Intel Arc A380E vs Intel Arc Graphics 48EU Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct head-to-head benchmark results between the Intel Arc A380E and the Intel Arc Graphics 48EU Mobile. The recorded data instead provides a comprehensive specification comparison, which reveals substantial performance potential differences that can be interpreted from the hardware resources. The Arc A380E carries a percentile rank of 50 among all GPUs, matching the Arc Graphics 48EU Mobile at the same percentile figure. Both products sit at the median of the database, but their architectural resources suggest the A380E is positioned for a different performance class.

The compute throughput figures highlight the most significant gap. The Arc A380E delivers 4.096 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the Arc Graphics 48EU Mobile manages 1,382.4 GFLOPS. This places the A380E at roughly three times the raw single-precision compute throughput of the mobile integrated solution. In FP16 workloads, the A380E reaches 8.192 TFLOPS using a 2:1 ratio, compared to 2.765 TFLOPS for the 48EU part. The 48EU Mobile operates at 2.765 TFLOPS, which is approximately one-third of the A380E's FP16 output. These figures indicate that the discrete A380E can process substantially more arithmetic operations per second across both precision formats.

Texture and pixel throughput follow the same pattern. The A380E reaches 128.0 GTexel/s, while the 48EU Mobile achieves 43.20 GTexel/s. This difference stems from the A380E's 64 texture mapping units versus 24 on the mobile part. Pixel fill rates show a wider divergence: the A380E outputs 64.00 GPixel/s, while the 48EU Mobile produces 14.40 GPixel/s. The A380E's 32 raster operation units versus 8 on the 48EU Mobile explain this 4.4x advantage in pixel throughput. For rasterization-heavy workloads, the A380E holds a decisive lead.

Memory bandwidth creates another clear separation. The A380E uses 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus, delivering 186.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The 48EU Mobile uses System Shared memory with bandwidth listed as System Dependent. The discrete solution avoids contention with CPU memory traffic, while the integrated part must share system memory resources. The A380E's memory clock runs at 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective data rate, whereas the 48EU Mobile has no dedicated memory clock because it relies on system memory. This dedicated bandwidth advantage allows the A380E to feed its larger shader array more consistently.

Clock speeds show the A380E running at a flat 2000 MHz for both base and boost. The 48EU Mobile starts at a 300 MHz base clock and boosts to 1800 MHz. The A380E maintains its full clock rate without boost variance, while the mobile part has a substantial clock ramp from base to boost. Sustained workloads would see the A380E at a constant 2000 MHz, while the mobile GPU depends on thermal and power headroom to reach its 1800 MHz ceiling.

The A380E includes 8 ray tracing cores, while the 48EU Mobile lists no dedicated ray tracing hardware. This indicates the discrete part supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing workloads that the integrated solution likely handles through alternative methods or lacks entirely. The A380E also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate with feature level 12_2, while the 48EU Mobile supports DirectX 12 with feature level 12_1. The 12_2 feature level includes additional capabilities beyond the 12_1 baseline.

FAQ

Q: How does the FP32 compute performance compare between the two GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc A380E delivers 4.096 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the Intel Arc Graphics 48EU Mobile provides 1,382.4 GFLOPS. The A380E offers approximately three times the single-precision compute throughput.

Q: What memory configurations do these GPUs use?

A: The A380E uses 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus with 186.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 48EU Mobile uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth, meaning it has no dedicated video memory.

Q: Do both GPUs support hardware ray tracing?

A: The A380E includes 8 dedicated ray tracing cores. The 48EU Mobile does not list any ray tracing cores in its specifications.

Q: What are the thermal design power figures for each GPU?

A: The A380E has a TDP of 75 W, while the 48EU Mobile has a TDP of 28 W. The mobile part consumes significantly less power.

Q: Which GPU has higher pixel and texture throughput?

A: The A380E achieves 64.00 GPixel/s and 128.0 GTexel/s. The 48EU Mobile reaches 14.40 GPixel/s and 43.20 GTexel/s. The A380E leads by approximately 4.4x in pixel rate and 3x in texture rate.

Q: What DirectX feature levels do the two GPUs support?

A: The A380E supports DirectX 12 Ultimate with feature level 12_2. The 48EU Mobile supports DirectX 12 with feature level 12_1. The A380E's 12_2 feature level includes a more advanced feature set.

The Verdict

The recorded data indicates two distinct product classes. The Intel Arc A380E is a discrete, single-slot graphics card with dedicated memory, 1024 shading units, 8 ray tracing cores, and a 75 W TDP. The Intel Arc Graphics 48EU Mobile is an integrated graphics processor with 384 shading units, no dedicated ray tracing hardware, shared system memory, and a 28 W TDP.

Users requiring sustained compute throughput should select the A380E. Its 4.096 TFLOPS FP32 output, 186.0 GB/s dedicated bandwidth, and constant 2000 MHz clock provide a stable foundation for demanding workloads. The 48EU Mobile's 1,382.4 GFLOPS and system-dependent memory make it suitable only for light graphics tasks within power-constrained mobile platforms.

The A380E's 8 ray tracing cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support give it capabilities the 48EU Mobile simply does not have. The mobile part's DirectX 12_1 feature level and lack of ray tracing hardware limit its feature set. For applications using advanced DirectX 12 Ultimate features, the A380E is the only choice between these two.

The 48EU Mobile has its place in low-power mobile devices. Its 28 W TDP and system shared memory eliminate the need for dedicated VRAM, reducing cost and physical footprint. The A380E requires a 250 W suggested power supply and measures 254 mm in length, making it unsuitable for compact or battery-powered systems.

The A380E is end-of-life, while the 48EU Mobile remains active. The A380E's successor is Battlemage, and its predecessor is Xe Graphics. The 48EU Mobile's predecessor is HD Graphics-M, with no listed successor. The A380E uses the DG2-128 chip with Xe-HPG architecture, while the 48EU Mobile uses Meteor Lake with Xe-LPG architecture.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every measurable specification. The A380E uses a 6 nm process from TSMC, while the 48EU Mobile uses a 10 nm process from Intel. The A380E integrates 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 45.9M per mm². The 48EU Mobile has no recorded transistor count, die size, or density figures.

Clock behavior differs fundamentally. The A380E runs at 2000 MHz base and 2000 MHz boost, with memory at 1937 MHz and 15.5 Gbps effective. The 48EU Mobile runs at 300 MHz base and 1800 MHz boost, with system shared memory at system dependent speeds.

Memory specifications show a dedicated versus shared split. The A380E has 6 GB GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus with 186.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 48EU Mobile has system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth, no dedicated bus width, and no dedicated memory type.

Compute resources differ substantially. The A380E has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 8 ray tracing cores. The 48EU Mobile has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, 8 ROPs, and no ray tracing cores. Neither part lists tensor cores.

Power and physical specifications diverge sharply. The A380E has a 75 W TDP, single-slot width, no power connectors, and a suggested 250 W PSU. The 48EU Mobile has a 28 W TDP, is an IGP (integrated graphics processor), has no power connectors listed, and no suggested PSU. The A380E uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the 48EU Mobile uses a Ring Bus interface.

Display outputs differ. The A380E provides 4x DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. The 48EU Mobile's display outputs are listed as Portable Device Dependent. The A380E measures 254 mm by 127 mm by 20 mm. The 48EU Mobile has no recorded dimensions.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent different architectural generations from Intel. The A380E uses Xe-HPG architecture under the Alchemist generation (Arc 3), built on the DG2-128 chip. The 48EU Mobile uses Xe-LPG architecture under the Arc Graphics-M generation for Meteor Lake. These are distinct architectures with different design goals.

The A380E's Xe-HPG architecture targets discrete graphics workloads, evidenced by its dedicated GDDR6 memory interface and PCIe 4.0 x8 bus connection. The 48EU Mobile's Xe-LPG architecture is integrated into the Meteor Lake processor, using a Ring Bus connection and system shared memory. This fundamental difference determines how each GPU accesses data.

Manufacturing processes differ by foundry and node. The A380E uses a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the 48EU Mobile uses a 10 nm process at Intel. The A380E's more advanced process node allows for 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die. The 48EU Mobile's transistor count and die size are not recorded.

The A380E includes 8 ray tracing cores, placing it in the hardware ray tracing-capable class. The 48EU Mobile lists no ray tracing cores, indicating a lack of dedicated ray tracing hardware. This architectural difference affects rendering features for supported applications.

DirectX support differs by feature level. The A380E supports 12 Ultimate with feature level 12_2, which includes advanced features like mesh shaders, variable rate shading, and sampler feedback. The 48EU Mobile supports DirectX 12 with feature level 12_1, which lacks some of these capabilities. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

The A380E's compute configuration uses 1024 shading units arranged with 64 TMUs and 32 ROPs. The 48EU Mobile uses 384 shading units with 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs. This 2.67x difference in shading units, 2.67x in TMUs, and 4x in ROPs reflects the discrete versus integrated design philosophy.

The A380E's FP16 performance of 8.192 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio indicates it can process half-precision workloads at double the FP32 rate. The 48EU Mobile's FP16 performance of 2.765 TFLOPS also uses a 2:1 ratio, giving it the same proportional relationship to its FP32 output. Both parts use the same FP16:FP32 ratio.

The A380E's production status is end-of-life, with Battlemage listed as its successor. The 48EU Mobile is active, with HD Graphics-M as its predecessor and no successor listed. The A380E released on 2024-03-31, while the 48EU Mobile released on 2023-12-13, making the mobile part earlier by several months.