Intel Arc A310E vs NVIDIA L4 Comparison

Intel Arc A310E and NVIDIA L4 occupy different corners of the GPU landscape, and the recorded data makes that split explicit. The L4 sits in the 95th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the A310E sits in the 50th percentile. The L4 has an average benchmark score of 131,072 across two recorded tests, while the A310E has no recorded benchmark scores. The Intel card is an entry-level Alchemist part aimed at basic display output and light compute, whereas the L4 is a server-oriented Ada Lovelace accelerator with no display outputs. The data positions the L4 as a high-throughput compute device and the A310E as a low-power, single-slot graphics adapter.

The Verdict

The data indicates the NVIDIA L4 is the clear choice for any workload that depends on raw compute throughput, memory capacity, or modern API features. Its average benchmark score of 131,072 places it within 0.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, which averages 131,938, and 3.1% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation at 135,218. The L4 delivers 30.29 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, and 300.1 GB/s of bandwidth. For anyone running inference, rendering, or data-center tasks, this is the part the data supports.

The Intel Arc A310E is an end-of-life product with no benchmark entries in the database. Its 3.072 TFLOPS FP32 figure is roughly one-tenth of the L4's throughput. It has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 124.0 GB/s, which is less than half the L4's bandwidth. The A310E's only clear advantages are its four mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, which the L4 entirely lacks, and its lower transistor count and smaller die. The A310E suits a system needing a basic single-slot GPU with display connectivity, not a compute workhorse.

The L4 also wins on longevity: it is marked as Active in production, while the A310E is End-of-life. The L4's predecessor is Server Ampere and its successor is Server Hopper, signaling an ongoing server product line. The A310E's predecessor is Xe Graphics and its successor is Battlemage, but the product itself is no longer produced. The verdict from the data is straightforward: the L4 for compute, the A310E for display output in a low-power slot.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA L4 wins every compute-oriented category in the specification comparison. Its FP32 throughput of 30.29 TFLOPS dwarfs the A310E's 3.072 TFLOPS. Its FP16 performance is identical to its FP32 at 30.29 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, whereas the A310E achieves 6.144 TFLOPS FP16 via a 2:1 ratio. The L4 has 240 tensor cores and 60 RT cores, while the A310E has no tensor cores and only 6 RT cores. The L4's 7,424 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs compare to the A310E's 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The L4's pixel rate of 163.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 489.6 GTexel/s far exceed the A310E's 32.00 GPixel/s and 64.00 GTexel/s.

The memory subsystem also favors the L4. It has 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 300.1 GB/s bandwidth. The A310E has 4 GB on a 64-bit bus with 124.0 GB/s. The L4's memory clock runs at 1563 MHz with 12.5 Gbps effective, while the A310E runs at 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective. The A310E's higher memory clock does not compensate for its narrow bus and smaller capacity. The L4 uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, double the A310E's PCIe 4.0 x8, which matters for data transfer in server workloads.

The Intel Arc A310E wins in display connectivity. It offers four mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, while the L4 has no outputs at all. The A310E also has a higher base clock of 2000 MHz compared to the L4's 795 MHz, though the L4's boost clock of 2040 MHz nearly matches the A310E's fixed 2000 MHz. The A310E is smaller in die size at 157 mm² versus 294 mm², and it has a lower transistor count at 7,200 million versus 35,800 million. The A310E is also shorter at 168 mm versus 169 mm and taller at 69 mm versus 56 mm, but both are single-slot cards.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architecture families. The Intel Arc A310E uses Xe-HPG architecture on the DG2-128 chip, part of the Alchemist generation under the Arc 3 label. The NVIDIA L4 uses Ada Lovelace architecture on the AD104 chip, part of the Server Ada generation. The A310E is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the L4 uses a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. The L4's process node is smaller and its transistor density is 121.8M per mm², compared to the A310E's 45.9M per mm². The L4 packs 35,800 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, while the A310E fits 7,200 million into 157 mm².

The API support is identical on paper: both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The internal capabilities, however, differ sharply. The L4 includes 240 tensor cores, which the A310E does not have at all. The L4's 60 RT cores are ten times the A310E's 6 RT cores. The L4's shading unit count of 7,424 is nearly ten times the A310E's 768. The L4 has 240 TMUs versus 32, and 80 ROPs versus 16. These are not minor increments; the L4 is a fundamentally larger and more capable processor.

The power profiles are similar in TDP but differ in implementation. The L4 is rated at 72 W and the A310E at 75 W, both with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. Both are single-slot cards. The L4 has a base clock of 795 MHz and a boost of 2040 MHz, while the A310E runs at a constant 2000 MHz for both base and boost. The L4's lower base clock and high boost suggest a power-managed design that ramps under load, while the A310E's fixed clock indicates a simpler, always-on profile.

The memory architectures also diverge. The A310E uses GDDR6 at 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective, achieving 124.0 GB/s over a 64-bit bus. The L4 uses GDDR6 at 1563 MHz with 12.5 Gbps effective, achieving 300.1 GB/s over a 192-bit bus. The A310E's faster memory clock does not overcome its narrower bus. The L4's 24 GB capacity is six times the A310E's 4 GB, which is decisive for large models or datasets. The L4's production status is Active, while the A310E is End-of-life, and the L4's release date of March 2023 precedes the A310E's March 2024 release.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA L4 has an average benchmark score of 131,072 across two tests (Geekbench OpenCL at 140,838 and Geekbench Vulkan at 121,306). The Intel Arc A310E has no recorded benchmark scores in the database.

Q: How does the L4 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The L4 is 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti (131,938), 3.1% behind the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation (135,218), 3.1% behind the NVIDIA A10M (135,230), and 3.2% behind the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 (135,396).

Q: Which GPU supports display output?

A: The Intel Arc A310E has four mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. The NVIDIA L4 has no display outputs, making it unsuitable for direct monitor connection.

Q: What are the memory capacities and bandwidths?

A: The L4 has 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 300.1 GB/s bandwidth. The A310E has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 124.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Do both GPUs have tensor cores?

A: No. The NVIDIA L4 has 240 tensor cores. The Intel Arc A310E has no tensor cores listed.

Q: What are the production statuses?

A: The NVIDIA L4 is Active in production. The Intel Arc A310E is End-of-life.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark entries between the Intel Arc A310E and the NVIDIA L4. The wins tally is 0 for both cards. The L4, however, has two individual benchmark scores recorded: 140,838 in Geekbench OpenCL and 121,306 in Geekbench Vulkan. These average to 131,072, which places the L4 in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. The A310E has no scores, so no direct comparison can be made from benchmark runs.

The nearest rival data for the L4 provides context. The L4's average score of 131,072 is 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti's 131,938. It is 3.1% lower than both the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation (135,218) and the NVIDIA A10M (135,230). It is 3.2% lower than the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 (135,396). These deltas are small, indicating the L4 performs in the same tier as those high-end cards despite its 72 W TDP. The L4's FP32 figure of 30.29 TFLOPS and 24 GB memory capacity support that positioning.

The A310E's specifications tell a different story. Its FP32 throughput of 3.072 TFLOPS is less than one-tenth of the L4's 30.29 TFLOPS. Its texture rate of 64.00 GTexel/s is about one-eighth of the L4's 489.6 GTexel/s. Its pixel rate of 32.00 GPixel/s is one-fifth of the L4's 163.2 GPixel/s. The A310E's 6 RT cores and no tensor cores place it far behind the L4's 60 RT cores and 240 tensor cores. In any compute benchmark, the L4 would dominate based on these recorded specifications.

The memory bandwidth gap is also significant. The L4 delivers 300.1 GB/s, which is 2.4 times the A310E's 124.0 GB/s. The L4's 24 GB capacity is six times larger. Even the A310E's higher memory clock of 1937 MHz versus 1563 MHz cannot offset the bus width difference of 192 bits versus 64 bits. The L4's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides twice the lanes of the A310E's x8, which affects data transfer rates in server environments.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every core specification. The A310E uses the DG2-128 chip with Xe-HPG architecture, while the L4 uses the AD104 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture. The A310E is on a 6 nm process, the L4 on 5 nm. Transistor counts are 7,200 million for the A310E and 35,800 million for the L4. Die sizes are 157 mm² versus 294 mm². Transistor density is 45.9M per mm² for the A310E and 121.8M per mm² for the L4.

Clock speeds differ in structure. The A310E has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 2000 MHz. The L4 has a base clock of 795 MHz and a boost clock of 2040 MHz. Memory clocks are 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective) for the A310E and 1563 MHz (12.5 Gbps effective) for the L4. Memory size is 4 GB versus 24 GB, both GDDR6. Bus width is 64 bits for the A310E and 192 bits for the L4. Bandwidth is 124.0 GB/s versus 300.1 GB/s.

Compute resources differ by an order of magnitude. The A310E has 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, 16 ROPs, 6 RT cores, and no tensor cores. The L4 has 7,424 shading units, 240 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 60 RT cores, and 240 tensor cores. Pixel rates are 32.00 GPixel/s versus 163.2 GPixel/s. Texture rates are 64.00 GTexel/s versus 489.6 GTexel/s. FP32 is 3.072 TFLOPS versus 30.29 TFLOPS. FP16 is 6.144 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 30.29 TFLOPS (1:1).

Power and physical specs are similar but not identical. TDP is 75 W for the A310E and 72 W for the L4. Both have no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. Both are single-slot. The A310E measures 168 mm in length, 69 mm in height, and 20 mm in width. The L4 measures 169 mm in length and 56 mm in height, with no width listed. The A310E has four mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, while the L4 has no outputs. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8 for the A310E and PCIe 4.0 x16 for the L4. Release dates are March 2024 for the A310E and March 2023 for the L4. Production status is End-of-life for the A310E and Active for the L4.