Intel Arc A310 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 Comparison

The Intel Arc A310 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 are two very different graphics cards separated by eight years of architecture evolution, yet they occupy a similar performance tier in the current benchmark database. The data reveals a stark split: the GTX 970 dominates in legacy DirectX and traditional rasterization workloads, while the Arc A310 posts decisive wins in modern Vulkan and OpenCL compute tests. The GTX 970 wins 7 of 9 head-to-head benchmarks, but the Arc A310 takes the two most forward-looking tests, including a 44.8% blowout in Vulkan. This is not a simple "which is faster" question—it is a question of which workload generation you prioritize.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is the clear winner for anyone running DirectX-based games or applications, particularly those using older API versions. In the head-to-head results, the GTX 970 leads by wide margins across the PassMark DirectX suite: it is 53.5% faster in DirectX 11, 51.7% faster in DirectX 9, and 32.6% faster in DirectX 10. Its PassMark G3D score of 9638 versus the Arc A310's 5433 represents a 43.6% advantage in general 3D rendering, and the 47% lead in PassMark GPU compute (4073 vs 2157) shows it also handles general-purpose compute better in that specific test. The GTX 970's 56 ROPs and 104 TMUs, combined with a 256-bit memory bus delivering 224.4 GB/s, give it a massive throughput advantage in traditional fill-rate-limited scenarios.

The Intel Arc A310 wins where modern APIs and compute paradigms are involved. Its Vulkan score of 28964 crushes the GTX 970's 20005—a 44.8% margin that reflects the Arc's modern Xe-HPG architecture and its DirectX 12 Ultimate feature set. The Arc also edges out the GTX 970 in Geekbench OpenCL (30607 vs 29982, a 2.1% win), suggesting its 6 RT cores and 768 shading units are better optimized for current-generation compute workloads. For users running Vulkan-native titles or OpenCL-based applications, the Arc A310 is the stronger choice despite its lower raw specifications.

The average benchmark scores tell a nuanced story: the Arc A310 averages 7550 across all tests, which is 5.5% higher than the GTX 970's 7157 average. However, this average is skewed by the Arc's massive Vulkan and OpenCL wins. The GTX 970's percentile rank of 39 versus the Arc's 40 shows they sit at nearly the same level in the global GPU hierarchy, with the Arc's nearest rival being the AMD Radeon R7 250 (deltaPct -0.1%) and the GTX 970's nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 (deltaPct -0.9%).

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent opposite ends of the GPU design spectrum. The Intel Arc A310 is built on TSMC's 6 nm process node, packing 7,200 million transistors into a 157 mm² die—a transistor density of 45.9 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 uses TSMC's 28 nm node, with 5,200 million transistors spread across a much larger 398 mm² die, yielding a density of just 13.1 million per square millimeter. This process advantage explains why the Arc A310 achieves comparable average performance with a 30 W TDP versus the GTX 970's 148 W TDP.

The architectural divide is even more fundamental. The Arc A310 uses Intel's Xe-HPG architecture from the Alchemist generation, featuring 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Crucially, it includes 6 dedicated RT cores for hardware ray tracing—a feature the GTX 970 completely lacks, as its Maxwell 2.0 architecture predates ray tracing by several years. The GTX 970 counters with 1664 shading units, 104 TMUs, and 56 ROPs, giving it more than double the shader count and over three times the texture units. The GTX 970's 4 GB of GDDR5 memory runs on a 256-bit bus at 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective), delivering 224.4 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Arc A310's 4 GB of GDDR6 uses a 64-bit bus at 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective) for just 124.0 GB/s—a 44.7% bandwidth deficit.

Clock speeds also differ significantly. The GTX 970 runs at a 1050 MHz base and 1178 MHz boost, while the Arc A310 is locked at 1750 MHz for both base and boost. The Arc's higher clock partially compensates for its fewer cores: its FP32 throughput is 2.688 TFLOPS versus the GTX 970's 3.920 TFLOPS, a 31.4% gap. The GTX 970 also has a much higher pixel rate (65.97 GPixel/s vs 28.00 GPixel/s) and texture rate (122.5 GTexel/s vs 56.00 GTexel/s). The Arc A310 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 970 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1) but also supports Vulkan 1.4. Display outputs differ as well: the Arc offers four mini-DisplayPort 2.0 connectors, while the GTX 970 provides one DVI, one HDMI 2.0, and three DisplayPort 1.2 outputs.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear verdict: pick the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 if your primary workload is DirectX-based gaming or legacy applications. Its 53.5% lead in DirectX 11 and 51.7% lead in DirectX 9 are decisive, and its 43.6% advantage in PassMark G3D demonstrates superior raw 3D rendering power. The GTX 970's 47% lead in PassMark GPU compute also makes it the better choice for traditional compute tasks. Its 224.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and 56 ROPs are simply better suited to the fill-rate demands of older game engines.

Pick the Intel Arc A310 if you prioritize modern API support and compute performance. Its 44.8% Vulkan lead is the single largest margin in the entire head-to-head comparison, and its DirectX 12 Ultimate support means it is ready for the latest rendering features, including hardware ray tracing via its 6 RT cores. The Arc's 2.1% OpenCL win, while small, shows it handles current-generation compute workloads at least as well as the GTX 970. The 30 W TDP also makes it a far more power-efficient option, requiring no power connectors and a suggested PSU of only 200 W versus the GTX 970's 300 W suggestion and dual 6-pin connectors.

The GTX 970 wins more benchmarks, but the Arc A310 wins the benchmarks that matter for future software. For a new build targeting modern games, the Arc A310 is the forward-looking choice. For an upgrade to an older system or a focus on the massive library of DirectX 9-11 titles, the GTX 970 is the proven performer. Both cards are end-of-life, so this decision is about workload, not longevity.

FAQ

Q: Which card has better raw 3D rendering performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 wins decisively, with a PassMark G3D score of 9638 versus the Intel Arc A310's 5433—a 43.6% advantage.

Q: Is the Intel Arc A310 better at modern graphics APIs?

A: Yes. The Arc A310 scores 28964 in Geekbench Vulkan versus the GTX 970's 20005, a 44.8% lead, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate while the GTX 970 only supports DirectX 12 (12_1).

Q: Do both cards have 4 GB of memory?

A: Yes, both have 4 GB, but the GTX 970 uses GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus (224.4 GB/s bandwidth) while the Arc A310 uses GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus (124.0 GB/s bandwidth).

Q: Which card requires more power?

A: The GTX 970 has a 148 W TDP and requires dual 6-pin power connectors with a 300 W suggested PSU. The Arc A310 has a 30 W TDP, needs no power connectors, and only suggests a 200 W PSU.

Q: Does either card support hardware ray tracing?

A: Only the Intel Arc A310, which has 6 dedicated RT cores. The GTX 970 has no RT cores, as its Maxwell 2.0 architecture predates ray tracing support.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Arc A310 averages 7550 compared to the GTX 970's 7157, a 5.5% difference, though this is heavily influenced by the Arc's Vulkan and OpenCL results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest victory for the Intel Arc A310 comes in Geekbench Vulkan, where it scores 28964 against the GTX 970's 20005—a 44.8% margin that dwarfs every other result in the comparison. This is a modern-API win that reflects the Arc's Xe-HPG architecture and DirectX 12 Ultimate feature set. The Arc also takes Geekbench OpenCL by a narrower 2.1% margin (30607 vs 29982), indicating its 768 shading units and 6 RT cores are well-optimized for contemporary compute workloads.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 dominates everywhere else. Its largest win is in PassMark DirectX 11, scoring 71 versus the Arc's 33—a 53.5% advantage that shows how much faster the Maxwell architecture is on legacy APIs. The DirectX 9 result is nearly as lopsided: 143 vs 69, a 51.7% gap. In DirectX 10, the GTX 970 leads 46 vs 31 (32.6%), and in DirectX 12 it leads 41 vs 29 (29.3%). The GTX 970's PassMark G3D score of 9638 versus 5433 represents a 43.6% win, and its PassMark GPU compute score of 4073 versus 2157 is a 47% victory. Even in 2D performance, the GTX 970 wins 764 vs 625, an 18.2% margin.

The pattern is unmistakable: the GTX 970 wins every PassMark test, while the Arc A310 wins both Geekbench tests. The GTX 970's 1664 shading units, 104 TMUs, and 56 ROPs give it the hardware muscle for traditional rasterization, while the Arc A310's modern architecture, higher clock speed (1750 MHz vs 1178 MHz boost), and RT core support give it the edge in newer APIs and compute-heavy workloads.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification category. The process node is a major differentiator: the Arc A310 uses 6 nm TSMC technology versus the GTX 970's 28 nm, leading to a transistor density of 45.9 million per square millimeter versus 13.1 million. The Arc packs 7,200 million transistors into a 157 mm² die, while the GTX 970 spreads 5,200 million across 398 mm².

Core configurations diverge sharply. The GTX 970 has 1664 shading units, 104 TMUs, and 56 ROPs, while the Arc A310 has 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, and just 16 ROPs. The GTX 970 has no RT cores; the Arc has 6. Clock speeds favor the Arc: 1750 MHz base and boost versus the GTX 970's 1050 MHz base and 1178 MHz boost. Memory differs in type (GDDR6 vs GDDR5), bus width (64-bit vs 256-bit), and bandwidth (124.0 GB/s vs 224.4 GB/s), though both have 4 GB capacity.

Power and physical specifications are also distinct. The Arc A310 has a 30 W TDP, is single-slot, and requires no power connectors, while the GTX 970 has a 148 W TDP, is dual-slot, and needs two 6-pin connectors. The suggested PSU is 200 W for the Arc and 300 W for the GTX 970. The bus interface differs: PCIe 4.0 x8 for the Arc versus PCIe 3.0 x16 for the GTX 970. Display outputs are four mini-DisplayPort 2.0 on the Arc versus one DVI, one HDMI 2.0, and three DisplayPort 1.2 on the GTX 970. The GTX 970 measures 267 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 40 mm in width; the Arc's dimensions are not listed. The GTX 970 had a launch MSRP of 329 USD.