GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER and the Intel Arc A550M occupy completely different tiers of the graphics market, and the benchmark data reflects a decisive, one-sided contest. The RTX 4080 SUPER wins every head-to-head comparison by staggering margins, making this less a competition and more a demonstration of generational and market-segment dominance. While the Arc A550M holds its own in its intended mobile segment, it is outclassed by the desktop GeForce in every measurable way.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data available for direct comparison is limited to two compute-oriented tests, but the results are unambiguous. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER scores 219,065 points, while the Intel Arc A550M manages 49,894 points. This yields a deltaPct of 339.1% in favor of the NVIDIA card. In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap widens further: the RTX 4080 SUPER posts 260,075 points against the Arc A550M’s 49,580 points, a deltaPct of 424.6%. These are not close contests; the GeForce is roughly 4.4 times faster in Vulkan and 4.4 times faster in OpenCL.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite, the RTX 4080 SUPER’s average benchmark score of 54,209 across all tests dwarfs the Arc A550M’s 49,737, but this aggregate figure understates the true gap because the Intel part only has two recorded benchmarks. The NVIDIA card’s individual results include a Passmark G3D score of 34,245 and a Passmark GPU Compute score of 19,822, while the Arc A550M has no corresponding entries. The RTX 4080 SUPER also delivers a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,600, a test the Intel part does not appear in. Across all available data, the NVIDIA card wins 2 out of 2 head-to-head tests, with zero victories for the Intel part.

The percentile rankings tell a similar story. Both parts sit at the 86th percentile against all GPUs, but this is misleading given the different pools. The RTX 4080 SUPER’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (avg score 54,247, deltaPct -0.1%) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (avg score 54,828, deltaPct -1.1%), showing it is within a rounding error of its direct predecessor. The Arc A550M, meanwhile, competes with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (avg score 49,957, deltaPct -0.4%) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (avg score 50,001, deltaPct -0.5%), placing it in the same performance band as last-generation desktop flagships, not modern high-end parts.

The Verdict

The verdict is straightforward: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the superior product by every metric in the data. Anyone needing maximum compute performance, ray tracing capability, or high-resolution gaming should choose the GeForce. It delivers a 339.1% lead in OpenCL and a 424.6% lead in Vulkan over the Intel part, which translates to roughly four times the performance in those workloads.

The Intel Arc A550M, however, is not without a purpose. Its 60 W TDP and integrated form factor (labeled "IGP") make it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where power efficiency and physical space are paramount. It is not a desktop replacement part, and its 8 GB GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p gaming but will struggle with 4K or heavy content creation. Data shows the Arc A550M is competitive with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (deltaPct -0.4%) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (deltaPct -0.5%), which suggests it offers credible performance for its mobile class, but it cannot match the sheer throughput of a 320 W desktop flagship.

Pick the RTX 4080 SUPER if you need the highest possible frame rates, compute throughput, or ray tracing performance, and you have the 700 W suggested PSU and triple-slot chassis to accommodate it. Pick the Arc A550M if you are building a portable system where the 60 W TDP and integrated form factor are non-negotiable, and you are willing to accept roughly a quarter of the GeForce’s compute performance.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER uses the AD103 chip based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.1M per mm². The Intel Arc A550M uses the DG2-512 chip based on the Xe-HPG architecture, fabricated on a 6 nm process, also at TSMC. It packs 21,700 million transistors on a larger 406 mm² die, resulting in a much lower transistor density of 53.4M per mm².

These architectural differences manifest in core counts and features. The RTX 4080 SUPER has 10,240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, 112 ROPs, 80 ray tracing cores, and 320 tensor cores. The Arc A550M has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and 16 ray tracing cores, with no tensor cores listed. The NVIDIA part’s FP32 throughput is 52.22 TFLOPS, while the Intel part manages 8.397 TFLOPS; in FP16, the GeForce maintains 52.22 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the Arc A550M hits 16.79 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), showing a different precision trade-off.

Both GPUs support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API feature parity exists. However, the RTX 4080 SUPER’s pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s dwarf the Arc A550M’s 131.2 GPixel/s and 262.4 GTexel/s. The NVIDIA card also features dedicated tensor cores for AI workloads, a feature absent from the Intel part’s spec sheet. Manufacturing differences are stark: the RTX 4080 SUPER uses a triple-slot cooler with a 1x 16-pin power connector and a 320 W TDP, while the Arc A550M is an integrated part with no power connector and a 60 W TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench Vulkan?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is faster, scoring 260,075 points versus the Intel Arc A550M’s 49,580 points, a deltaPct of 424.6% in favor of the GeForce.

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

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth from 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus. The Arc A550M has 224.0 GB/s from 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, making the GeForce’s bandwidth roughly 3.3 times higher.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same graphics APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. There is no difference in API support between the two.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 4080?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54,209, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080’s 54,247. They are statistically equivalent in performance.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has a TDP of 320 W and requires a 700 W suggested PSU, while the Arc A550M has a TDP of 60 W and lists no PSU requirement, reflecting its integrated mobile design.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has 80 ray tracing cores, while the Arc A550M has 16, a 5x difference in ray tracing hardware.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER wins in every performance category where data exists. It dominates in OpenCL compute (339.1% lead) and Vulkan compute (424.6% lead). Its 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 throughput, 80 ray tracing cores, and 736.3 GB/s memory bandwidth make it the clear choice for 4K gaming, ray-traced workloads, AI inference via tensor cores, and professional content creation. The Passmark G3D score of 34,245 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 6,600 further cement its position as a high-end desktop part.

The Intel Arc A550M wins in the efficiency and form-factor categories. Its 60 W TDP is 81.25% lower than the RTX 4080 SUPER’s 320 W, and its integrated "IGP" slot width means it requires no expansion slot or external power connector. It is the only viable option for ultra-portable laptops where the GeForce’s 310 mm length, 140 mm height, 61 mm width, and triple-slot cooler are physically impossible to accommodate. The Arc A550M also uses GDDR6 memory instead of GDDR6X, which typically runs cooler and is more power-efficient, though the data does not provide direct temperature measurements. For users who prioritize battery life and portability over raw performance, the Arc A550M is the appropriate choice, provided the workload fits within its 8 GB memory capacity and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every specification field. The RTX 4080 SUPER uses a 5 nm process, while the Arc A550M uses 6 nm. Transistor count is 45,900 million versus 21,700 million. Die size is 379 mm² versus 406 mm². Transistor density is 121.1M / mm² versus 53.4M / mm². Base clock is 2295 MHz versus 900 MHz; boost clock is 2550 MHz versus 2050 MHz. Memory size is 16 GB versus 8 GB; type is GDDR6X versus GDDR6; bus width is 256 bit versus 128 bit; bandwidth is 736.3 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s.

Shading units are 10,240 versus 2,048. TMUs are 320 versus 128. ROPs are 112 versus 64. Ray tracing cores are 80 versus 16. Tensor cores are 320 versus none listed. Pixel rate is 285.6 GPixel/s versus 131.2 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 816.0 GTexel/s versus 262.4 GTexel/s. FP32 is 52.22 TFLOPS versus 8.397 TFLOPS. FP16 is 52.22 TFLOPS (1:1) versus 16.79 TFLOPS (2:1). TDP is 320 W versus 60 W. Slot width is triple-slot versus IGP. Power connector is 1x 16-pin versus none. Suggested PSU is 700 W versus none. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a versus Portable Device Dependent. Dimensions are 310 mm x 140 mm x 61 mm versus null. The RTX 4080 SUPER has a launch MSRP of 999 USD; the Arc A550M has no launch MSRP listed.