Intel Arc A770M vs NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear split between these two mobile GPUs, with NVIDIA taking five benchmark wins and Intel taking four. However, the margins tell a more nuanced story than the win count suggests.

NVIDIA’s biggest victory comes in Passmark GPU Compute, where the RTX A4000 Mobile scores 6,394 against Intel’s 4,778. That is a 33.8% lead, the largest delta in the entire comparison. The compute advantage is substantial, and it aligns with the GPU’s position as a workstation-oriented part. The second-largest win is in Passmark G3D, where NVIDIA posts 14,796 versus 11,774 for the Arc A770M, a 25.7% advantage. That is a decisive gap in general 3D rendering performance.

The legacy DirectX tests are decisive for NVIDIA as well. In Passmark DirectX 10, the RTX A4000 Mobile scores 105 against 56 for Intel, an 87.5% lead. In DirectX 11, the margin is similarly lopsided: 127 versus 69, a 84.1% advantage. These are not close contests; the NVIDIA part crushes Intel in older API workloads.

Intel, however, wins four tests, and two of them are modern API benchmarks that matter for current games. In Geekbench Vulkan, the Arc A770M scores 74,422 against 73,002 for NVIDIA, a 1.9% lead. In Passmark DirectX 12, Intel scores 70 against 66, a 5.7% edge. These are narrow wins, but they show Intel’s architecture handles newer, lower-level APIs with relative competence.

Intel also takes the legacy DirectX 9 test, scoring 178 versus 157, an 11.8% lead. The 2D performance test goes to Intel as well: 711 versus 585, a 17.7% win. The 2D result is a meaningful margin, though it is less relevant for gaming workloads. In OpenCL, NVIDIA holds a narrower but clear lead, 97,178 against 89,494, an 8.6% win. Overall, the data shows NVIDIA dominating in compute and legacy rasterization, while Intel leads in the newest and oldest API categories, plus 2D.

Architecture Differences

The two chips are built on different nodes, with different design philosophies. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile uses the GA104 chip, manufactured on Samsung’s 8 nm process. The die size is 392 mm², housing 17,400 million transistors, giving a transistor density of 44.4M per mm². The Intel Arc A770M uses the DG2-512 chip, built on TSMC’s 6 nm node. The die is slightly larger at 406 mm², but packs 21,700 million transistors, resulting in a higher density of 53.4M per mm². The Intel part has more transistors in a larger area, but the density advantage is clear.

The compute layout differs significantly. The NVIDIA chip has 5,120 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. It also includes 40 RT cores and 160 tensor cores. Intel counters with 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. Intel has fewer shading units but more texture and pixel throughput. The RT core count is lower on Intel at 32, and Intel has no tensor cores listed, which is a key architectural difference for AI and DLSS-style workloads.

Clock speeds are also different. NVIDIA’s base clock is 1,140 MHz with a boost of 1,680 MHz. Intel runs much higher: 1,650 MHz base, 2,050 MHz boost. Despite the clock advantage, Intel’s FP32 throughput is slightly lower: 16.79 TFLOPS versus 17.20 TFLOPS for NVIDIA. However, in FP16, Intel doubles its throughput to 33.59 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while NVIDIA stays at 17.20 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. That makes Intel the heavier FP16 performer.

Memory subsystems also diverge. NVIDIA has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 384.0 GB/s bandwidth. Intel has 16 GB of GDDR6, same bus width, but faster memory at 16 Gbps effective, yielding 512.0 GB/s. That is a 33.3% bandwidth advantage for Intel, which explains its strengths in certain compute and texture-heavy tasks. The pixel and texture rates follow: NVIDIA has 134.4 GPixel/s and 268.8 GTexel/s, while Intel has 262.4 GPixel/s and 524.8 GTexel/s. Intel more than doubles NVIDIA’s texture rate.

Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Both use PCIe 4.0 x16. Power draw is similar: NVIDIA TDP is 115 W, Intel is 120 W. Intel is listed as an IGP, while NVIDIA is a discrete mobile part. NVIDIA’s power connectors are listed as “None”, Intel’s are not specified.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 21,379, while the Intel Arc A770M has 18,383. This places NVIDIA in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, compared to Intel’s 62nd percentile.

Q: Does Intel win any direct benchmark comparisons?

A: Yes, Intel wins four of nine head-to-head tests: Geekbench Vulkan (74,422 vs 73,002), Passmark DirectX 12 (70 vs 66), DirectX 9 (178 vs 157), and Passmark G2D (711 vs 585). The Vulkan and DirectX 12 wins are small (1.9% and 5.7% respectively), but they are real.

Q: Is the Intel GPU better for compute workloads?

A:** No, the data shows the opposite. NVIDIA wins the GPU compute test decisively with a 33.8% lead (6,394 vs 4,778). Intel’s FP16 peak is higher (33.59 TFLOPS vs 17.20 TFLOPS), but the recorded compute benchmark favors NVIDIA.

Q: What about memory capacity and bandwidth?

A:** Intel has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory versus NVIDIA’s 8 GB. Intel also has higher bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s versus 384.0 GB/s. Both use a 256-bit bus.

Q: How do the nearest rivals compare for each GPU?

A:** NVIDIA’s closest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, which is 0.7% behind, and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, which is 1.2% ahead. Intel’s closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 460, which is 0.1% behind, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, which is 1.2% behind.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A:** NVIDIA has 5,120 shading units, while Intel has 4,096. However, Intel has more TMUs (256 vs 160) and ROPs (128 vs 80).

Specification Differences

| Field | NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile | Intel Arc A770M |

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

| Chip | GA104 | DG2-512 |

| Architecture | Ampere | Xe-HPG |

| Generation | Ampere-MW (Ax000) | Alchemist (Arc 7 Mobile) |

| Process Node | 8 nm | 6 nm |

| Foundry | Samsung | TSMC |

| Transistors | 17,400 million | 21,700 million |

| Die Size | 392 mm² | 406 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 44.4M / mm² | 53.4M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1140 MHz | 1650 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1680 MHz | 2050 MHz |

| Memory Speed | 12 Gbps effective | 16 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 16 GB |

| Memory Bandwidth | 384.0 GB/s | 512.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 5120 | 4096 |

| TMUs | 160 | 256 |

| ROPs | 80 | 128 |

| RT Cores | 40 | 32 |

| Tensor Cores | 160 | Not specified |

| Pixel Rate | 134.4 GPixel/s | 262.4 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 268.8 GTexel/s | 524.8 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 17.20 TFLOPS | 16.79 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 17.20 TFLOPS (1:1) | 33.59 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 115 W | 120 W |

| Slot Width | Not specified | IGP |

| Release Date | 2021-04-11 | Not specified |

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous about the overall winner. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile has a 16.3% higher average benchmark score (21,379 vs 18,383) and sits at a higher percentile (66th vs 62nd). It wins the compute test by 33.8%, the G3D test by 25.7%, and the DirectX 10 and 11 tests by margins of 87.5% and 84.1% respectively. For anyone running workstation or heavy 3D workloads, the NVIDIA part is the clear choice based on the recorded performance.

The Intel Arc A770M, however, is not a no-go. It wins the newer API tests: Vulkan and DirectX 12, and it has a massive memory advantage (16 GB vs 8 GB). The bandwidth is 33.3% higher, and the FP16 throughput is 33.59 TFLOPS versus 17.20 TFLOPS. The 2D performance is also stronger (711 vs 585). These strengths suggest it is the better part for certain modern game titles and for workloads that leverage higher FP16 throughput or require more VRAM.

The verdict comes down to workload. For professional compute, legacy API compatibility, and general 3D rendering, the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile dominates. For users who prioritize the newest API performance, higher memory capacity, or FP16 compute, the Intel Arc A770M is the more balanced alternative. The overall data shows NVIDIA ahead, but Intel’s wins are not trivial. The choice depends on the specific benchmark priorities. If the average score and compute are the deciding factors, NVIDIA wins. If memory capacity and modern API potential are the focus, Intel is the better pick. Each GPU holds a distinct advantage in different areas, and the database records these differences clearly.