GPU Comparison

The Intel Arc A380 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by over a decade of architectural evolution. The data shows a massive performance gulf, with the Arc A380 delivering roughly 382% higher scores in the available compute benchmark, yet the comparison reveals more than just a generational leap. While the GTX 460 is a relic of the Fermi era with limited modern feature support, the Arc A380 is a modern entry-level part that struggles against its own contemporaries, holding just the 44th percentile of all GPUs. This analysis will explore the architectural chasm, benchmark results, and specific use-case implications derived strictly from the provided data.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the Intel Arc A380 than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 in the available benchmark?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Arc A380 scores 38,224 points against the GTX 460's 7,925 points. This represents a delta of 382.3%, meaning the Arc A380 is over four times faster in this specific compute workload.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The Intel Arc A380, built on a 6 nm process at TSMC, has a transistor density of 45.9 million transistors per square millimeter. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460, on a 40 nm process, has a density of just 5.9 million per square millimeter.

Q: Does the GTX 460 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The data lists no RT cores for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460. The Intel Arc A380, in contrast, is equipped with 8 dedicated ray tracing cores.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two cards?

A: The Arc A380 provides 186.0 GB/s of bandwidth from its 6 GB GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus. The GTX 460 provides 86.40 GB/s from its 768 MB GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, showing the newer card relies on faster memory technology to overcome a narrower bus.

Q: Which GPU holds a better percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc A380 sits in the 44th percentile, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 sits in the 41st percentile. This places both cards in the lower half of the performance spectrum, though the Arc A380 is slightly higher.

Q: Are both cards using the same PCIe interface?

A: No. The Arc A380 uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the GTX 460 uses the older PCIe 2.0 x16 interface. This reflects the generational gap in platform compatibility.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divergence between these two GPUs is stark, beginning with the manufacturing process. The Intel Arc A380 is built on a 6 nm process at TSMC, packing 7,200 million transistors into a 157 mm² die. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 uses a 40 nm process, also at TSMC, but fits only 1,950 million transistors into a much larger 332 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 45.9 million per square millimeter for the Arc A380 versus a mere 5.9 million for the GTX 460, explaining the massive efficiency and capability differences.

The core configurations highlight the shift in GPU design philosophy. The Arc A380 features 1,024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster output units (ROPs). The GTX 460, from the Fermi generation, has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. More significantly, the Arc A380 introduces 8 ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the GTX 460, which has no RT cores listed. This aligns with the Arc A380's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the GTX 460 only supports DirectX 12 (11_0), lacking the modern feature set required for ray tracing and other advanced effects.

Clock speeds also differ, though not as dramatically as other specs. The Arc A380 has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 2050 MHz, while the GTX 460 has no base or boost clock listed in the data. Memory technology has evolved significantly: the Arc A380 uses 6 GB of GDDR6 at an effective speed of 15.5 Gbps, while the GTX 460 uses 768 MB of GDDR5 at 3.6 Gbps effective. The bus widths differ as well, with the Arc A380 using a 96-bit bus and the GTX 460 a 192-bit bus. This yields bandwidth of 186.0 GB/s for the Intel card versus 86.40 GB/s for the NVIDIA card.

The feature set extends to display outputs and API support. The Arc A380 offers modern connectivity with 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0, while the GTX 460 provides 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the Arc A380 additionally supports Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 460 has no Vulkan support listed. Power requirements reflect the efficiency gains: the Arc A380 has a TDP of 75 W with a single 8-pin connector and a suggested 250 W PSU, whereas the GTX 460 draws 160 W with two 6-pin connectors and requires a 450 W PSU.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are decisive. The Intel Arc A380 scores 38,224, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 scores 7,925. The delta is a massive 382.3% in favor of the Arc A380. This single data point encapsulates the generational leap in compute throughput, driven by the Arc A380's newer architecture, higher transistor count, and faster memory.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite for the Arc A380, its performance profile shows consistency across different APIs. It scores 808 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 36,736 in Geekbench Vulkan, and 6,252 in Passmark G3D. Its Passmark scores for DirectX 10, 11, and 12 are 37, 38, and 35 respectively, with a higher score of 73 for DirectX 9. The GTX 460, unfortunately, only has the single Geekbench OpenCL score in the data, limiting the comparison.

The average benchmark score tells a similar story. The Arc A380 has an average score of 8,558, while the GTX 460 averages 7,925. This places the Arc A380 slightly ahead in overall performance, even though its percentile ranking is only 44 versus 41 for the GTX 460. The nearest rivals for the Arc A380 include the AMD FirePro W5170M with an average score of 8,595 (a delta of -0.4%), and the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 at 8,458 (a delta of 1.2%). The GTX 460's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M at 7,906 (a delta of 0.2%) and the GTX 650 Ti at 8,053 (a delta of -1.6%). These rival comparisons suggest both cards occupy a similar low-end performance tier, despite the vast difference in their compute capabilities.

The Verdict

The data is unequivocal in raw compute performance: the Intel Arc A380 is in a different league than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460, delivering a 382.3% higher OpenCL score. The GTX 460, from 2010, is a legacy product with no ray tracing support, no Vulkan support, and a fraction of the memory capacity. For any modern workload involving current APIs or ray-traced content, the GTX 460 is simply not viable.

However, the percentile rankings complicate the narrative. The Arc A380 sits at the 44th percentile, which is only marginally better than the GTX 460's 41st percentile. This indicates that while the Arc A380 crushes the GTX 460 in absolute terms, it is still a low-end card in the broader GPU market. Its average benchmark score of 8,558 is just barely above the GTX 460's 7,925, with nearest rivals like the AMD Radeon 880M (8,436 average) and NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (8,458 average) showing that the Arc A380 is competitive with, but not dominant over, other entry-level options.

The choice between these two is not really a choice for modern users. The Arc A380 is the only sensible pick for any current system, offering superior compute, modern API support, and 6 GB of memory. The GTX 460 is a historical artifact, useful only for understanding the evolution of GPU architecture. For those with legacy systems requiring a period-correct card, the GTX 460 might serve a purpose, but its 768 MB memory and lack of modern features severely limit its utility.

Specification Differences

The specifications where these two cards differ are extensive, reflecting their generational gap. The process node is a major divergence: 6 nm for the Arc A380 versus 40 nm for the GTX 460. Transistor counts are 7,200 million versus 1,950 million, and die sizes are 157 mm² versus 332 mm². The clock speeds differ, with the Arc A380 having a base of 2000 MHz and boost of 2050 MHz, while the GTX 460 has no base or boost clock listed. Memory speed is 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective) for the Arc A380 versus 900 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective) for the GTX 460.

Memory capacity and type differ: 6 GB GDDR6 versus 768 MB GDDR5. Bus width is 96-bit versus 192-bit, and bandwidth is 186.0 GB/s versus 86.40 GB/s. The core configuration shows 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs for the Arc A380, against 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 24 ROPs for the GTX 460. The Arc A380 has 8 RT cores, while the GTX 460 has none. Pixel rate is 65.60 GPixel/s versus 9.450 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 131.2 GTexel/s versus 37.80 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 4.198 TFLOPS versus 907.2 GFLOPS, and FP16 is 8.397 TFLOPS for the Arc A380 versus null for the GTX 460.

Power and physical specifications also differ. TDP is 75 W versus 160 W, power connectors are 1x 8-pin versus 2x 6-pin, and suggested PSU is 250 W versus 450 W. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8 versus PCIe 2.0 x16. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0 versus 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. Dimensions are 222 mm length, 114 mm height, and 42 mm width for the Arc A380, while the GTX 460 has only a 210 mm length listed. DirectX support is 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus 12 (11_0), and Vulkan support is 1.4 versus null.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc A380 wins decisively in every measurable benchmark category, but its advantages are most pronounced in compute-heavy workloads. The 382.3% lead in Geekbench OpenCL suggests it excels in general-purpose GPU computing tasks, such as video encoding, machine learning inference, or scientific simulations. Its 8 RT cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support make it the clear choice for any gaming or rendering workload that leverages ray tracing or modern graphics APIs. The 6 GB of memory is also a significant advantage, allowing for larger textures and datasets than the GTX 460's 768 MB.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 has no wins in the head-to-head data, with a 0-1 record. Its only theoretical advantage lies in its wider 192-bit memory bus, which in theory could offer lower latency at lower resolutions, but the data does not support any performance benefit. The GTX 460's higher TDP and dual 6-pin connectors suggest it was designed for a different era of power delivery, but this is not a performance advantage. For users with legacy software that specifically relies on older NVIDIA drivers or Fermi-era features, the GTX 460 might have niche compatibility benefits, but no benchmark data supports this.

In practical terms, the Arc A380 is the winner for everything from modern gaming to productivity tasks. The GTX 460 is a card for collectors or those building a period-accurate system from 2010. The data shows no scenario where the GTX 460 outperforms the Arc A380, making the choice straightforward for anyone comparing the two.