Intel Arc A730M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Comparison

The Intel Arc A730M and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER occupy vastly different positions in the GPU landscape, despite sharing a 12 GB memory capacity and a 192-bit bus width. The data presents a clear performance hierarchy, with the RTX 4070 SUPER dominating every shared benchmark, yet the architectural and specification differences reveal two distinct design philosophies aimed at different use cases. This analysis examines where each GPU excels, the fundamental architectural divides, and what the benchmark scores imply for potential users.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results are unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER wins all three head-to-head comparisons, taking a clean 3-0 sweep. However, raw victory margins tell only part of the story. The Intel Arc A730M's strongest showing comes in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where it scores 70,352 against the RTX 4070 SUPER's 172,795. This represents a 59.3% deficit for the Intel part, the smallest gap between the two GPUs across all tested workloads. The data suggests that in compute-oriented OpenCL tasks, the Arc A730M is comparatively less disadvantaged than in other areas.

The NVIDIA GPU's dominance is most pronounced in the Geekbench Vulkan test. There, the RTX 4070 SUPER scores 205,624 versus the Arc A730M's 64,693, a 68.5% difference. This wide margin indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER's architecture handles modern graphics APIs with significantly greater efficiency. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test shows a 62.6% advantage for NVIDIA, with scores of 4,627 versus 1,732. While the Arc A730M loses every battle, its performance profile suggests it remains a capable option for specific compute workloads, particularly those leveraging OpenCL rather than gaming-centric APIs.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design approaches from their respective manufacturers. Intel's Arc A730M uses the DG2-512 chip based on the Xe-HPG architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process. The chip contains 21,700 million transistors on a 406 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 53.4M per mm². This is a mobile-focused design with a TDP of 80 W, integrated into the system as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with portable-device-dependent display outputs.

NVIDIA's RTX 4070 SUPER employs the AD104 chip built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, using TSMC's 5 nm process. This chip packs 35,800 million transistors into a smaller 294 mm² die, achieving a much higher transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The RTX 4070 SUPER is a discrete dual-slot card with a 220 W TDP, requiring a 1x 16-pin power connector and a suggested 550 W power supply. It offers a full complement of display outputs including 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the Intel part's outputs are entirely dependent on the portable device it is integrated into.

The clock strategies differ dramatically. The Intel chip runs at a 1100 MHz base clock with a 2050 MHz boost, while the NVIDIA part operates at 1980 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost. Memory technology also diverges: the Arc A730M uses GDDR6 at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), whereas the RTX 4070 SUPER employs faster GDDR6X at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). These differences cascade into significant bandwidth and compute disparities, which the benchmark results reflect.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER achieves a transistor density of 121.8M per mm² on its 5 nm process, compared to the Intel Arc A730M's 53.4M per mm² on 6 nm. This means NVIDIA packs more than twice the transistors per square millimeter of silicon.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both the Intel Arc A730M and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Their API compatibility is identical, though actual performance under these APIs differs substantially.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has a 220 W TDP, which is 140 W higher than the Arc A730M's 80 W TDP. The Intel part's lower power draw aligns with its integrated mobile positioning, while the NVIDIA card's higher power envelope supports its desktop-class performance.

Q: How do their memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER delivers 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth from its GDDR6X memory, while the Arc A730M provides 336.0 GB/s from GDDR6. Both use a 192-bit bus, but the NVIDIA card's faster memory clock (21 Gbps effective versus 14 Gbps) accounts for the bandwidth advantage.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER contains 7,168 shading units, more than double the Intel Arc A730M's 3,072. The NVIDIA card also has more texture mapping units (224 versus 192) and ray tracing cores (56 versus 24).

Q: Are either of these GPUs still in production?

A: Both are listed as end-of-life products. The RTX 4070 SUPER was released on January 16, 2024, with a launch MSRP of 599 USD, while the Arc A730M's release date is not specified in the data.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Arc A730M | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER |

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

| Process Node | 6 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 21,700 million | 35,800 million |

| Die Size | 406 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 53.4M / mm² | 121.8M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1100 MHz | 1980 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2050 MHz | 2475 MHz |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |

| Memory Clock | 1750 MHz / 14 Gbps effective | 1313 MHz / 21 Gbps effective |

| Memory Bandwidth | 336.0 GB/s | 504.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 3072 | 7168 |

| TMUs | 192 | 224 |

| ROPs | 96 | 80 |

| RT Cores | 24 | 56 |

| Tensor Cores | None listed | 224 |

| Pixel Rate | 196.8 GPixel/s | 198.0 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 393.6 GTexel/s | 554.4 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 12.60 TFLOPS | 35.48 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 25.19 TFLOPS (2:1) | 35.48 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 80 W | 220 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | None | 550 W |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Dimensions | Not specified | 267 mm x 112 mm x 42 mm |

| Release Date | Not specified | 2024-01-16 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test reveals a massive gulf in gaming performance. The RTX 4070 SUPER scores 4,627, while the Arc A730M manages only 1,732. This 62.6% deficit for Intel indicates that the NVIDIA card delivers nearly three times the frame throughput in this DirectX 12 workload. For gamers, this single benchmark encapsulates the practical difference in modern game performance.

The Geekbench OpenCL test shows the closest relative performance between the two. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 172,795 score dwarfs the Arc A730M's 70,352, but the 59.3% gap is narrower than in other tests. This suggests that the Intel architecture retains some compute capability in OpenCL environments, potentially benefiting productivity applications that leverage this API. Still, the absolute scores demonstrate that the NVIDIA GPU is more than twice as fast in this compute scenario.

Vulkan performance shows the widest disparity of all. The RTX 4070 SUPER achieves 205,624, while the Arc A730M reaches just 64,693. The 68.5% delta indicates that NVIDIA's driver optimization and architectural efficiency for Vulkan workloads are significantly superior. This result matters for cross-platform gaming and compute applications that rely on Vulkan, where the Intel part falls substantially behind.

Across all three benchmarks, the RTX 4070 SUPER wins by margins ranging from 59.3% to 68.5%. The pattern is consistent: NVIDIA's architectural advantages in clock speed, shading units, and memory bandwidth translate into dominant performance across every test. The Arc A730M's higher ROP count (96 versus 80) does not compensate for its other deficits, as evidenced by the similar pixel rates (196.8 GPixel/s versus 198.0 GPixel/s) despite the Intel part having more ROPs.

The Verdict

The data directs different users toward different GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing raw performance in gaming and graphics-intensive workloads. Its 35.48 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 7,168 shading units establish it as a high-end discrete solution. The 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with benchmark wins of 59-68% over the Arc A730M, positions it as a desktop-class performer for demanding applications.

The Intel Arc A730M targets a different segment entirely. With an 80 W TDP and IGP form factor, it is designed for portable devices where power efficiency and space constraints matter more than peak performance. Its 84th percentile ranking versus all GPUs is actually one point higher than the RTX 4070 SUPER's 83rd percentile, indicating that when compared against the entire GPU landscape, the Arc A730M holds its own surprisingly well relative to its power envelope. The 12.60 TFLOPS FP32 and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are respectable for an integrated solution.

For users seeking maximum frame rates in a desktop system, the RTX 4070 SUPER's dominance in every benchmark makes it the only logical choice. For those needing a capable mobile GPU that sips power at 80 W, the Arc A730M offers a reasonable balance of performance and efficiency, particularly in OpenCL compute tasks where its deficit narrows. The 25.19 TFLOPS FP16 performance (2:1 ratio) also hints at potential advantages in specific half-precision workloads, though the RTX 4070 SUPER's 35.48 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1) remains higher in absolute terms. The verdict hinges on the use case: desktop gaming and compute demand the NVIDIA card, while power-constrained portable systems may find the Intel solution adequate.