Intel Arc A380E vs NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for the Intel Arc A380E versus the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU. Both entries show zero wins in the head-to-head comparison and a completely empty benchmarks array, indicating that no standardized performance tests have been logged for either part in the database. The percentile ranking for both GPUs sits at the 50th percentile against all GPUs, which places them in the exact middle of the recorded performance distribution, but this is a relative position with no supporting numeric scores to differentiate them.

The lack of benchmark data means that raw performance comparisons, such as frame rates in specific titles or synthetic test scores, cannot be derived from the database. The average benchmark score for both is recorded as zero, which confirms that the database has not yet captured any validated performance measurements for these two products. Without these figures, any attempt to quantify the performance gap between the Intel Arc A380E and the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU must rely on architectural specifications and feature differences rather than direct test results.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU delivers 4.301 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the Intel Arc A380E delivers 4.096 TFLOPS. The difference is approximately 5% in favor of the NVIDIA part, a narrow margin that suggests comparable raw shader performance on paper.

Q: How do the memory configurations differ?

A: The Intel Arc A380E uses 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus, providing 186.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU uses 12 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel has a significant bandwidth advantage at roughly 82% higher throughput, while NVIDIA has double the memory capacity.

Q: What are the power requirements for each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc A380E has a TDP of 75 W and requires a suggested PSU of 250 W, with no power connectors needed. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has a TDP of 40 W, which is roughly 47% lower, and the database records no suggested PSU figure or power connector requirements for it.

Q: Which GPU supports more advanced graphics APIs?

A: Both GPUs support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The API support is identical across both parts, meaning no advantage in this category for either product.

Q: How do the display output capabilities compare?

A: The Intel Arc A380E provides four DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, making it suitable for multi-monitor desktop setups. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has no display outputs recorded, which is consistent with its role as a console-oriented processor rather than a discrete desktop graphics card.

Q: What are the production statuses of these two GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc A380E is marked as end-of-life, having been released on March 31, 2024. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU is marked as active, with a release date of June 4, 2025, and a launch MSRP of 449 USD.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc A380E is built on the Xe-HPG architecture using the DG2-128 chip, part of the Alchemist generation for Arc 3 products. It uses a 6 nm process node from TSMC and packs 7,200 million transistors into a die size of 157 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 45.9 million transistors per square millimeter. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU uses the Ampere architecture with the GA10B chip, classified as a console GPU for Nintendo. It uses an 8 nm process node from Samsung, with a die size of 200 mm², though the transistor count and density are recorded as unknown.

Ray tracing support differs in implementation. The Intel Arc A380E includes 8 ray tracing cores, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU includes 12 ray tracing cores. The NVIDIA part also integrates 48 tensor cores, which are absent from the Intel specifications entirely. This indicates that the Switch 2 GPU has dedicated hardware for AI-accelerated workloads, while the Arc A380E does not list any equivalent tensor processing units.

The clock behavior also diverges significantly. The Intel Arc A380E has a fixed clock of 2000 MHz for both base and boost, with no game clock listed. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has a base clock of 561 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz, a much wider spread that suggests aggressive power management and variable performance scaling. Memory clocks follow a similar pattern: Intel uses 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective) while NVIDIA uses 800 MHz (6.4 Gbps effective).

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every core specification category. The Intel Arc A380E has 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. NVIDIA has 50% more shading units and 50% more ray tracing cores, while Intel has roughly 33% more TMUs and double the ROPs.

Pixel and texture rates reflect these core differences. The Intel Arc A380E achieves 64.00 GPixel/s and 128.0 GTexel/s, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU achieves 22.40 GPixel/s and 67.20 GTexel/s. Intel leads in both rasterization throughput and texture fill rate, with approximately 2.9 times the pixel rate and 1.9 times the texture rate.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 186.0 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s, a margin of about 82%. However, NVIDIA offers 12 GB of memory versus 6 GB, doubling the capacity. The bus widths are 96-bit for Intel and 128-bit for NVIDIA, but the GDDR6 versus LPDDR5X memory type difference explains why Intel achieves higher bandwidth despite a narrower bus.

Physical dimensions show similar footprints. The Intel Arc A380E measures 254 mm in length, 127 mm in height, and 20 mm in width, with a single-slot design. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU measures 272 mm in length, 116 mm in height, and 14 mm in width, with no slot width recorded. Both are compact enough for constrained installations, though the Intel card is shorter and taller, while the NVIDIA part is longer and thinner.

Power delivery differs substantially. The Intel Arc A380E has a 75 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has a 40 W TDP. The Intel card uses no power connectors, drawing everything from the PCIe slot, and connects via PCIe 4.0 x8. The NVIDIA part has no bus interface recorded, consistent with its console integration role.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc A380E wins on raw bandwidth-driven workloads. Its 186.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, 64.00 GPixel/s pixel rate, and 128.0 GTexel/s texture rate give it a clear advantage in high-resolution rendering and texture-heavy scenes. The 75 W TDP combined with no power connectors and a single-slot design makes it straightforward to install in systems with limited power delivery, and the four DisplayPort 2.0 outputs support multi-monitor productivity setups. The end-of-life status means the hardware is mature and well-documented in the database.

The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU wins on compute density and feature integration. Its 4.301 TFLOPS FP32 output edges out the Intel part, and the inclusion of 48 tensor cores provides dedicated AI acceleration hardware that the Arc A380E lacks entirely. The 12 GB memory capacity is double that of the Intel card, which matters for workloads that exceed 6 GB of frame buffer usage. The 40 W TDP is nearly half the Intel part, making it far more power-efficient for sustained operation. The active production status and the 12 ray tracing cores also indicate a more modern support lifecycle and potentially better ray tracing performance.

The Verdict

The data indicates two different products with overlapping compute capabilities but divergent design goals. The Intel Arc A380E is a desktop-oriented discrete GPU with strong memory bandwidth, high pixel and texture throughput, and multi-display output capability. It suits scenarios where fill rates and bandwidth dominate, such as high-resolution rendering or multi-monitor desktop environments. The end-of-life status suggests it is a known quantity with established driver maturity.

The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU is a console processor with integrated memory and no display outputs, optimized for power efficiency at 40 W. Its higher FP32 throughput, tensor cores, and 12 GB memory capacity make it suitable for AI-accelerated graphics and workloads that benefit from larger frame buffers. The active production status and 2025 release date indicate ongoing availability.

The 50th percentile ranking for both GPUs against all recorded parts places them in the middle of the performance spectrum, but the absence of benchmark scores prevents any definitive performance ranking between the two. Buyers should choose based on specific requirements: the Intel Arc A380E for desktop integration with display outputs and high bandwidth, the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU for console-style workloads with tensor acceleration and lower power draw. The launch MSRP of 449 USD for the NVIDIA part provides a reference point, while the Intel card has no recorded launch price.