Intel Arc A770M vs NVIDIA Tesla K20m Comparison

The NVIDIA Tesla K20m and Intel Arc A770M represent two vastly different eras of GPU design, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The benchmark data shows a decisive victory for the Intel part in every shared test, but the story is more nuanced than a simple score comparison. The Tesla K20m, a Kepler-era compute workhorse, and the Arc A770M, an Alchemist-generation mobile part, occupy different performance tiers despite their similar average benchmark scores. The data reveals that while the Intel Arc A770M dominates in raw compute and graphics workloads, the Tesla K20m holds its own in a narrow band of legacy performance metrics, making the choice between them highly dependent on the specific use case.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison is stark, with the Intel Arc A770M winning both shared benchmark tests by massive margins. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Arc A770M scores 89,494, while the Tesla K20m manages only 16,241. This represents a delta of -81.9% from the perspective of the Tesla, meaning the Intel part is approximately 5.5 times faster in this compute-oriented workload. This is not a marginal improvement; it is a generational leap in raw processing power, reflecting the Arc A770M's higher transistor count and modern architecture.

The Vulkan test tells a similar tale, though the margin is slightly narrower. The Intel Arc A770M posts 74,422 points, versus 21,936 for the Tesla K20m, a delta of -70.5%. While still a dominant victory, the smaller gap in Vulkan suggests that the Tesla K20m's Kepler architecture, which lacks dedicated ray tracing hardware, is less disadvantaged in this API than in OpenCL. Still, the Intel part's lead is overwhelming, and the data indicates that for any modern graphics or compute API, the Arc A770M is the clear performer.

However, the average benchmark scores paint a more balanced picture. The Tesla K20m has an average benchmark score of 19,089, while the Arc A770M sits at 18,383. This puts the Tesla slightly ahead, with its nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19,049, delta 0.2%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 (19,036, delta 0.3%). The Arc A770M's nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18,373, delta 0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18,159, delta 1.2%). This suggests that while the Intel part dominates in the two specific tests shared, the Tesla K20m has a broader set of strengths across other benchmarks not included in the head-to-head data, likely in legacy DirectX or OpenGL workloads.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is fundamental, starting with the manufacturing process. The Tesla K20m is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, while the Arc A770M uses a much more advanced 6 nm node, also from TSMC. This allows Intel to pack 21,700 million transistors into a 406 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 53.4 million per square millimeter. In contrast, the Tesla K20m has 7,080 million transistors on a larger 561 mm² die, resulting in a density of only 12.6 million per square millimeter. This fourfold difference in density explains much of the performance gap.

The core configurations diverge sharply. The Tesla K20m features 2,496 shading units, 208 texture mapping units, and 40 raster output pipelines. The Arc A770M, by comparison, has 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. The Intel part also includes 32 dedicated ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the Kepler-based Tesla. This makes the Arc A770M a modern gaming and content-creation GPU, while the Tesla K20m is a compute-focused accelerator without any display outputs.

Memory subsystems are equally different. The Tesla K20m uses 5 GB of GDDR5 on a 320-bit bus, yielding 208.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc A770M uses 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, achieving 512.0 GB/s. The Intel part's memory clock is 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective), while the Tesla's is 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective). The Arc A770M also supports PCIe 4.0 x16, while the Tesla is limited to PCIe 2.0 x16, further widening the data transfer gap.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Arc A770M is the superior GPU for almost any modern workload. Its 16.79 TFLOPS of FP32 performance dwarfs the Tesla K20m's 3.524 TFLOPS, and its FP16 capability of 33.59 TFLOPS (2:1) is entirely absent on the Tesla. The Arc A770M also has a lower TDP of 120 W versus 225 W, making it more power-efficient despite being faster. The 16 GB memory capacity and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth are critical for large datasets and high-resolution textures, whereas the Tesla's 5 GB and 208.0 GB/s are limiting.

The Tesla K20m's only advantages are its higher average benchmark score (19,089 vs 18,383) and its percentile ranking of 64 versus 62 for the Arc A770M. This suggests that in some legacy benchmarks, the Tesla's Kepler architecture still holds up. However, the lack of modern API support (DirectX 12 (11_0) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2)) and the absence of Vulkan 1.4 support (the Tesla maxes at 1.2.175) make it a poor choice for current software. The Tesla K20m is also end-of-life, with a launch MSRP of 3,199 USD, while the Arc A770M is also end-of-life but has no listed MSRP.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every specification category. The process node changes from 28 nm to 6 nm, and the transistor count jumps from 7,080 million to 21,700 million. The die size actually shrinks from 561 mm² to 406 mm², highlighting the density improvement. The Tesla K20m has no base or boost clock listed, while the Arc A770M runs at 1650 MHz base and 2050 MHz boost. Memory type shifts from GDDR5 to GDDR6, with capacity increasing from 5 GB to 16 GB, bus width dropping from 320-bit to 256-bit, but bandwidth more than doubling from 208.0 GB/s to 512.0 GB/s.

Shading units increase from 2,496 to 4,096, TMUs from 208 to 256, and ROPs from 40 to 128. The Arc A770M adds 32 ray tracing cores, which the Tesla lacks. Pixel rate jumps from 36.71 GPixel/s to 262.4 GPixel/s, and texture rate from 146.8 GTexel/s to 524.8 GTexel/s. FP32 output rises from 3.524 TFLOPS to 16.79 TFLOPS, with the Intel part also offering FP16 at 33.59 TFLOPS. TDP drops from 225 W to 120 W, slot width changes from dual-slot to IGP, and the power connectors go from 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin to none. The Tesla has no display outputs, while the Arc A770M's are portable device dependent. DirectX support improves from 12 (11_0) to 12 Ultimate (12_2), and Vulkan from 1.2.175 to 1.4.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The Intel Arc A770M scores 89,494 versus 16,241 for the NVIDIA Tesla K20m, a delta of -81.9% from the Tesla's perspective.

Q: Does the Tesla K20m have any benchmark where it beats the Arc A770M?

A: No, in the head-to-head benchmarks, the Arc A770M wins both the Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan tests. However, the Tesla K20m has a higher average benchmark score of 19,089 versus 18,383.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The Tesla K20m has 5 GB of GDDR5 on a 320-bit bus, while the Arc A770M has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, with bandwidths of 208.0 GB/s and 512.0 GB/s, respectively.

Q: Does the Arc A770M support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Arc A770M has 32 dedicated ray tracing cores, whereas the Tesla K20m has none.

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The Tesla K20m has a TDP of 225 W, while the Arc A770M has a lower TDP of 120 W.

Q: Which GPU has better API support?

A: The Arc A770M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Tesla K20m supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc A770M wins decisively in every modern workload category. Its 16.79 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 33.59 TFLOPS FP16 output make it ideal for AI inference, machine learning, and compute-heavy tasks. The 512.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 16 GB capacity support large model training and high-resolution texture streaming. The ray tracing cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing in supported games and rendering applications. The lower TDP of 120 W makes it suitable for mobile and compact systems, and its PCIe 4.0 interface ensures fast data transfer.

The NVIDIA Tesla K20m, despite its age, retains a narrow edge in average benchmark scores. Its 19,089 average versus 18,383 suggests it excels in certain legacy DirectX 10 and 11 workloads, as indicated by the PassMark scores for the Arc A770M (DirectX 10: 56, DirectX 11: 69), though these are low. The Tesla's higher percentile rank of 64 versus 62 implies it sits slightly higher among all GPUs in the database. Its 5 GB memory and 208.0 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for older scientific compute tasks, and its 3.524 TFLOPS FP32, while low by modern standards, is sufficient for basic numerical simulations. The dual-slot design and 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin power connectors suggest it was built for server workstations, not consumer gaming.

For a user building a new system, the Arc A770M is the only rational choice. For someone maintaining a legacy Tesla Kepler cluster, the K20m's compatibility with older CUDA code and its proven reliability in specific compute environments might justify its continued use. But the data overwhelmingly favors the Intel part for any forward-looking application.