Intel Arc A310E vs Intel Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile Comparison

FAQ

Q: What are the core architectural identities of these two Intel graphics products?

A: The Intel Arc A310E uses the DG2-128 chip built on the Xe-HPG architecture, belonging to the Alchemist (Arc 3) generation. The Intel Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile uses the Meteor Lake chip built on the Xe-LPG architecture, belonging to the Arc Graphics-M (Meteor Lake) generation.

Q: How do the two compare in raw compute throughput?

A: The Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile delivers 4.608 TFLOPS FP32 and 9.216 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1). The Arc A310E delivers 3.072 TFLOPS FP32 and 6.144 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1). The mobile part holds a 50% advantage in FP32 and FP16 compute.

Q: What memory configurations do the two products use?

A: The Arc A310E has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, with 124.0 GB/s bandwidth and 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective) memory clock. The Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile uses System Shared memory, with bus width, bandwidth, and clock all listed as system dependent.

Q: What are the power requirements for each?

A: The Arc A310E has a TDP of 75 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W, with no power connectors required. The Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile has a TDP of 28 W and is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no separate PSU suggestion.

Q: Which product supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The Arc A310E supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile supports DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What are the production statuses and release timelines?

A: The Arc A310E is end-of-life and was released on 2024-03-31. The Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile is active and was released on 2023-12-13.

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear split between these two products based on form factor and workload profile. The Intel Arc A310E is a discrete, single-slot card with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory, a 64-bit bus, and 124.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 75 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it suitable for compact systems, but its compute figures are the lower of the two.

The Intel Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile is an integrated processor with 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. These counts exceed the A310E's 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Its FP32 throughput of 4.608 TFLOPS is 50% higher than the A310E's 3.072 TFLOPS. However, the mobile part relies entirely on system shared memory, with bandwidth and capacity dependent on the host platform. The A310E's dedicated 4 GB GDDR6 frame buffer provides predictable memory performance that the mobile part cannot guarantee.

For workloads that demand sustained memory bandwidth and consistent frame buffer availability, the A310E has the structural advantage. For compute-bound tasks that fit within shared memory constraints, the mobile part's higher shading unit count and texture rate give it the mathematical edge. The mobile part also operates at 28 W TDP, less than half the A310E's 75 W TDP, which indicates a fundamentally different power envelope.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains no benchmark scores for either product. Both have an average benchmark score of 0 and zero entries in their benchmark arrays. The wins counters for both products are set to 0, and there are no head-to-head benchmark entries. This absence of measured performance data means the comparison must rely entirely on the specification sheets.

The specification differences alone point to the mobile part's dominance in raw throughput. The 128EU Mobile's 1024 shading units represent a 33% higher count than the A310E's 768 units. Its 64 TMUs double the A310E's 32 TMUs, and its 32 ROPs double the A310E's 16 ROPs. The texture rate of 144.0 GTexel/s is 125% higher than the A310E's 64.00 GTexel/s. The pixel rate of 72.00 GPixel/s is 125% higher than the A310E's 32.00 GPixel/s.

The A310E counters with its memory subsystem. The 124.0 GB/s dedicated bandwidth is fixed and guaranteed, whereas the mobile part's bandwidth is listed as system dependent. The A310E also has a boost clock of 2000 MHz for both base and boost states, while the mobile part's base clock is 300 MHz with a 2250 MHz boost. The mobile part's clock strategy clearly relies on aggressive boosting to reach its performance potential.

The A310E runs at a higher sustained clock (2000 MHz base equals boost), which suggests stable performance under load. The mobile part's 300 MHz base clock indicates it can drop to very low power states when idle, but its performance ceiling depends on thermal and power headroom in the host device.

Specification Differences

The two products differ across nearly every measurable specification category.

Process and fabrication: The A310E uses a 6 nm process at TSMC with 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 45.9M per mm². The mobile part uses a 10 nm process at Intel, with no transistor count, die size, or density data recorded.

Clock speeds: The A310E has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 2000 MHz. The mobile part has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2250 MHz.

Memory: The A310E has 4 GB GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 124.0 GB/s bandwidth. The mobile part uses system shared memory with system dependent capacity, type, bus width, and bandwidth.

Compute units: The A310E has 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and 6 RT cores. The mobile part has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and no RT core count recorded.

Pixel and texture rates: The A310E produces 32.00 GPixel/s and 64.00 GTexel/s. The mobile part produces 72.00 GPixel/s and 144.0 GTexel/s.

Power and physical: The A310E has a 75 W TDP, is single-slot, has no power connectors, and suggests a 250 W PSU. The mobile part has a 28 W TDP and is an IGP with no slot width, power connectors, or PSU suggestion.

Interface and outputs: The A310E uses PCIe 4.0 x8 and has 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. The mobile part uses a Ring Bus interface and has portable device dependent display outputs.

Dimensions: The A310E measures 168 mm in length, 69 mm in height, and 20 mm in width. The mobile part has no recorded dimensions.

DirectX support: The A310E supports 12 Ultimate (12_2). The mobile part supports 12 (12_1).

Architecture Differences

The A310E is built on Xe-HPG architecture, the high-performance gaming architecture from Intel's Alchemist generation. It uses the DG2-128 chip fabricated on TSMC's 6 nm process. The architecture includes 6 RT cores for hardware ray tracing, which the mobile part does not list. The A310E's 7,200 million transistors are packed into a 157 mm² die, giving it a density of 45.9M per mm².

The Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile is built on Xe-LPG architecture, a low-power derivative designed for integration into Meteor Lake processors. It uses Intel's 10 nm process. The architecture drops the RT core count from the recorded specifications, which suggests a different feature prioritization. No transistor count or die size data exists for this part.

The memory architecture differs fundamentally. The A310E uses dedicated GDDR6 with a fixed 64-bit bus and 124.0 GB/s bandwidth. This gives it a deterministic memory path. The mobile part uses system shared memory, which means its memory performance is entirely dependent on the host system's memory configuration, bus design, and allocation strategy. This architectural difference has direct implications for sustained workloads.

The API support also differs at the DirectX level. The A310E supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes features associated with tier 2_2 capabilities. The mobile part supports DirectX 12 (12_1), a lower feature tier. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4, so cross-platform API coverage is equal.

The power architecture is another distinguishing factor. The A310E is a discrete card with a 75 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The mobile part is an IGP with a 28 W TDP. This difference in power envelope reflects the intended deployment: the A310E in a standalone slot, the mobile part soldered into a laptop or compact device.

The clock behavior reveals distinct operating philosophies. The A310E runs at a constant 2000 MHz for base and boost, indicating a fixed clock strategy. The mobile part has a 300 MHz base and 2250 MHz boost, showing a wide dynamic range that can scale from idle to maximum performance.

Where Each One Wins

The Arc A310E wins in scenarios that require dedicated memory and stable clock operation. Its 4 GB GDDR6 frame buffer with 124.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that memory performance does not fluctuate with system load. The constant 2000 MHz clock rate means performance is predictable under sustained load. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides a dedicated connection path. The 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs allow multi-display configurations. Its 6 RT cores provide hardware ray tracing capability that the mobile part does not record. The 12 Ultimate (12_2) DirectX support gives it access to the higher DirectX feature tier.

The Arc Graphics 128EU Mobile wins in scenarios that demand raw compute throughput and energy efficiency. Its 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs deliver 4.608 TFLOPS FP32 and 144.0 GTexel/s, both significantly higher than the A310E. The 2250 MHz boost clock allows it to reach high performance when power and thermal conditions permit. The 28 W TDP makes it suitable for power-constrained devices where a 75 W discrete card would not fit. Its system shared memory architecture means it can access the full system memory pool, which may exceed 4 GB in capacity, though with system dependent performance.

The A310E is the better choice for systems where a discrete card can be installed and where consistent memory bandwidth matters. The mobile part is the better choice for integrated designs where compute density per watt is the priority. Neither product has recorded benchmark scores, so the specification analysis stands as the only quantitative basis for comparison.