Intel Arc A310 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and Intel Arc A310 represent two very different approaches to the low-end and mid-range GPU market. The GTX 1660 Ti, a Turing-based part from NVIDIA, and the Arc A310, Intel's entry-level Alchemist offering, are separated by nearly four years of release dates and a wide gulf in power requirements. Benchmark data shows a clear overall winner, but the Arc A310 has a specific niche where it excels. This analysis breaks down their head-to-head performance, architectural differences, and the use cases each card is best suited for based strictly on the provided data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison is a near-total victory for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, which wins 8 of the 9 benchmark tests. The most significant margin is in the Passmark DirectX 11 test, where the GTX 1660 Ti scores 103 against the Arc A310's 33, a massive 212.1% delta. This is followed closely by the DirectX 9 test, where NVIDIA leads 190 to 69, a 175.4% advantage. These legacy API results show that the GTX 1660 Ti has an enormous edge in older workloads, likely due to its more mature driver stack and higher raw compute throughput.

The 3D graphics performance gap is also substantial. In the Passmark G3D test, the GTX 1660 Ti scores 12871, which is 136.9% higher than the Arc A310's 5433. Similarly, the GPU compute test shows a 142.3% lead for NVIDIA (5226 vs 2157). The GTX 1660 Ti also dominates in the DirectX 12 test, scoring 51 versus 29, a 75.9% delta. Even in the 2D test (Passmark G2D), the NVIDIA card wins, scoring 804 against 625, a 28.6% delta. The OpenCL benchmark (Geekbench) also favors NVIDIA, with a score of 51029 versus 30607, a 66.7% delta.

However, the single win for the Intel Arc A310 is a statistical outlier that cannot be ignored. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the Arc A310 scores an impressive 28964, while the GTX 1660 Ti manages only 5827. This gives Intel a 79.9% victory in this specific test. This result is so dramatic that it suggests the Arc A310's architecture is exceptionally well-tuned for Vulkan API workloads, or that the benchmark itself favors the newer hardware's feature set.

These results are reflected in the average benchmark scores. The GTX 1660 Ti has an average benchmark score of 7723, placing it in the 41st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 540, is only 0.7% behind, showing that the GTX 1660 Ti is at the top of its performance tier. The Arc A310, with an average score of 7550, sits in the 40th percentile and is 2.3% behind the GTX 1660 Ti in the overall averages. Interestingly, the Arc A310's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, which is only 1% behind it in average score.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the use cases for these two cards are starkly different. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the clear winner for any task that relies on established graphics APIs and general-purpose compute. Its dominance in DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 tests makes it the superior choice for the vast majority of PC gaming, particularly older titles and games that do not yet support Vulkan as a primary API. The high scores in Passmark G3D and GPU Compute also indicate that it is better suited for 3D rendering, video encoding, and other compute-heavy applications that use OpenCL or CUDA-adjacent workloads. The data shows that it is a more versatile card for a standard desktop workload.

The Intel Arc A310, on the other hand, wins decisively in the Vulkan benchmark. This specific strength suggests that it is the better choice for applications that are built on the Vulkan API, which includes many modern game engines and professional 3D applications. The 79.9% lead in Geekbench Vulkan is not a small margin; it indicates a fundamental architectural advantage in how the card handles this API's command buffers and multi-threaded rendering. If a user's primary software stack is Vulkan-based, the Arc A310 would provide a significantly better experience despite its overall lower average score.

Outside of Vulkan, the Arc A310 has no other wins. Its scores in the Passmark suite are consistently lower, and its OpenCL performance is 66.7% behind the GTX 1660 Ti. Therefore, the Arc A310 is a niche product, specifically for Vulkan-centric workloads. The GTX 1660 Ti is the general-purpose workhorse, while the Arc A310 is a specialized tool.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two cards explains the stark performance split. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is built on the Turing architecture using the TU116 chip, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It contains 6,600 million transistors on a 284 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 23.2M / mm². In contrast, the Intel Arc A310 uses the Xe-HPG architecture with the DG2-128 chip, built on a much more advanced 6 nm process, also at TSMC. This allows Intel to pack 7,200 million transistors into a smaller 157 mm² die, achieving a significantly higher density of 45.9M / mm².

The core configurations are also vastly different. The GTX 1660 Ti has 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 48 ROPs. The Arc A310 has just 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This difference explains the GTX 1660 Ti's massive leads in pixel rate (84.96 GPixel/s vs 28.00 GPixel/s) and texture rate (169.9 GTexel/s vs 56.00 GTexel/s). The NVIDIA card simply has more hardware dedicated to standard rasterization. The FP32 compute throughput is also double, with the GTX 1660 Ti offering 5.437 TFLOPS versus the Arc A310's 2.688 TFLOPS.

Memory and power are the other major differentiators. The GTX 1660 Ti uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc A310 has only 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, giving it just 124.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a 132% advantage for the NVIDIA card in memory bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures and compute workloads. The power draw reflects the performance gap: the GTX 1660 Ti has a TDP of 120 W and requires a single 8-pin power connector, while the Arc A310 sips power with a 30 W TDP and requires no power connectors. The NVIDIA card also uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the Intel card uses the newer PCIe 4.0 x8 interface.

A key feature difference is in the API support. The GTX 1660 Ti supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the Arc A310 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). The Intel card also includes 6 ray tracing cores, a feature the GTX 1660 Ti lacks entirely. This newer API support and ray tracing capability are likely contributors to the Arc A310's massive Vulkan performance lead, as the Xe-HPG architecture is designed for modern, feature-rich APIs.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for the majority of users: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the stronger graphics card. Its average benchmark score of 7723 is 2.3% higher than the Arc A310's 7550. It wins in 8 of 9 direct comparisons, including massive leads in DirectX 11 (212.1%), DirectX 9 (175.4%), and GPU compute (142.3%). For anyone building a system for general gaming, 3D rendering, or OpenCL-based tasks, the GTX 1660 Ti is the clear choice based on this data alone. Its higher memory bandwidth and double the shading units provide a performance floor that the Arc A310 cannot match in most scenarios.

However, the Intel Arc A310 is not a failure. It is the winner in the specific Geekbench Vulkan test, beating the GTX 1660 Ti by 79.9%. This makes it the better option for a user whose primary applications are exclusively Vulkan-based. Its modern architecture, including DirectX 12 Ultimate support and 6 ray tracing cores, makes it a forward-looking choice for specific next-generation workloads. Furthermore, its low power draw of 30 W and single-slot design mean it can be installed in systems where power and space are at a premium, such as small form factor PCs or servers that need basic GPU acceleration.

The choice comes down to compatibility and workload. If a user needs a reliable, fast GPU for a standard Windows gaming PC, the GTX 1660 Ti is the obvious winner. If a user has a specific need for Vulkan performance or requires a low-profile, low-power card for a specialized system, the Arc A310 is the superior choice. The 41st percentile ranking for the GTX 1660 Ti versus the 40th percentile for the Arc A310 is a small difference, but the delta in specific tests is enormous. Do not let the close average scores deceive; these are very different cards with different strengths.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti has a higher average benchmark score of 7723, compared to the Intel Arc A310's 7550. This represents a 2.3% delta in favor of the NVIDIA card.

Q: In which single benchmark does the Intel Arc A310 beat the GTX 1660 Ti?

A: The Intel Arc A310 wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 28964, while the GTX 1660 Ti scores 5827. This gives the Arc A310 a 79.9% lead in that specific test.

Q: How do the memory configurations compare?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc A310 has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 124.0 GB/s.

Q: What are the TDP requirements for each card?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti has a TDP of 120 W and requires a 1x 8-pin power connector. The Intel Arc A310 has a much lower TDP of 30 W and requires no power connectors.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti has 1536 shading units, which is double the 768 shading units found on the Intel Arc A310. This contributes to its higher FP32 performance of 5.437 TFLOPS versus 2.688 TFLOPS.

Q: Does the Intel Arc A310 support any features that the GTX 1660 Ti lacks?

A: Yes, the Intel Arc A310 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and includes 6 ray tracing cores. The GTX 1660 Ti supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and has no ray tracing cores.