Intel Arc Pro A60 vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

Intel Arc Pro A60 and NVIDIA N1 20SM represent two fundamentally different approaches to GPU design, and the recorded data shows a stark contrast in their performance profiles. The Intel Arc Pro A60, based on the Xe-HPG architecture, delivers a robust average benchmark score of 60326, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA N1 20SM, a Blackwell 2.0 IGP, holds a 50th percentile ranking with no recorded benchmark scores, indicating a significant performance gap between the two.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Arc Pro A60 demonstrates clear performance superiority in all recorded benchmark categories. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Arc Pro A60 scores 63485, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM has no recorded score in this test. Similarly, in Geekbench Vulkan, the Arc Pro A60 achieves 57166, with the N1 20SM again lacking any benchmark data.

The average benchmark score difference is substantial. The Arc Pro A60's average score of 60326 stands against the N1 20SM's 0, reflecting the latter's absence from benchmark databases. This places the Arc Pro A60 in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the N1 20SM sits at the 50th percentile, a gap that underscores the Arc Pro A60's position as a performance-oriented discrete GPU.

The Arc Pro A60's fp32 compute of 8.397 TFLOPS and fp16 compute of 16.79 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) contrast with the N1 20SM's 12.01 TFLOPS for both fp32 and fp16 (1:1 ratio). While the N1 20SM shows higher raw compute numbers, its lack of benchmark scores means the practical performance cannot be verified through the database.

The pixel rate further illustrates the difference. The Arc Pro A60 delivers 131.2 GPixel/s, while the N1 20SM manages 56.30 GPixel/s, showing the Arc Pro A60 is over twice as fast in pixel throughput. Texture rate tells a different story, with the N1 20SM achieving 375.4 GTexel/s versus the Arc Pro A60's 262.4 GTexel/s, indicating the NVIDIA part has a higher texture processing capability.

The Verdict

The data indicates the Intel Arc Pro A60 is the clear choice for any workload requiring established, verified performance. Its 88th percentile ranking and comprehensive benchmark scores demonstrate a fully realized GPU implementation, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM's 50th percentile and absence of benchmark data suggest it should not be selected for performance-critical applications.

Professional graphics work, including CAD, 3D rendering, and video editing, aligns with the Arc Pro A60's capabilities. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth, coupled with 2048 shading units, 16 ray tracing cores, and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. These features position it as a complete workstation solution.

The NVIDIA N1 20SM, with its IGP form factor and lack of API support (DirectX N/A, OpenGL N/A, Vulkan N/A), appears designed for a different role entirely. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and its 80 tensor cores suggest a focus on AI or inference workloads rather than traditional graphics rendering.

Users requiring a verified, benchmarked GPU with broad software compatibility should select the Intel Arc Pro A60. The NVIDIA N1 20SM's role remains unclear from the data, as its performance characteristics cannot be validated through any recorded benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average benchmark score of 60326, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM has an average score of 0 due to no recorded benchmarks.

Q: How do the memory configurations compare?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel Arc Pro A60 has 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 384.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What API support does each GPU offer?

A: The Intel Arc Pro A60 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA N1 20SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan.

Q: What is the pixel rate difference?

A: The Intel Arc Pro A60 achieves 131.2 GPixel/s, compared to the NVIDIA N1 20SM's 56.30 GPixel/s, making the Arc Pro A60 approximately 2.3 times faster in pixel fill rate.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 2560 shading units, while the Intel Arc Pro A60 has 2048. The N1 20SM also has 160 TMUs versus 128 on the Arc Pro A60, and 20 ray tracing cores versus 16.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Arc Pro A60 ranks in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM ranks in the 50th percentile.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. The Intel Arc Pro A60 uses the DG2-256 chip on a 6 nm process from TSMC, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM uses the GB20B chip on a 5 nm process, also from TSMC. Transistor counts show the Arc Pro A60 at 11,500 million on a 269 mm² die, while the N1 20SM's transistor count is unknown on a 382 mm² die.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The Arc Pro A60 runs at 900 MHz base and 2050 MHz boost, while the N1 20SM runs at 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost. Memory clocks show 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) for the Arc Pro A60 and 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective) for the N1 20SM.

The power profile differs in documentation. The Arc Pro A60 has a TDP of 130 W with a suggested PSU of 300 W, while the N1 20SM's TDP is unknown and it has no power connectors. The form factor also differs, with the Arc Pro A60 being single-slot and the N1 20SM being an IGP.

Display outputs show 4x DisplayPort 2.0 on the Arc Pro A60 versus 1x HDMI on the N1 20SM. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x16 for the Arc Pro A60 and PCIe 5.0 x16 for the N1 20SM. Release dates are June 2023 for the Arc Pro A60 and May 2026 for the N1 20SM.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is fundamental. The Intel Arc Pro A60 uses the Xe-HPG architecture from the Alchemist generation, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM uses Blackwell 2.0 from the Blackwell IGP generation. The process nodes are close, 6 nm versus 5 nm, both from TSMC, but the transistor density reflects this difference: the Arc Pro A60 has a density of 42.8M per mm², while the N1 20SM's density is not recorded.

Compute capabilities differ in their fp16 implementation. The Arc Pro A60 uses a 2:1 ratio for fp16 relative to fp32, effectively doubling its fp16 throughput to 16.79 TFLOPS. The N1 20SM uses a 1:1 ratio, meaning its fp16 output matches its fp32 at 12.01 TFLOPS. This indicates the Arc Pro A60 has a dedicated path for half-precision workloads, while the N1 20SM treats both equally.

The N1 20SM includes 80 tensor cores, a feature entirely absent from the Arc Pro A60's specification. Ray tracing cores are present in both, with 16 on the Arc Pro A60 and 20 on the N1 20SM. The memory architecture also differs fundamentally, with GDDR6 on the Arc Pro A60 versus LPDDR5X on the N1 20SM, and the memory sizes diverge dramatically at 12 GB versus 128 GB.

The Arc Pro A60 supports a full modern API stack, while the N1 20SM lists no API support. This difference, combined with the IGP form factor and the 1x HDMI output, suggests the N1 20SM is not intended for conventional graphics applications, despite having higher raw compute and texture rates.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc Pro A60 wins in all verifiable performance metrics. Its benchmark scores of 63485 in OpenCL and 57166 in Vulkan provide concrete evidence of its capabilities, and its 88th percentile ranking confirms its position among discrete GPUs. The pixel rate of 131.2 GPixel/s and memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s make it suitable for high-resolution rendering and texture-heavy workloads.

The NVIDIA N1 20SM wins in raw compute specifications. Its 12.01 TFLOPS fp32 and fp16 performance exceeds the Arc Pro A60's 8.397 TFLOPS fp32, and its texture rate of 375.4 GTexel/s is 43% higher. The 128 GB memory capacity, while lower in bandwidth, offers substantially more storage for large datasets. The 80 tensor cores give it an advantage in AI-related tasks, though no benchmark data exists to quantify this.

The absence of API support on the N1 20SM limits its utility for standard graphics applications. The Arc Pro A60's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 ensures compatibility with current software. The N1 20SM's 1x HDMI output also restricts display configurations compared to the Arc Pro A60's 4x DisplayPort 2.0.

For workloads involving established graphics APIs, rendering pipelines, or display output flexibility, the Intel Arc Pro A60 is the clear choice. For applications that might leverage the N1 20SM's large memory pool, tensor cores, or higher texture throughput, the data suggests potential but lacks verification. The database records no wins for the N1 20SM in any benchmark category, making the Arc Pro A60 the only option with proven performance.