Intel Arc A310E vs NVIDIA H100 SXM5 96 GB Comparison

FAQ

Q: What are the core architectural differences between the Intel Arc A310E and the NVIDIA H100 SXM5 96 GB?

A: The Arc A310E uses Intel's Xe-HPG architecture on a 6 nm TSMC process with a DG2-128 chip, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB uses NVIDIA's Hopper architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process with a GH100 chip. The H100 is built for server workloads, while the Arc A310E targets entry-level graphics.

Q: How do the memory configurations compare between the two GPUs?

A: The Arc A310E has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus with 124.0 GB/s bandwidth. The H100 SXM5 96 GB has 96 GB of HBM3 memory on a 5120-bit bus with 3.36 TB/s bandwidth, which is over 27 times the bandwidth of the Arc A310E.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The Arc A310E runs at a base and boost clock of 2000 MHz, with memory at 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective). The H100 SXM5 96 GB has a base clock of 1350 MHz and boost clock of 1980 MHz, with memory at 1313 MHz (5.3 Gbps effective).

Q: Which GPU has more shading units and tensor cores?

A: The H100 SXM5 96 GB has 16,896 shading units and 528 tensor cores. The Arc A310E has 768 shading units and no tensor cores listed, making the H100 roughly 22 times denser in shading units.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The Arc A310E has a TDP of 75 W and requires no power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The H100 SXM5 96 GB has a TDP of 700 W, uses an 8-pin EPS connector, and requires a suggested PSU of 1100 W.

Q: What is the production status of each GPU?

A: The Arc A310E is end-of-life, succeeded by Battlemage, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB is active, succeeded by Server Blackwell. The Arc A310E released on 2024-03-31, and the H100 released on 2023-03-20.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc A310E and NVIDIA H100 SXM5 96 GB represent opposite ends of the GPU spectrum, both manufactured by TSMC but on different process nodes. The Arc A310E uses a 6 nm process with a die size of 157 mm² and 7,200 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 45.9 million per mm². The H100 SXM5 96 GB uses a 5 nm process with a die size of 814 mm² and 80,000 million transistors, achieving a transistor density of 98.3 million per mm². The H100's die is over five times larger, and its transistor count is over eleven times higher.

The Arc A310E belongs to Intel's Alchemist (Arc 3) generation, built on the Xe-HPG architecture with a DG2-128 chip. It includes 768 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, 16 ROPs, and 6 ray tracing cores. The H100 SXM5 96 GB belongs to the Server Hopper (Hxx) generation, built on the Hopper architecture with a GH100 chip. It includes 16,896 shading units, 528 texture mapping units, 24 ROPs, and 528 tensor cores, but no dedicated ray tracing cores are listed.

Memory architecture differs fundamentally. The Arc A310E uses 4 GB of GDDR6 with a 64-bit bus, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB uses 96 GB of HBM3 with a 5120-bit bus. The H100's memory bus is 80 times wider, and its memory capacity is 24 times larger. The H100 also uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, while the Arc A310E uses PCIe 4.0 x8. Display outputs differ completely: the Arc A310E has 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB has no display outputs at all, reflecting its server-oriented design.

API support also separates the two. The Arc A310E supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The H100 SXM5 96 GB lists no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan support, consistent with its compute-focused role. The Arc A310E is a single-slot card measuring 168 mm in length, 69 mm in height, and 20 mm in width, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB is an SXM module with no listed dimensions.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a stark contrast in raw compute capabilities between the two GPUs. In FP32 performance, the H100 SXM5 96 GB delivers 66.91 TFLOPS, which is approximately 21.8 times the Arc A310E's 3.072 TFLOPS. This gap widens dramatically in FP16 performance: the H100 delivers 267.6 TFLOPS (4:1 ratio), while the Arc A310E delivers 6.144 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio). The H100's FP16 output is roughly 43.5 times higher.

Texture rate measurements confirm the H100's dominance. The H100 SXM5 96 GB achieves 1,045.4 GTexel/s, while the Arc A310E achieves 64.00 GTexel/s, a factor of approximately 16.3. Pixel rate shows a narrower but still significant gap: the H100 reaches 47.52 GPixel/s versus 32.00 GPixel/s for the Arc A310E, a difference of about 1.5 times.

Memory bandwidth is where the H100 SXM5 96 GB separates itself most decisively. The H100's 3.36 TB/s bandwidth is over 27 times the Arc A310E's 124.0 GB/s. This bandwidth advantage, combined with the H100's larger memory pool, allows the H100 to handle data-intensive workloads that would be impossible on the Arc A310E's 4 GB frame buffer.

The H100 SXM5 96 GB also leads in shading unit count and tensor core availability. With 16,896 shading units versus 768, the H100 has 22 times more parallel processing elements. The H100's 528 tensor cores provide dedicated matrix math acceleration, a feature entirely absent from the Arc A310E's specification list. The Arc A310E does counter with 6 ray tracing cores, but the H100's compute-centric architecture prioritizes different workloads.

The Arc A310E's advantages are limited to clock speed and physical characteristics. Its base and boost clocks of 2000 MHz exceed the H100's 1350 MHz base and 1980 MHz boost clocks. The Arc A310E also has a much lower TDP of 75 W compared to the H100's 700 W, making it far more power-efficient per watt for basic graphics tasks. However, the H100's SXM module form factor and 8-pin EPS power connector reflect its data center positioning.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. Process node: the Arc A310E uses 6 nm, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB uses 5 nm, both from TSMC. Transistor count: 7,200 million for the Arc A310E versus 80,000 million for the H100. Die size: 157 mm² versus 814 mm². Transistor density: 45.9 million per mm² versus 98.3 million per mm².

Clocks differ: the Arc A310E runs at 2000 MHz base and boost, with memory at 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective). The H100 runs at 1350 MHz base and 1980 MHz boost, with memory at 1313 MHz (5.3 Gbps effective). Memory configuration: 4 GB GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 124.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 96 GB HBM3 on a 5120-bit bus with 3.36 TB/s bandwidth.

Core counts show massive divergence. Shading units: 768 versus 16,896. TMUs: 32 versus 528. ROPs: 16 versus 24. Ray tracing cores: 6 for the Arc A310E, none listed for the H100. Tensor cores: none for the Arc A310E, 528 for the H100. Pixel rate: 32.00 GPixel/s versus 47.52 GPixel/s. Texture rate: 64.00 GTexel/s versus 1,045.4 GTexel/s. FP32: 3.072 TFLOPS versus 66.91 TFLOPS. FP16: 6.144 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 267.6 TFLOPS (4:1).

Power and form factor: the Arc A310E has a 75 W TDP, single-slot design, no power connectors, and a 250 W suggested PSU. The H100 has a 700 W TDP, SXM module design, 8-pin EPS connector, and 1100 W suggested PSU. Bus interface: PCIe 4.0 x8 versus PCIe 5.0 x16. Display outputs: 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 versus no outputs. API support: the Arc A310E lists DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the H100 lists none.

Production status and release dates also differ. The Arc A310E is end-of-life, released 2024-03-31, with Xe Graphics as predecessor and Battlemage as successor. The H100 SXM5 96 GB is active, released 2023-03-20, with Server Ada as predecessor and Server Blackwell as successor. The Arc A310E measures 168 mm by 69 mm by 20 mm, while the H100 has no listed dimensions.

The Verdict

The data indicates two GPUs engineered for entirely different purposes. The Intel Arc A310E is an entry-level graphics card with display outputs, ray tracing cores, and a modest 75 W power envelope. It suits workloads requiring basic rendering, multimedia output, or low-power operation. Its 4 GB memory and 124.0 GB/s bandwidth limit it to lightweight tasks, and its PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides adequate connectivity for its class. The Arc A310E's FP32 output of 3.072 TFLOPS and FP16 output of 6.144 TFLOPS position it as a capable but limited performer.

The NVIDIA H100 SXM5 96 GB is a server-grade compute accelerator with no display outputs, no consumer API support, and a 700 W power requirement. Its 96 GB HBM3 memory and 3.36 TB/s bandwidth enable data-intensive workloads, while its 66.91 TFLOPS FP32 and 267.6 TFLOPS FP16 performance place it in a different performance class entirely. The 528 tensor cores provide dedicated acceleration for matrix operations, and the 5 nm process with 80,000 million transistors delivers the highest transistor density in this comparison.

Benchmark results show the H100 SXM5 96 GB leading in every compute metric except clock speed. The Arc A310E's 2000 MHz clocks are higher than the H100's 1350 MHz base and 1980 MHz boost, but this does not compensate for the H100's advantages in shading units, memory bandwidth, and tensor core count. The H100's texture rate of 1,045.4 GTexel/s versus 64.00 GTexel/s for the Arc A310E demonstrates the scale of the performance gap.

The production status reinforces the positioning. The Arc A310E is end-of-life, having been succeeded by Battlemage, while the H100 SXM5 96 GB is active with Server Blackwell as its successor. The Arc A310E's release on 2024-03-31 makes it a newer product by date, but the H100's 2023-03-20 release and active status indicate ongoing relevance in server markets.

For users seeking a low-power graphics solution with display outputs, the Arc A310E provides a functional option with 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 and ray tracing support. For server or data center deployments requiring maximum compute throughput, the H100 SXM5 96 GB is the clear choice based on the recorded specifications. The H100's 96 GB memory capacity alone exceeds the Arc A310E's total memory by a factor of 24, and its 3.36 TB/s bandwidth makes it suitable for workloads the Arc A310E cannot approach. The data does not support treating these as competing products; they serve distinct market segments with different performance, power, and feature requirements.