Intel Arc A380E x2 vs Intel Data Center GPU Max Subsystem Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no recorded head-to-head benchmark results for the Intel Arc A380E x2 versus the Intel Data Center GPU Max Subsystem. Neither product has any benchmark scores listed, and the win tally is zero for both sides. This absence of measured performance data means any direct comparison must rely entirely on the architectural and specification differences captured in the database.

What the recorded data does show is the massive gulf in compute resources. The Data Center GPU Max Subsystem delivers 52.43 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput, which is 12.8 times the 4.096 TFLOPS of the Arc A380E x2. In FP16, the gap narrows slightly because the Arc A380E x2 uses a 2:1 ratio while the Data Center GPU Max Subsystem uses 1:1, but the Max Subsystem still leads with 52.43 TFLOPS versus 8.192 TFLOPS. The texture rate tells a similar story: the Max Subsystem reaches 1,638.4 GTexel/s, or 12.8 times the 128.0 GTexel/s of the A380E x2.

The pixel rate, however, is an outlier. The Data Center GPU Max Subsystem records 0 MPixel/s, while the Arc A380E x2 achieves 64.00 GPixel/s. This reflects that the Max Subsystem has no ROPs (0 versus 32), meaning it is not designed for traditional rasterization output to displays. The Arc A380E x2, with 32 ROPs, is the only one of the two with a functional pixel pipeline.

Memory bandwidth also heavily favors the Data Center GPU Max Subsystem. Its HBM2e memory provides 3.21 TB/s across a 8192-bit bus, compared to 186.0 GB/s on a 96-bit GDDR6 bus for the Arc A380E x2. That is a 17.3 times advantage in bandwidth. Memory capacity likewise differs by an order of magnitude: 128 GB versus 6 GB.

Because there are no benchmark scores, the percentile ranking for both products sits at 50, meaning neither has outperformed any other GPU in the database's measured results. This is not a meaningful comparison point; it simply reflects the absence of benchmark entries.

FAQ

Q: Which product has higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The Intel Data Center GPU Max Subsystem records 52.43 TFLOPS FP32, which is 12.8 times the 4.096 TFLOPS of the Intel Arc A380E x2.

Q: Does the Data Center GPU Max Subsystem support display outputs?

A: No. The database lists "No outputs" for the Max Subsystem, while the Arc A380E x2 provides 8x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Data Center GPU Max Subsystem delivers 3.21 TB/s over HBM2e with a 8192-bit bus. The Arc A380E x2 delivers 186.0 GB/s over GDDR6 with a 96-bit bus. The Max Subsystem has roughly 17.3 times the bandwidth.

Q: Which product has more shading units?

A: The Data Center GPU Max Subsystem has 16,384 shading units, compared to 1,024 for the Arc A380E x2, a 16 times difference.

Q: Are both products currently in production?

A: No. The Arc A380E x2 is marked "End-of-life" with a release date of 2024-03-31, while the Data Center GPU Max Subsystem is "Active" with a release date of 2023-01-09.

Q: What is the difference in ray tracing cores?

A: The Data Center GPU Max Subsystem has 128 RT cores, while the Arc A380E x2 has 8 RT cores, a 16 times difference.

The Verdict

The data clearly separates these two products into different functional categories. The Intel Arc A380E x2 is a rasterization-capable GPU with display outputs, 32 ROPs, and a 64.00 GPixel/s pixel rate. It is suited for tasks requiring video output and traditional graphics rendering. Its 6 GB GDDR6 memory and 186.0 GB/s bandwidth are modest compared to the Max Subsystem, but it consumes 130 W and requires a 300 W suggested PSU, making it a far lighter power burden.

The Intel Data Center GPU Max Subsystem is a compute-oriented device with no display outputs and no ROPs. Its 128 GB HBM2e memory, 3.21 TB/s bandwidth, and 52.43 TFLOPS FP32 point to workloads involving large datasets and dense compute. The 2400 W TDP and 2800 W suggested PSU confirm it is a server or data-center component, not a desktop graphics card.

The recorded data does not favor one product over the other in absolute terms; it shows they serve disjoint purposes. The Arc A380E x2 wins on pixel rate, display connectivity, and power efficiency. The Data Center GPU Max Subsystem wins on raw compute, memory capacity, and memory bandwidth. Any selection between them hinges entirely on whether the workload needs rasterized output or massive parallel compute.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Arc A380E x2 | Intel Data Center GPU Max Subsystem |

|------|-------------------|-------------------------------------|

| Process node | 6 nm | 10 nm |

| Transistors | 7,200 million | 100,000 million |

| Die size | 157 mm² | 1280 mm² |

| Transistor density | 45.9M / mm² | 78.1M / mm² |

| Base clock | 2000 MHz | 900 MHz |

| Boost clock | 2000 MHz | 1600 MHz |

| Memory size | 6 GB | 128 GB |

| Memory type | GDDR6 | HBM2e |

| Memory bus width | 96 bit | 8192 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | 186.0 GB/s | 3.21 TB/s |

| Shading units | 1024 | 16384 |

| TMUs | 64 | 1024 |

| ROPs | 32 | 0 |

| RT cores | 8 | 128 |

| FP32 | 4.096 TFLOPS | 52.43 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 8.192 TFLOPS (2:1) | 52.43 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| Pixel rate | 64.00 GPixel/s | 0 MPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 128.0 GTexel/s | 1,638.4 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 130 W | 2400 W |

| Slot width | Single-slot | Dual-slot |

| Power connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 300 W | 2800 W |

| Bus interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display outputs | 8x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 | No outputs |

| Production status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release date | 2024-03-31 | 2023-01-09 |

The two products differ in nearly every measurable specification. The Max Subsystem has 16 times the shading units, 16 times the TMUs, 16 times the RT cores, and 21.3 times the memory capacity. The Arc A380E x2 has a higher base clock (2000 MHz versus 900 MHz) and boost clock (2000 MHz versus 1600 MHz), but its smaller transistor count and die size limit its aggregate throughput. The Max Subsystem uses 10 nm as an Intel foundry process, whereas the Arc A380E x2 uses 6 nm at TSMC, resulting in different transistor densities: 78.1M / mm² versus 45.9M / mm².

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc A380E x2 is built on the Xe-HPG architecture under the Alchemist generation (Arc 3), using the DG2-128 chip. The Intel Data Center GPU Max Subsystem uses the Ponte Vecchio chip with a Generation 12.5 architecture, also known as Data Center GPU (Ponte Vecchio). The predecessor of the Arc A380E x2 is listed as Xe Graphics, and its successor is Battlemage. The Max Subsystem has no predecessor listed, and its successor is H3C Graphics.

The process nodes differ: the Arc A380E x2 uses 6 nm at TSMC, while the Max Subsystem uses 10 nm at Intel. Transistor counts scale accordingly: 7,200 million for the Arc A380E x2 versus 100,000 million for the Max Subsystem, a 13.9 times difference. Die size also differs substantially: 157 mm² versus 1280 mm². The transistor density figures show the Max Subsystem packs more transistors per square millimeter (78.1M / mm² versus 45.9M / mm²), which is consistent with a more complex compute-oriented design.

The memory subsystems reflect different design philosophies. The Arc A380E x2 uses GDDR6 with a 96-bit bus and 6 GB capacity, typical for a consumer or edge GPU with rasterization duties. The Max Subsystem uses HBM2e with a 8192-bit bus and 128 GB capacity, oriented toward data-center compute where bandwidth and capacity are critical. The FP16 ratio also differs: the Arc A380E x2 halves its FP16 rate relative to FP32 (8.192 TFLOPS versus 4.096 TFLOPS), while the Max Subsystem maintains a 1:1 ratio (52.43 TFLOPS for both), indicating a design that prioritizes mixed-precision workloads.

API support shows a split. The Arc A380E x2 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Max Subsystem supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and has no Vulkan listing. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The Arc A380E x2 has 8x mini-DisplayPort 2.0 outputs; the Max Subsystem has none. The power delivery also diverges: the Arc A380E x2 uses a single 6-pin connector with a 300 W suggested PSU, while the Max Subsystem uses a single 16-pin connector with a 2800 W suggested PSU. The Max Subsystem is dual-slot, the Arc A380E x2 is single-slot.