AMD Radeon RX 6550M vs Intel Arc A770 Comparison

The Intel Arc A770 and AMD Radeon RX 6550M represent two distinct corners of the GPU market: a desktop add-in board designed for high throughput and a mobile integrated graphics processor aimed at efficiency. The recorded data shows a clear performance hierarchy, but the choice between them depends heavily on the intended system. The A770 holds a decisive lead in every shared benchmark, while the RX 6550M counters with a drastically lower power envelope and a different physical footprint. The following analysis breaks down the numbers from the database to clarify what each part offers.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Arc A770 records an average benchmark score of 68809, while the AMD Radeon RX 6550M averages 46702. This places the A770 at the 90th percentile of all GPUs and the RX 6550M at the 85th percentile.

Q: How large is the performance gap in compute workloads?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Arc A770 scores 109175 compared to the RX 6550M’s 42536, a delta of 156.7%. This represents the single largest margin between the two parts in any shared test.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Arc A770 provides 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth from its 256-bit bus, whereas the RX 6550M delivers 144.0 GB/s over a 64-bit bus. The A770’s bandwidth is more than three times higher.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same API feature levels?

A: Yes, both list DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 in the database. This means modern rendering features are available on either part, despite their differing architectures.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6550M boosts to 2840 MHz, which is higher than the Intel Arc A770’s 2400 MHz boost. However, the A770 compensates with a larger shader array and higher memory throughput.

Q: Is the RX 6550M a desktop card?

A: No, it is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with its display outputs described as "Portable Device Dependent," indicating it is intended for mobile systems. The Arc A770 is a Dual-slot desktop card.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Arc A770 for anyone assembling a desktop system that prioritizes raw compute and rendering performance. Its average score of 68809 is nearly 50% higher than the RX 6550M’s 46702, and it wins both shared benchmark tests outright. Users with workloads that leverage OpenCL or Vulkan will see substantial gains, with deltas of 156.7% and 85.4% respectively. The A770 also brings 16 GB of memory, which is quadruple the RX 6550M’s 4 GB, making it the rational choice for large datasets or high-resolution textures.

The AMD Radeon RX 6550M, by contrast, suits a completely different scenario. Its 80 W TDP and IGP form factor mean it can operate without external power connectors, which makes it viable for thin-and-light laptops or compact systems where the A770’s 225 W TDP and dual-slot cooler are not feasible. It is not a competitor on performance, but its existence enables GPU acceleration in devices where the Arc A770 simply cannot be installed. For a mobile platform, the RX 6550M is the only option of the two. For a static desktop workstation, the Arc A770 is the clear winner based on all recorded scores.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database includes two shared tests between these GPUs, and the Intel Arc A770 wins both. In Geekbench OpenCL, the A770 scores 109175 against 42536 for the RX 6550M. This is a 156.7% delta, meaning the A770 more than doubles the RX 6550M’s compute output. The margin is so wide that it suggests the RX 6550M is not merely slower, but operating in a different performance class entirely.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap narrows somewhat but remains decisive. The A770 records 94284, while the RX 6550M scores 50867, a delta of 85.4%. While the A770 still wins by a large margin, the RX 6550M’s Vulkan score is proportionally closer to its rival than its OpenCL result, indicating that its architecture handles the Vulkan API relatively better than OpenCL. Still, the A770’s absolute score is nearly double, and no benchmark in the shared set favors the AMD part.

These results align with the aggregate statistics. The A770’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA CMP 90HX at 69000 (a -0.3% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 8200 at 69870 (-1.5%), placing it in a band of professional-grade desktop accelerators. The RX 6550M’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc A530M at 46614 and the AMD Radeon RX 5600M at 46601, sit within 0.2% of its score, showing it belongs to a lower-tier mobile segment.

Specification Differences

The most obvious divergence is in memory configuration. The Arc A770 offers 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 512.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 6550M has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 144.0 GB/s. This is a fourfold difference in capacity and a 3.6x difference in bandwidth.

Processor resources also differ massively. The A770 has 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, while the RX 6550M has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Ray tracing cores are 32 on the A770 versus 16 on the RX 6550M. Pixel rate is 307.2 GPixel/s versus 90.88 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 614.4 GTexel/s versus 181.8 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 19.66 TFLOPS on the A770 and 5.816 TFLOPS on the RX 6550M.

Clock speeds tell the opposite story. The RX 6550M boosts to 2840 MHz and has a game clock of 2560 MHz, while the A770 boosts to 2400 MHz. The RX 6550M’s memory runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), higher than the A770’s 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). The A770’s base clock is 2100 MHz versus 2000 MHz on the RX 6550M.

Power and physical requirements are inverted as well. The A770 has a 225 W TDP, requires a 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin power connector, and suggests a 550 W PSU. The RX 6550M has an 80 W TDP, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU. The A770 is a dual-slot card with a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, while the RX 6550M is an IGP with PCIe 4.0 x4. The A770’s display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0, whereas the RX 6550M is listed as "Portable Device Dependent."

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc A770 is built on the Xe-HPG architecture using the DG2-512 chip, part of the Alchemist generation. It is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC with 21,700 million transistors on a 406 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 53.4M per mm². The AMD Radeon RX 6550M uses RDNA 2.0 with the Navi 24 chip from the Navi Mobile generation. It is also on a 6 nm TSMC process, but with only 5,400 million transistors on a 107 mm² die, a density of 50.5M per mm².

The A770’s larger die and transistor count reflect its role as a full desktop solution, while the RX 6550M’s smaller footprint is optimized for mobile integration. In terms of lineage, the A770 lists its predecessor as Xe Graphics and its successor as Battlemage, whereas the RX 6550M succeeds Polaris Mobile and has no successor listed in the database.

Both architectures support the same API set, including DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The A770’s FP16 performance is 39.32 TFLOPS (2:1), and the RX 6550M’s is 11.63 TFLOPS (2:1), showing a similar ratio relative to their FP32 figures. The production status differs: the A770 is end-of-life, while the RX 6550M is active, indicating the AMD part continues to be a current product.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc A770 wins in every head-to-head benchmark recorded. Its 156.7% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and 85.4% lead in Geekbench Vulkan make it the superior choice for compute-heavy tasks such as rendering, simulation, or any workload that scales with raw FP32 throughput and memory bandwidth. The 16 GB frame buffer also gives it an edge for applications that require large working sets. The data shows it sits at the 90th percentile of all GPUs, with rivals like the NVIDIA CMP 90HX and AMD Radeon Pro WX 8200 within 1.5% of its average score, confirming its position among professional desktop parts.

The AMD Radeon RX 6550M wins in scenarios where the A770 cannot be used at all. Its 80 W TDP, IGP form factor, and lack of power connectors make it the only viable option for portable devices. Its 85th percentile ranking is respectable within its class, and its nearest rivals are all within 1.6%, showing it performs consistently for its segment. It has no benchmark wins against the A770, but its Vulkan score of 50867 is notably stronger relative to its OpenCL result, suggesting it handles modern graphics APIs efficiently given its limited 1024 shading units.

For desktop users with access to a standard PCIe slot and a 550 W PSU, the Arc A770 is the definitive pick. For mobile users or those building ultra-compact systems, the RX 6550M is the only option, and its performance profile, while far below the A770, remains solid for its power class. The decision is not about which is faster, but which fits the physical and thermal constraints of the target system.