Intel Arc A370M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Comparison

The Intel Arc A370M and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 occupy opposite ends of the graphics hardware spectrum, and the benchmark data confirms a complete mismatch in raw performance. The RTX 3090 wins both head-to-head tests decisively, but the comparison reveals more than just a score gap; it highlights fundamental differences in architecture, target use case, and physical design. The data shows the RTX 3090 delivering 82.8% higher performance in OpenCL and 46.8% higher in Vulkan, making it the clear choice for demanding workloads, while the Arc A370M exists as a low-power integrated-class part for portable systems.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Arc A370M compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 in raw benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3090 is the decisive winner in every head-to-head test. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3090 scores 172,758 against the Arc A370M's 29,676, a delta of -82.8% for the Intel part. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 3090 scores 53,927 versus 28,673, a 46.8% advantage.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU, and how do they rank?

A: The Intel Arc A370M has an average benchmark score of 29,175, placing it in the 74th percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 has an average score of 27,565, placing it in the 73rd percentile. Despite the RTX 3090's higher peak performance, the Arc A370M edges it out in average score and percentile ranking.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each GPU based on average score?

A: The Arc A370M's closest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH (avg score 29,197, delta -0.1%) and the AMD FirePro W8000 (avg score 29,211, delta -0.1%). The RTX 3090's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 (avg score 27,839, delta -1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7800M (avg score 27,883, delta -1.1%).

Q: What are the memory specifications of each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc A370M has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with 936.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the physical form factor and power profile of each GPU?

A: The Arc A370M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 35 W TDP and no power connectors, designed for portable devices. The RTX 3090 is a triple-slot card measuring 336 mm in length, 140 mm in height, and 61 mm in width, with a 350 W TDP, a 1x 12-pin power connector, and a recommended 750 W PSU.

Q: What are the release dates for these GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc A370M was released on March 29, 2022, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 was released earlier on August 31, 2020. Both are now end-of-life products.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 wins decisively in every direct benchmark comparison. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3090's score of 172,758 dwarfs the Arc A370M's 29,676. This 82.8% gap indicates a massive advantage in compute-heavy workloads such as rendering, scientific simulation, and machine learning tasks that leverage OpenCL. The RTX 3090's advantage extends to Vulkan as well, where its 53,927 score is 46.8% higher than the Arc A370M's 28,673, suggesting superior performance in modern game engines and graphics APIs.

The Intel Arc A370M does not win any head-to-head test, but its strength lies in its efficiency and form factor. As an IGP with a 35 W TDP, it is designed for thin-and-light laptops where power consumption and space are at a premium. Its average benchmark score of 29,175 is actually higher than the RTX 3090's 27,565, and its 74th percentile ranking among all GPUs is one point higher than the RTX 3090's 73rd. This suggests that while the RTX 3090 has higher peak performance, the Arc A370M offers more consistent performance across a broader set of workloads relative to its class.

For users seeking maximum performance in a desktop or workstation, the RTX 3090 is the only rational choice. For users needing a capable GPU for everyday tasks and light gaming in a portable device, the Arc A370M's low power draw and integrated design make it a viable option, though the data shows it lacks the muscle for demanding applications.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc A370M is built on the Xe-HPG architecture using the DG2-128 chip, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It features 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 45.9 million per mm². The architecture includes 1,024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, 32 render output units, and 8 ray tracing cores. It does not have dedicated tensor cores.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 uses the Ampere architecture with the GA102 chip, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It contains 28,300 million transistors on a much larger 628 mm² die, with a transistor density of 45.1 million per mm². The RTX 3090 has 10,496 shading units, 328 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 82 ray tracing cores, and 328 tensor cores, providing dedicated AI acceleration hardware.

The process node difference is significant: the Arc A370M's 6 nm TSMC process is more advanced than the RTX 3090's 8 nm Samsung process, but the RTX 3090 compensates with a die that is four times larger in area. The transistor densities are nearly identical (45.9M vs 45.1M per mm²), indicating that both chips are similarly optimized for their respective processes. The RTX 3090's tensor cores are a key architectural difference, enabling features like DLSS that the Arc A370M cannot match.

Specification Differences

The specification gap between these two GPUs is vast. The Arc A370M operates at a base clock of 1550 MHz with a boost clock of 2050 MHz, while the RTX 3090 runs at 1395 MHz base and 1695 MHz boost. Despite the lower clocks, the RTX 3090's massively higher core count delivers far more compute throughput: 35.58 TFLOPS FP32 versus the Arc A370M's 4.198 TFLOPS.

Memory is another major differentiator. The RTX 3090 offers 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 936.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the Arc A370M has just 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The pixel rate of the RTX 3090 is 189.8 GPixel/s versus 65.60 GPixel/s for the Arc A370M, and the texture rate is 556.0 GTexel/s versus 131.2 GTexel/s.

The RTX 3090 supports FP16 at 35.58 TFLOPS (1:1), while the Arc A370M achieves 8.397 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1). The RTX 3090 uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, while the Arc A370M uses PCIe 4.0 x8. The RTX 3090's power consumption is 350 W versus 35 W for the Arc A370M. The RTX 3090's launch MSRP is 1,499 USD; the Arc A370M has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two GPUs were compared directly in two benchmark tests: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. The results are unambiguous. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3090 scores 172,758, while the Arc A370M scores 29,676. This represents an 82.8% deficit for the Intel part, meaning the RTX 3090 delivers nearly six times the OpenCL performance. This test is particularly relevant for compute workloads like video encoding, physics simulations, and cryptocurrency mining, where the RTX 3090's 35.58 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 936.2 GB/s memory bandwidth dominate.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap narrows but remains massive. The RTX 3090 scores 53,927, while the Arc A370M scores 28,673, a 46.8% difference. Vulkan is a lower-level API that can better utilize the Arc A370M's architecture, and the smaller delta suggests the Intel part is relatively more competitive in gaming-style workloads. However, the RTX 3090 still wins by a wide margin, driven by its 82 ray tracing cores, 328 tensor cores, and 10,496 shading units.

The RTX 3090 also has a broader benchmark profile, with scores in PassMark tests ranging from 110 in DirectX 12 to 268 in DirectX 9, as well as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5,118 and a PassMark GPU Compute score of 15,356. The Arc A370M has no comparable data in these tests, limiting the scope of direct comparison to the two Geekbench tests.

The Verdict

The data is unequivocal: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is the vastly superior GPU for any performance-intensive task. Its 82.8% lead in OpenCL and 46.8% lead in Vulkan, combined with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, 35.58 TFLOPS FP32, and 82 ray tracing cores, make it a high-end desktop powerhouse. It is the clear choice for 4K gaming, professional rendering, AI workloads, and any application that demands maximum compute throughput. The RTX 3090's 73rd percentile ranking and average score of 27,565, while lower than the Arc A370M's, reflect its position in a field of extremely powerful GPUs.

The Intel Arc A370M should be selected only for portable systems where power efficiency and size are paramount. Its 35 W TDP, IGP form factor, and lack of power connectors make it suitable for thin laptops, but its 4 GB memory and 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 performance are severely limiting. Its 74th percentile ranking and average score of 29,175 are respectable for its class, but they do not translate into competitive performance against a desktop flagship.

For a desktop user seeking maximum performance, the RTX 3090 is the only option. For a laptop user needing basic graphics acceleration, the Arc A370M is a reasonable choice, but the data shows it cannot handle demanding workloads. The verdict is simple: the RTX 3090 wins on every measurable performance metric, while the Arc A370M wins on efficiency and portability. Choose accordingly.