GPU Comparison

Intel Arc A770 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT are both end-of-life graphics cards in the database, yet they represent very different design philosophies. The Intel part is built on a newer 6 nm process with a smaller die, while the AMD card packs more transistors and a larger physical footprint. The recorded benchmark data shows a consistent performance gap, but the nature of those wins and the underlying specifications tell a more nuanced story about where each card fits.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT wins all three recorded comparisons. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the AMD card scores 3689 against Intel's 2969, a delta of -19.5% for the Arc A770. This is a substantial margin in a modern DirectX 12 workload, suggesting the RX 6800 XT has a clear advantage in rasterization-heavy scenes.

The gap widens significantly in compute-oriented tests. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 6800 XT posts 171304 points versus the Arc A770's 109175, a -36.3% deficit for Intel. The Vulkan result follows a similar pattern: AMD scores 136875, Intel scores 94284, a -31.1% difference. These are not marginal differences; they indicate the AMD architecture delivers far higher raw throughput in general-purpose and graphics API workloads.

Interestingly, the Arc A770's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 68809, which places it in the 90th percentile of all GPUs. The RX 6800 XT, despite winning every head-to-head matchup, has a lower average score of 48477 and sits in the 85th percentile. This discrepancy is explained by the test sets: the RX 6800 XT has a much broader benchmark portfolio, including several PassMark tests with low scores that drag down its average. The head-to-head tests are the more reliable comparison for this specific pairing.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the data, the RX 6800 XT is the dominant performer in every recorded scenario. Its wins in DX12, OpenCL, and Vulkan suggest it is the better choice for demanding gaming, content creation, and compute tasks. The 19.5% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad is particularly relevant for gamers targeting high frame rates at high resolutions, as that benchmark stresses modern graphics pipelines.

The Arc A770, however, has a few qualitative advantages that do not appear in the scoreboards. It consumes less power (225 W TDP versus 300 W), requires a smaller power supply (550 W suggested versus 700 W), and uses a single 6-pin plus single 8-pin connector setup versus the RX 6800 XT's dual 8-pin. For users with older or lower-wattage power supplies, the Intel card is the more practical drop-in option. Additionally, the Arc A770 offers three DisplayPort 2.0 outputs, while the RX 6800 XT provides two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs plus a USB Type-C port. For display flexibility with future monitors, Intel's newer DisplayPort standard is a point in its favor.

The Arc A770 also has a higher pixel rate (307.2 GPixel/s versus 288.0 GPixel/s), which can benefit fill-rate-limited scenarios, though the RX 6800 XT counters with a higher texture rate (648.0 GTexel/s versus 614.4 GTexel/s) and more shading units (4608 versus 4096). In practice, the AMD card's higher FP32 throughput (20.74 TFLOPS versus 19.66 TFLOPS) likely explains its consistent wins.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT scores 3689 versus the Intel Arc A770's 2969, a 19.5% advantage for AMD.

Q: How do the two compare in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RX 6800 XT scores 171304, while the Arc A770 scores 109175, giving AMD a 36.3% lead in this compute workload.

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

A: The Arc A770 has an average score of 68809 across all its recorded tests, while the RX 6800 XT averages 48477. The RX 6800 XT's average is lowered by its inclusion of several PassMark tests.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor count?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT has 26,800 million transistors, compared to 21,700 million for the Intel Arc A770.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Arc A770 has a boost clock of 2400 MHz, while the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT boosts to 2250 MHz. Despite the lower clock, AMD wins all recorded benchmarks.

Specification Differences

The two cards share several core specifications: both have 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 512.0 GB/s bandwidth, and both are dual-slot designs with PCIe 4.0 x16 interfaces. Their differences are substantial elsewhere.

The Arc A770 is built on a 6 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 406 mm² and a transistor density of 53.4M per mm². The RX 6800 XT uses a 7 nm process, also at TSMC, with a larger 520 mm² die and a slightly lower density of 51.5M per mm². AMD's chip has 26,800 million transistors, about 23.5% more than Intel's 21,700 million.

Clock speeds favor Intel: the Arc A770 runs at 2100 MHz base and 2400 MHz boost, while the RX 6800 XT has a 1825 MHz base and 2250 MHz boost. AMD lists a separate "game" clock of 2015 MHz, which Intel does not. The RX 6800 XT compensates with more execution resources: 4608 shading units, 288 TMUs, and 72 ray accelerators, versus Intel's 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 32 ray accelerators. Both have 128 ROPs.

Power and physical dimensions differ notably. The Arc A770 draws 225 W and requires a 550 W PSU, while the RX 6800 XT draws 300 W and needs a 700 W PSU. The AMD card measures 267 mm long, 120 mm tall, and 50 mm wide; Intel does not list dimensions. Display outputs also diverge: Intel provides 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0, while AMD offers 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is fundamental. Intel's Arc A770 uses the Xe-HPG architecture, part of the Alchemist generation, built on the DG2-512 chip. AMD's RX 6800 XT uses RDNA 2.0, part of the Navi II generation, based on the Navi 21 chip. These are different design philosophies: Intel's Xe-HPG is its first dedicated gaming GPU architecture in this segment, while RDNA 2.0 is a mature, refined design from AMD.

The process nodes reflect a generational shift. Intel uses TSMC's 6 nm process, which is newer and denser, allowing a smaller die (406 mm²) for fewer transistors. AMD uses TSMC's 7 nm process, which is older but proven, accommodating a larger die (520 mm²) with more transistors. Despite the density advantage for Intel (53.4M/mm² versus 51.5M/mm²), AMD's raw transistor count gives it more compute units.

Ray tracing hardware differs significantly. The RX 6800 XT has 72 ray accelerators, while the Arc A770 has 32. This suggests AMD has a stronger ray tracing throughput capability, though no specific ray tracing benchmarks are in the recorded data. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate, so they can run the same feature set, but the hardware muscle behind those features is uneven.

The Arc A770 has a higher boost clock (2400 MHz versus 2250 MHz), which helps it narrow the gap in pixel rate, but the RX 6800 XT's higher texture rate and FP32 throughput prove more decisive in the recorded tests. Intel's architecture appears to be efficiency-oriented, with lower power draw and a newer process, while AMD's is performance-oriented, with more transistors and a higher power envelope.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the superior performer in every direct comparison. It wins by 19.5% in DX12, 36.3% in OpenCL, and 31.1% in Vulkan. For anyone prioritizing raw performance in gaming or compute, the RX 6800 XT is the obvious choice. Its higher transistor count, more shading units, and greater ray accelerator count align with these results.

The Intel Arc A770, however, has its own strengths. It is more efficient, drawing 225 W versus 300 W, and requires a less demanding power supply (550 W versus 700 W). It also offers newer display outputs with DisplayPort 2.0, which could be relevant for future monitors. Users with power supply constraints or a preference for the latest display connectivity might prefer the Arc A770.

The launch MSRP for the Arc A770 is 329 USD, while the RX 6800 XT launched at 649 USD. Given the performance gap, the RX 6800 XT commands a premium, but the Arc A770 offers a more accessible entry point into high-end graphics with 16 GB of memory. The choice depends on priorities: maximum performance points to AMD, while efficiency and modern display outputs favor Intel. Both cards are end-of-life, so availability and system compatibility should be primary considerations.