Intel Arc A530M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains a single direct head-to-head comparison between the Intel Arc A530M and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA part scores 52,998 against the Intel part's 49,735, yielding a 6.2% advantage for the RTX 3050 A Mobile. That margin is modest in absolute terms, but it represents the only benchmark where both products were measured under identical conditions.

The broader database averages tell a more complicated story. The Intel Arc A530M carries an average benchmark score of 46,614 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 5600M at 46,601 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 6550M at 46,702 (0.2% ahead), the NVIDIA RTX A2000 at 46,043 (1.2% behind), and the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation at 45,972 (1.4% behind). These deltas are tiny, indicating the Arc A530M sits in a tightly contested performance band.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile, by contrast, records an average benchmark score of 8,746, which places it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 v2 at 8,743 (0% delta), the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 at 8,686 (0.7% behind), the AMD Radeon R9 M265X at 8,851 (1.2% ahead), and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 at 8,863 (1.3% ahead). The gap between the two products in average score is substantial: the Arc A530M's average is roughly 4.3 times higher than the RTX 3050 A Mobile's average.

This discrepancy between the single head-to-head result and the aggregate averages requires careful interpretation. The Geekbench OpenCL test favors the NVIDIA part by 6.2%, but the database also records several other tests for the RTX 3050 A Mobile that pull its average downward. Those additional tests include Passmark DirectX 10 (score 61), DirectX 11 (94), DirectX 12 (55), DirectX 9 (152), G2D (526), G3D (11,664), and GPU Compute (4,419). The Intel part has no corresponding entries in those tests, so its average rests solely on the two Geekbench results. The data does not indicate how the Arc A530M would perform in those Passmark workloads, which means the aggregate comparison is not a like-for-like measurement.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design lineages. Intel's Arc A530M uses the DG2-256 chip built on the Xe-HPG architecture, belonging to the Alchemist generation (Arc 5 Mobile). It is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, containing 11,500 million transistors on a 269 mm² die, which yields a transistor density of 42.8 million per square millimeter. NVIDIA's RTX 3050 A Mobile uses the GA106 chip based on the Ampere architecture, belonging to the GeForce 30 Mobile series. It is fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung, containing 12,000 million transistors on a 276 mm² die, for a density of 43.5 million per square millimeter. The density figures are nearly identical, but the process node difference is notable: 6 nm versus 8 nm.

Clock behavior differs as well. The Intel part runs at a 900 MHz base and 1,300 MHz boost. The NVIDIA part runs at a 1,065 MHz base and 1,343 MHz boost. NVIDIA's higher base clock is a 165 MHz advantage, while the boost clocks are only 43 MHz apart. Memory clocks also diverge: the Arc A530M uses 1,750 MHz memory with 14 Gbps effective, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile uses 1,500 MHz with 12 Gbps effective.

The memory subsystem shows a clear split. The Intel Arc A530M carries 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile carries 4 GB of GDDR6 on the same 128-bit bus, delivering 192.0 GB/s. The Intel part has both more capacity and higher bandwidth, with the bandwidth gap at 32 GB/s.

Compute resources are arranged differently. The Arc A530M has 1,536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, 48 render output units, and 12 ray tracing cores. The RTX 3050 A Mobile has 1,792 shading units, 56 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 14 ray tracing cores. NVIDIA has more shading units and more RT cores, while Intel has more TMUs and ROPs. NVIDIA also includes 56 tensor cores; the Intel part lists no tensor core count.

The resulting throughput figures reflect these configurations. Intel's pixel rate is 62.40 GPixel/s versus NVIDIA's 42.98 GPixel/s, a 19.42 GPixel/s advantage. Intel's texture rate is 124.8 GTexel/s versus NVIDIA's 75.21 GTexel/s. In FP32 compute, NVIDIA leads with 4.813 TFLOPS against Intel's 3.994 TFLOPS. In FP16, Intel reaches 7.987 TFLOPS using a 2:1 ratio, while NVIDIA achieves 4.813 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, meaning Intel's FP16 figure is substantially higher.

Power draw is another divergence. The Intel Arc A530M has a TDP of 65 W. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has a TDP of 45 W. Both are IGP slot width and use PCIe 4.0 x8 interfaces. NVIDIA lists no power connectors, while Intel lists none as well. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Production status differs: the Intel part is listed as Active, while the NVIDIA part is End-of-life. The release dates are about five months apart: Intel's Arc A530M launched on 2023-07-31, and NVIDIA's RTX 3050 A Mobile launched on 2023-12-31. NVIDIA lists its predecessor as GeForce 20 Mobile; Intel lists no predecessor.

The Verdict

The data supports a split decision based on workload type. If the target metric is the single recorded head-to-head test, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile wins by 6.2% in Geekbench OpenCL. That test reflects general compute performance, and the NVIDIA part delivers a higher FP32 rate (4.813 TFLOPS versus 3.994 TFLOPS) alongside 14 RT cores and 56 tensor cores. For applications that rely on FP32 throughput or NVIDIA's tensor and RT hardware, the RTX 3050 A Mobile has the measured edge.

If the target metric is aggregate benchmark standing, the Intel Arc A530M occupies a far higher percentile (85th versus 44th) and a much higher average score (46,614 versus 8,746). The Intel part also doubles the memory capacity (8 GB versus 4 GB), delivers 32 GB/s more bandwidth, and achieves higher pixel and texture rates. Its FP16 throughput is 7.987 TFLOPS versus NVIDIA's 4.813 TFLOPS, which matters for workloads that can use half-precision arithmetic.

The production status favors Intel as well: the Arc A530M is Active, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile is End-of-life. For a system builder looking at current availability, the Intel part is the one still in production. Neither product has a launch MSRP recorded in the database, so no price comparison is possible.

The verdict from the data: the NVIDIA part wins the specific compute benchmark where both were measured, but the Intel part wins on the broader metrics of average score, memory capacity, memory bandwidth, pixel throughput, texture throughput, FP16 compute, and production status. The choice depends entirely on which metric matters more for the intended use.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile scores 52,998 versus the Intel Arc A530M's 49,735, giving NVIDIA a 6.2% lead in that specific test.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc A530M has an average benchmark score of 46,614. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has an average benchmark score of 8,746.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The Intel Arc A530M has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Intel Arc A530M delivers 224.0 GB/s, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile delivers 192.0 GB/s. Intel has a 32 GB/s advantage.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units and RT cores?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has 1,792 shading units and 14 RT cores. The Intel Arc A530M has 1,536 shading units and 12 RT cores.

Q: What is the TDP for each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc A530M has a TDP of 65 W. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has a TDP of 45 W.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile wins in the only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded: Geekbench OpenCL, with a 6.2% margin. It also holds advantages in shading unit count (1,792 versus 1,536), RT core count (14 versus 12), tensor core presence (56 versus none listed), FP32 throughput (4.813 TFLOPS versus 3.994 TFLOPS), and a higher boost clock (1,343 MHz versus 1,300 MHz). Its lower TDP of 45 W makes it the more power-efficient option on paper.

The Intel Arc A530M wins in the aggregate database metrics. Its average benchmark score of 46,614 places it in the 85th percentile, whereas the NVIDIA part sits in the 44th percentile. The Intel part's nearest rivals are all modern discrete GPUs within a 1.4% band, while the NVIDIA part's nearest rivals include older cards like the GTX 460 v2 and the R9 M265X. Intel also wins on memory capacity (8 GB versus 4 GB), memory bandwidth (224.0 GB/s versus 192.0 GB/s), pixel rate (62.40 GPixel/s versus 42.98 GPixel/s), texture rate (124.8 GTexel/s versus 75.21 GTexel/s), and FP16 throughput (7.987 TFLOPS versus 4.813 TFLOPS). The Intel part's larger TMU count (96 versus 56) and ROP count (48 versus 32) support its rasterization throughput advantages.

The production status also favors Intel: the Arc A530M remains Active, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile is listed as End-of-life. This matters for availability, though not for raw performance.

Specification Differences

• Process Node: Intel uses 6 nm at TSMC; NVIDIA uses 8 nm at Samsung.
• Transistor Count: Intel has 11,500 million; NVIDIA has 12,000 million.
• Die Size: Intel measures 269 mm²; NVIDIA measures 276 mm².
• Transistor Density: Intel has 42.8M/mm²; NVIDIA has 43.5M/mm².
• Base Clock: Intel runs at 900 MHz; NVIDIA runs at 1,065 MHz.
• Boost Clock: Intel runs at 1,300 MHz; NVIDIA runs at 1,343 MHz.
• Memory Clock: Intel uses 1,750 MHz (14 Gbps effective); NVIDIA uses 1,500 MHz (12 Gbps effective).
• Memory Size: Intel has 8 GB; NVIDIA has 4 GB.
• Memory Bandwidth: Intel has 224.0 GB/s; NVIDIA has 192.0 GB/s.
• Shading Units: Intel has 1,536; NVIDIA has 1,792.
• TMUs: Intel has 96; NVIDIA has 56.
• ROPs: Intel has 48; NVIDIA has 32.
• RT Cores: Intel has 12; NVIDIA has 14.
• Tensor Cores: Intel lists none; NVIDIA has 56.
• Pixel Rate: Intel has 62.40 GPixel/s; NVIDIA has 42.98 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: Intel has 124.8 GTexel/s; NVIDIA has 75.21 GTexel/s.
• FP32: Intel has 3.994 TFLOPS; NVIDIA has 4.813 TFLOPS.
• FP16: Intel has 7.987 TFLOPS (2:1); NVIDIA has 4.813 TFLOPS (1:1).
• TDP: Intel has 65 W; NVIDIA has 45 W.
• Power Connectors: Intel lists none; NVIDIA lists none.
• Production Status: Intel is Active; NVIDIA is End-of-life.
• Release Date: Intel launched 2023-07-31; NVIDIA launched 2023-12-31.
• Predecessor: Intel lists none; NVIDIA lists GeForce 20 Mobile.