6 GB, but once a working set exceeds 6 GB, the Ryzen Z1 GPU has room to spare. The Ryzen Z1 GPU also wins on process technology: 4 nm versus 6 nm, and on transistor density at 142.6M per mm² versus 45.9M per mm². The boost clock is higher as well, 2500 MHz versus 2000 MHz, though the base clock is lower at 1500 MHz versus 2000 MHz. The Ryzen Z1 GPU's TDP of 30 W is 45 W lower than the A380E's 75 W, which is a 60% reduction in power draw.

The A380E holds an advantage in memory clock speed: 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective versus 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective. That is a 2.4x difference in effective memory rate. The A380E also has a defined bus interface, PCIe 4.0 x8, while the Ryzen Z1 GPU lists none. The A380E's single-slot form factor and four DisplayPort 2.0 outputs give it a physical integration edge that the Ryzen Z1 GPU cannot match.

The Ryzen Z1 GPU's launch MSRP of 599 USD is the only listed price in the database. The A380E has no launch MSRP recorded. The Ryzen Z1 GPU is still in Active production, while the A380E is End-of-life with a Battlemage successor already named. Release timing favors the A380E slightly, as it launched on 2024-03-31 versus 2023-09-17 for the Ryzen Z1 GPU, but both are recent designs.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification. The AMD Ryzen Z1 GPU uses a Phoenix chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture on a 4 nm process, while the Intel Arc A380E uses a DG2-128 chip with Xe-HPG architecture on a 6 nm process. Transistor count is 25,390 million for AMD versus 7,200 million for Intel. Die size is 178 mm² for AMD versus 157 mm² for Intel. Transistor density is 142.6M per mm² for AMD versus 45.9M per mm² for Intel.

Clock speeds differ: the Ryzen Z1 GPU has a 1500 MHz base and 2500 MHz boost, while the A380E has a fixed 2000 MHz for both. Memory clocks are 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective for the Ryzen Z1 GPU versus 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective for the A380E. Memory capacity is 16 GB LPDDR5 for AMD versus 6 GB GDDR6 for Intel. Bus width is 64-bit for AMD versus 96-bit for Intel. Bandwidth is 51.20 GB/s for AMD versus 186.0 GB/s for Intel.

Compute resources favor Intel heavily: 1024 shading units versus 256, 64 TMUs versus 16, 32 ROPs versus 8, and 8 ray tracing cores versus 4. Pixel rate is 64.00 GPixel/s versus 20.00 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 128.0 GTexel/s versus 40.00 GTexel/s. FP32 is 4.096 TFLOPS versus 2.560 TFLOPS. FP16 is 8.192 TFLOPS versus 5.120 TFLOPS.

Power and physical specs diverge as well: TDP is 30 W for AMD versus 75 W for Intel. The A380E is single-slot with a 250 W suggested PSU, while the Ryzen Z1 GPU has no slot width or PSU suggestion. Display outputs: none for AMD, 4x DisplayPort 2.0 for Intel. Bus interface: none listed for AMD, PCIe 4.0 x8 for Intel. Dimensions: 280 mm x 111 mm x 21 mm for AMD versus 254 mm x 127 mm x 20 mm for Intel. The A380E has a predecessor, Xe Graphics, and a successor, Battlemage; the Ryzen Z1 GPU has neither. Production status is Active for AMD and End-of-life for Intel. Release dates are 2023-09-17 for AMD and 2024-03-31 for Intel. Launch MSRP is 599 USD for AMD and null for Intel. API support is identical: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4 for both.