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In-Depth Comparative Analysis of Modern Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA and Intel

GOOVER DAILY REPORT July 8, 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Summary
  2. NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU: An Overview
  3. High-End Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 vs. Intel Arc A570M
  4. Ultra High-End Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 vs. Intel Arc A770M
  5. Conclusion

1. Summary

  • The report titled 'In-Depth Comparative Analysis of Modern Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA and Intel' delves into the specifications, performance metrics, and manufacturing intricacies of contemporary laptop GPUs. The focus is concentrated on NVIDIA's Quadro T500, RTX 4080, and RTX 4090, and Intel's Arc A570M and A770M models. Through detailed benchmarks and technical analysis, the report aims to guide decisions regarding GPU performance and efficiency. Key findings highlight the architectural advancements, performance benchmarks, and power consumption efficiencies of each GPU model, providing a thorough comparison that suits professionals and enthusiasts keen on evaluating GPU options for various workloads and gaming applications.

2. NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU: An Overview

  • 2-1. Architecture and Specifications

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU, previously known as the T500, is a professional mobile graphics card designed for laptops. This GPU is based on the Turing architecture, specifically the TU117 chip, which it shares with the consumer-grade GeForce MX450. The T500 features 896 CUDA cores, a 64-bit memory bus, and is available with either 2 or 4 GB of GDDR5 or GDDR6 graphics RAM. It supports PCIe 4.0 and is manufactured using TSMC's 12nm FinFET process. The Turing architecture brought significant improvements, including concurrent execution of floating-point and integer operations and a new unified memory architecture, resulting in up to 50% more instructions per clock and a 40% increase in power efficiency compared to the previous Pascal generation.

  • 2-2. Performance and Benchmarks

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU demonstrates impressive performance for professional applications. According to benchmarks, the T500 performs commendably across various tests, including 3DMark 11, Fire Strike, Time Spy, and SPECviewperf 13 benchmarks. These benchmarks highlight the GPU's capability to manage compute-heavy workloads efficiently, although it does not support ray tracing and Tensor cores like its higher-end Quadro RTX counterparts. The specific benchmark values indicate successful applications in areas such as SPECviewperf 13 maya-05, snx-03, and creo-02, as well as gaming performance metrics at various settings. However, actual performance may vary based on the configuration of the laptop, including factors such as the type of graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating system.

  • 2-3. Power Consumption and Efficiency

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU exhibits a range of thermal design power (TDP) values between 18 to 25 watts, depending on the variant. This low power draw contributes to its favorable power efficiency, making it suitable for mobile professional use where power efficiency is critical. Additionally, the Turing architecture’s enhanced power efficiency means the Quadro T500 can deliver adequate performance without significant energy consumption. Benchmarks and real-world usage indicate that this GPU maintains manageable power and thermal levels, further emphasizing its design for professional productivity in portable devices.

3. High-End Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 vs. Intel Arc A570M

  • 3-1. Architecture Comparison

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture utilizing the AD104 chip. It features 7,680 Shaders, a 192-bit memory bus, and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory with an effective clock speed of 16 or 20 Gbps. On the other hand, the Intel Arc A570M is based on the ACM-G12 chip architecture and offers 16 Xe Cores (256 ALUs), 16 Ray-Tracing Units, and an 8 MB L2 cache. It has a 128-bit memory interface and supports 8 GB of GDDR6 memory running at 14 Gbps.

  • 3-2. Performance and Benchmarks

  • In performance benchmarks, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU surpasses the older RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU and falls just behind the RTX 4090. It can handle demanding games like F1 23 with Raytracing at QHD resolution smoothly and supports 4K gaming for less demanding games. In contrast, the Intel Arc A570M is positioned in the lower mid-range category of dedicated laptop GPUs. The performance is likely comparable to between the Radeon RX 6500M and 6600M.

  • 3-3. Shader Counts and Memory Configurations

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU comes with 7,680 Shader units and a 192-bit memory bus configuration, paired with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory. The Intel Arc A570M features 16 Xe Cores, translating to 256 ALUs, and utilizes a 128-bit memory interface with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

  • 3-4. Power Consumption and TGP Settings

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU has a Total Graphics Power (TGP) range of 60 to 150 Watts, which can extend an additional 15 Watts from the CPU's Dynamic Boost. Its power consumption varies significantly based on the laptop's TDP setting and cooling efficiency, with potential clock speeds ranging from 1,350 MHz (at 60 Watts) to 2,280 MHz (at 150 Watts). Meanwhile, the Intel Arc A570M's TGP ranges between 75 and 95 Watts, depending on the laptop configuration. Its core clocks fluctuate from 300 MHz (base) to 2.05+ GHz (Turbo).

  • 3-5. Manufacturing Processes

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU uses the 5nm process technology developed by TSMC (referred to as 4N), incorporating 35.8 billion transistors over a die size of 379 mm². In comparison, the Intel Arc A570M is manufactured using TSMC's 6nm (N6) process and integrates two media engines for VP9, AVC, HEVC, and AV1 8k60 12-bit HDR decoding and 8k 10-bit HDR encoding, all within a BGA2660 package.

4. Ultra High-End Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 vs. Intel Arc A770M

  • 4-1. Specifications and Core Counts

  • The Intel Arc A770M is based on the ACM-G10 chip and includes 32 Xe-Cores (512 ALUs), 32 Ray-Tracing Units, 6 MB L1 Cache, and 16 MB L2 Cache. The clocks range from 300 MHz up to 2050 MHz (Turbo). In comparison, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU is based on the AD103 chip (Ada Lovelace architecture) featuring up to 10,752 Shader cores, and a base clock range from 1455 MHz (80W) to 2040 MHz (150W).

  • 4-2. Memory Interface and Configurations

  • The Intel Arc A770M supports a 256-bit memory interface with 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM at 16 Gbps. Meanwhile, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 features a 256-bit memory bus with 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM clocked at 20 Gbps.

  • 4-3. Performance Ratings and Benchmarks

  • The Intel Arc A770M's performance lies in the upper mid-range for dedicated notebook GPUs, estimated below the RTX 3070 based on power usage. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU outperforms the old RTX 3080 Ti but ranks below the desktop RTX 4080. Benchmarks reveal that the RTX 4090 leads in synthetic tests and handles demanding games smoothly at 4K settings, with performance varying based on TGP settings.

  • 4-4. Display Support and TGP Variations

  • The Intel Arc A770M integrates four Display Pipes supporting 4x 4K120 HDR and includes HDMI 2.0b and DP 2.0 10G, with TGP ranging between 120 to 150 watts. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 supports HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a, with TGP options ranging from 80 to 150 watts plus an additional 15 watts for Dynamic Boost. This GPU supports up to four simultaneous displays.

  • 4-5. Manufacturing and Technological Innovations

  • The ACM-G10 chip in the Intel Arc A770M is fabricated using TSMC's 6 nm process with 21.7 billion transistors and a die size of 406 mm². It also features dual media engines for multiple codec support. The AD103 chip in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is produced with TSMC's 5 nm process (4N), housing 45.9 billion transistors in a 379 mm² die.

5. Conclusion

  • The analysis of modern laptop GPUs from NVIDIA and Intel underscores significant variations in architectural designs, performance capacities, and power efficiencies. The NVIDIA Quadro T500 is lauded for its efficient power consumption and performance in professional applications, despite lacking advanced features like ray tracing. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 offers high-end performance, excelling in demanding games and synthetic benchmarks, while the RTX 4090 provides top-of-the-line capabilities, suitable for the most challenging tasks. On the Intel front, the Arc A570M and A770M demonstrate competitive performance and robust memory configurations, though they target different segments compared to their NVIDIA counterparts. However, limitations such as varying power settings, cooling efficiencies, and the evolving GPU landscape must be considered. Future developments in GPU technology and manufacturing processes are expected to influence further advancements, highlighting the need for continuous assessment when selecting the optimal GPU for specific requirements. Practical applications of this analysis extend to professionals in 3D rendering, gamers, and IT managers seeking efficient, high-performance GPU solutions for their portable devices.

6. Glossary

  • 6-1. NVIDIA Quadro T500 [Product]

  • A professional mobile GPU based on the Turing architecture, known for its 2 or 4 GB graphics RAM, efficient power consumption, and improved performance metrics compared to the Pascal architecture. Ideal for compute-heavy workloads despite lacking raytracing and Tensor cores.

  • 6-2. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 [Product]

  • A high-end notebook GPU based on Ada Lovelace architecture with 7,680 shaders and 12 GB GDDR6 memory. It includes Tensor and Raytracing cores, supporting DLSS 3, and excels in demanding games and synthetic benchmarks.

  • 6-3. Intel Arc A570M [Product]

  • An Intel-based high-end laptop GPU that competes with NVIDIA’s RTX 4080, noted for its distinct chip design, core count, and performance metrics. Its efficiency and benchmark performance are key comparisons against NVIDIA counterparts.

  • 6-4. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 [Product]

  • The top-tier GPU in the RTX series, offering superior performance metrics, higher shader counts, and advanced memory configurations. Ideal for users requiring the highest possible performance from a mobile GPU.

  • 6-5. Intel Arc A770M [Product]

  • A powerful Intel GPU that competes with the NVIDIA RTX 4090, featuring a high core count, robust memory interface, and top-tier performance ratings in various benchmarks. It serves as a flagship model in Intel’s GPU lineup.

7. Source Documents