Intel Arc A580 vs NVIDIA N1X 48SM Comparison

Intel Arc A580 is a desktop discrete graphics card built on the Xe-HPG architecture, while NVIDIA N1X 48SM is an integrated graphics processor using the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The database records only three benchmark results for the Arc A580 and none for the N1X 48SM, so the head-to-head comparison relies on theoretical specifications and the Arc A580’s measured scores. The Arc A580 sits in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 57,756, while the N1X 48SM has no recorded scores and sits in the 50th percentile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Arc A580 has three recorded benchmark results in the database. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 2,229 points. In Geekbench OpenCL, it records 91,657 points, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 79,381 points. These results place it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 57,756.

The NVIDIA N1X 48SM has no benchmark results recorded in the database. Its average benchmark score is 0, and it holds the 50th percentile of all GPUs. The absence of data means no direct comparison of measured performance is possible for this item.

The nearest rivals for the Arc A580 provide context for its average score. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM averages 58,085 points, which is 0.6% below the Arc A580’s average. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE averages 57,367 points, placing it 0.7% above the Arc A580. The Intel Arc A570M averages 58,239 points, which is 0.8% lower than the Arc A580’s average. The AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT averages 58,392 points, 1.1% below the Arc A580’s average. These deltas are all within roughly one percent, indicating the Arc A580 performs in a tight band around these competitors.

Since the N1X 48SM lacks recorded scores, its theoretical compute figures are the only basis for comparison. The N1X 48SM delivers 28.83 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is more than double the Arc A580’s 12.29 TFLOPS. The N1X 48SM also has 6,144 shading units versus 3,072 on the Arc A580. However, these are raw specification numbers, and without benchmark results, the database cannot confirm real-world performance parity.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc A580 wins in measured software compatibility and API support. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the NVIDIA N1X 48SM lists N/A for all three APIs. This makes the Arc A580 the only option in this comparison for running modern Windows games or applications that rely on these graphics APIs.

The Arc A580 also wins in memory bandwidth. It has 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth from its 8 GB GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, while the N1X 48SM has 273.2 GB/s from 128 GB LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus. The Arc A580’s bandwidth is nearly double, which benefits texture-heavy workloads and high-resolution rendering.

The NVIDIA N1X 48SM wins in raw compute throughput. Its 28.83 TFLOPS FP32 figure is 2.35 times the Arc A580’s 12.29 TFLOPS. Its FP16 performance is also 28.83 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, while the Arc A580’s FP16 is 24.58 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, meaning the N1X 48SM maintains full throughput across both precisions.

The N1X 48SM also has more shading units (6,144 versus 3,072), more texture mapping units (384 versus 192), and more ray tracing cores (48 versus 24). It includes 192 tensor cores, while the Arc A580 lists no tensor core count. The N1X 48SM’s texture rate is 900.9 GTexel/s, which is 2.35 times the Arc A580’s 384.0 GTexel/s. Its pixel rate is 112.6 GPixel/s, which is lower than the Arc A580’s 192.0 GPixel/s, indicating the N1X 48SM trades pixel throughput for higher texture and compute throughput.

The N1X 48SM has a higher boost clock at 2,346 MHz versus the Arc A580’s 2,000 MHz, but its base clock is much lower at 741 MHz versus 1,700 MHz. The N1X 48SM’s memory runs at 8.5 Gbps effective, while the Arc A580 runs at 16 Gbps effective.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Arc A580 has an average benchmark score of 57,756, while the NVIDIA N1X 48SM has an average score of 0 because no benchmarks are recorded for it.

Q: What is the FP32 performance difference?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 48SM delivers 28.83 TFLOPS FP32, which is 2.35 times the Intel Arc A580’s 12.29 TFLOPS.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Arc A580 has 512.0 GB/s bandwidth from GDDR6 memory, while the NVIDIA N1X 48SM has 273.2 GB/s from LPDDR5X.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same graphics APIs?

A: No. The Arc A580 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1X 48SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan.

Q: How does the Arc A580 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc A580’s average score is within 1.1% of the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT, 0.8% of the Intel Arc A570M, 0.6% of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM, and 0.7% of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 48SM has 6,144 shading units, while the Intel Arc A580 has 3,072.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ substantially in their specifications. The Intel Arc A580 uses the DG2-512 chip on a 6 nm process from TSMC, with 21,700 million transistors on a 406 mm² die. The NVIDIA N1X 48SM uses the GB20B chip on a 5 nm process from TSMC, with an unknown transistor count on a 382 mm² die, giving it a smaller die size but a denser process node.

The Arc A580 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit bus and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth. The N1X 48SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory with a 256-bit bus and 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1X 48SM has far more memory capacity, but the Arc A580 has higher bandwidth.

The Arc A580’s clocks are 1,700 MHz base and 2,000 MHz boost, with memory at 16 Gbps effective. The N1X 48SM has a 741 MHz base clock and 2,346 MHz boost, with memory at 8.5 Gbps effective. The N1X 48SM has a higher boost clock but a much lower base clock.

The Arc A580 has a TDP of 175 W, uses dual-slot cooling, and requires two 8-pin power connectors with a suggested 450 W PSU. The N1X 48SM has an unknown TDP, is an IGP (integrated graphics processor), requires no power connectors, and lists no suggested PSU. The Arc A580 uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the N1X 48SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16.

The Arc A580 has 3,072 shading units, 192 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 24 RT cores. The N1X 48SM has 6,144 shading units, 384 TMUs, 48 ROPs, and 48 RT cores. The N1X 48SM also has 192 tensor cores, while the Arc A580 lists none. The Arc A580’s pixel rate is 192.0 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 384.0 GTexel/s. The N1X 48SM’s pixel rate is 112.6 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 900.9 GTexel/s.

The Arc A580 has display outputs of 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0. The N1X 48SM has 1x HDMI. The Arc A580 was released on 2023-10-09, while the N1X 48SM has a release date of 2026-05-31.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc A580 uses the Xe-HPG architecture from the Alchemist generation, specifically the Arc 5 tier. Its predecessor is Xe Graphics, and its successor is Battlemage. The NVIDIA N1X 48SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture from the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation, with no predecessor or successor listed.

The process nodes differ: the Arc A580 uses a 6 nm TSMC process, while the N1X 48SM uses a 5 nm TSMC process. The Arc A580 has a transistor density of 53.4M per mm², while the N1X 48SM has no recorded transistor density. The Arc A580’s die size is 406 mm², and the N1X 48SM’s die size is 382 mm².

The shading unit count difference is a defining architectural split. The N1X 48SM has double the shading units and TMUs of the Arc A580, but only half the ROPs. The N1X 48SM has 192 tensor cores, which the Arc A580 lacks entirely. Both have ray tracing cores, but the N1X 48SM has 48 versus the Arc A580’s 24.

The FP16 ratio differs: the Arc A580 runs FP16 at 2:1 (half rate), while the N1X 48SM runs FP16 at 1:1 (full rate). This means the N1X 48SM’s FP16 throughput equals its FP32 throughput at 28.83 TFLOPS, while the Arc A580’s FP16 is 24.58 TFLOPS despite its lower FP32.

The N1X 48SM is an integrated graphics processor with an IGP slot width, no power connectors, and no TDP recorded. The Arc A580 is a discrete dual-slot card with a 175 W TDP and two 8-pin connectors. The N1X 48SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the Arc A580 uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

The Verdict

The Intel Arc A580 is the only GPU in this comparison with measured benchmark data. Its 87th percentile rank and average score of 57,756 place it near the AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM, RX 9070 GRE, Intel Arc A570M, and RX 6950 XT, all within 1.1% of its average. For users who need a discreet graphics card with full DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 support, the Arc A580 is the functional choice. It also offers nearly double the memory bandwidth of the N1X 48SM, which is relevant for texture-heavy workloads.

The NVIDIA N1X 48SM is a newer, integrated design with no recorded benchmarks. Its 28.83 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 throughput, 6,144 shading units, and 192 tensor cores indicate higher raw compute capacity than the Arc A580. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory is far larger, and its 5 nm process node is denser than the Arc A580’s 6 nm. However, its API support is listed as N/A, and its 273.2 GB/s bandwidth is lower.

The data does not support a performance verdict for the N1X 48SM because no scores exist. The Arc A580’s measured results confirm it as a mid-range performer, while the N1X 48SM’s specification sheet suggests a compute-focused integrated part. Users requiring verified benchmark results and broad API compatibility should select the Arc A580. Users prioritizing raw FP32/FP16 throughput, tensor cores, and large memory capacity, and who do not require the APIs the Arc A580 supports, may consider the N1X 48SM, provided they accept the lack of recorded performance data. The database records no head-to-head benchmark wins for either GPU, so final selection rests on the measured results of the Arc A580 versus the theoretical specifications of the N1X 48SM.