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Comparative Analysis of High-End Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, Intel Arc A570M, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, and NVIDIA Quadro T500

GOOVER DAILY REPORT July 19, 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Summary
  2. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
  3. Intel Arc A570M Laptop GPU
  4. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU
  5. NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU
  6. Comparative Analysis
  7. Conclusion

1. Summary

  • The report, titled 'Comparative Analysis of High-End Laptop GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, Intel Arc A570M, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, and NVIDIA Quadro T500,' offers a detailed comparison of high-end laptop GPUs with a focus on architecture, performance benchmarks, and key features. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4050 utilize the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring advanced capabilities such as Tensor cores for DLSS and Ray Tracing cores, making them suitable for high-end gaming. Intel Arc A570M, targeting the mid-range segment, offers solid performance for medium to high-detail gaming with features like ray-tracing units, while the NVIDIA Quadro T500 is specialized for professional workloads, optimized for compute-heavy tasks with a focus on power efficiency and high performance in professional applications.

2. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU

  • 2-1. Architecture and Specs

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (Codename GN21-X9) is a high-end notebook graphics card introduced in early 2023. It is based on the AD104 chip (Ada Lovelace architecture) and features up to 7,680 shader cores. The GPU utilizes a 192-bit memory interface with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, clocked at effective speeds of 16 or 20 Gbps. The total graphics power (TGP) ranges from 60 to 150 watts, plus an additional 15 watts from Dynamic Boost. The clock speeds vary from 1350 MHz (boost clock at 60 watts) to 2280 MHz (150 watts). Being manufactured on a 5nm process by TSMC, the AD104 chip contains 35.8 billion transistors and has a die size of 379 mm². The RTX 4080 includes 232 Tensor cores (4th generation) used for DLSS 3 with Frame Generation and 58 Ray Tracing cores (3rd generation).

  • 2-2. Performance Benchmarks

  • In synthetic benchmarks, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU significantly outperforms the older RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU, but falls behind the RTX 4090. Depending on the notebook's power and cooling capabilities, its performance can offer variances, yet generally positions itself as one of the leading mobile GPUs. It achieves high scores in 3DMark 11, Fire Strike, and Time Spy benchmarks.

  • 2-3. Gaming Performance with Ray Tracing and DLSS 3

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU can smoothly run demanding games like 'F1 23' with ray tracing enabled at QHD resolution. For games without ray tracing or less demanding titles, it can effectively deliver strong performance even in 4K resolution. The 232 Tensor cores facilitate DLSS 3 technology, which enhances gaming performance through frame generation, providing a significant performance boost with minimal quality loss. Its 58 Ray Tracing cores enable advanced ray tracing effects, though their utility depends on the specific game and performance settings.

3. Intel Arc A570M Laptop GPU

  • 3-1. Architecture and Specs

  • The Intel Arc A570M is a dedicated mid-range GPU designed for notebooks, based on the ACM-G12 chip. It features 16 Xe cores (256 ALUs), 16 ray-tracing units, and 8 MB of L2 cache. The GPU operates at clock speeds ranging from 300 MHz to 2050+ MHz in turbo mode. The Arc A570M uses a 128-bit memory interface supporting 8 GB of GDDR6 memory at 14 Gbps. The total graphics power (TGP) ranges between 75 and 95 watts. The GPU is manufactured using TSMC's 6nm process (N6) and uses a BGA2660 package, integrating media engines for advanced video decoding and encoding capabilities.

  • 3-2. Positioning Between Radeon RX 6500M and 6600M

  • The Intel Arc A570M's performance is positioned between the AMD Radeon RX 6500M and the RX 6600M. It offers better performance than the Arc A550M, mainly due to its higher clock speeds and increased TDP values. The A570M can handle demanding gaming tasks at medium to high settings, providing smooth gameplay experiences across a range of titles.

  • 3-3. Gaming Performance

  • In gaming benchmarks, the Intel Arc A570M demonstrates solid performance for a mid-range laptop GPU. It can effectively handle several AAA titles with medium to high detail settings. Advanced features like its ray-tracing units enhance gaming visuals, but real-time ray tracing may still be challenging for the GPU's capabilities in highly demanding scenes under maximum settings.

4. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU

  • 4-1. Architecture and Specs

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (Codename GN21-X2) was introduced in early 2023. It is based on the AD107 chip, which utilizes the Ada Lovelace architecture. The GPU features a 96-bit memory bus combined with 6 GB of GDDR6 video memory, operating at an effective speed of 16 Gbps. The Total Graphics Power (TGP) ranges between 35 and 115 watts, supplemented by an additional 10-25 watts for Dynamic Boost from the CPU. The boost clock speed varies from 1605 MHz at 35 watts to 2370 MHz at 115 watts. Thus, the GPU's performance is heavily dependent on the TDP settings.

  • 4-2. Performance in Mid-Range Gaming

  • According to our benchmarks with several laptops, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU situates itself between the RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU and the RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Therefore, it is best suited for 1920x1080 resolution gaming with high to maximum detail settings, depending on the game. The GPU includes 80 Tensor cores to support DLSS 3, which provides a noticeable speed boost in supported games with minimal quality loss. However, the 20 Ray-Tracing cores are likely to be underutilized since the RTX 4050 may not provide sufficient performance for meaningful ray-tracing effects. The AD107 chip is manufactured using TSMC's 5nm process (4N).

5. NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU

  • 5-1. Architecture and Specs

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU, formerly known as Quadro T500, is a professional mobile graphics card based on the Turing architecture (TU117 chip). Similar to the consumer GeForce MX450, it features 896 cores and a 64-bit memory bus. The GPU is available with either 2 GB or 4 GB of graphics RAM (GDDR5 or GDDR6) and supports PCIe 4.0. The chip, manufactured using 12nm FinFET technology at TSMC, offers a TDP ranging between 18 to 25 watts depending on the variant. The Turing generation has introduced optimizations that include a unified memory architecture with twice the cache compared to its predecessor, Pascal, resulting in up to 50% more instructions per clock and a 40% more power-efficient usage. However, unlike the Quadro RTX cards, the T500 lacks raytracing and Tensor cores.

  • 5-2. Benchmark Results

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU has undergone extensive benchmarking across various categories. 3DMark benchmarks like 3DMark 11, Fire Strike, and Time Spy rate its performance. SPECviewperf 13 and 2020 benchmarks were used for professional applications, showcasing its capabilities in software like SolidWorks, Maya, and 3ds Max under different TDP configurations (18W, 22W, and 25W). Additional benchmarks such as Cinebench R11.5, Cinebench R15, and GFXBench reflect its 3D and OpenGL performance. Game benchmarks were also conducted across different resolutions from 1280x720 to 3840x2160, indicating the GPU's performance in gaming contexts. The results show that while the T500 is not optimized for high-end gaming, it can support low to medium settings for many games, making it versatile for lower-demand scenarios.

  • 5-3. Suitability for Professional Workloads

  • Given the architecture and benchmark results, the NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU is particularly well-suited for professional workloads. The enhancements in CUDA cores facilitate concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations, which is beneficial for compute-heavy tasks used in modern professional applications. The improved cache architecture leads to significant performance gains in specialized software environments like CAD, 3D modeling, and other design applications. Despite lacking features such as raytracing, its efficiency and lower power consumption ensure it remains a powerful option for mobile workstations focused on professional and compute-intensive tasks.

6. Comparative Analysis

  • 6-1. Synthetic Benchmarks Comparison

  • The synthetic benchmark comparisons provided in the reports showcase distinct performance levels across the analyzed GPUs. In various benchmarks such as 3DMark Time Spy, Ice Storm, Fire Strike, Cloud Gate, and SPECviewperf, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU and RTX 4090 Laptop GPU show significantly better performance compared to the Intel Arc A570M and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU. The RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, with its 232 Tensor Cores and 58 Raytracing Cores, performs exceptionally well in benchmarks like SPECviewperf 13 and SPECviewperf 2020, consistently outperforming the older GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. The RTX 4090, leveraging its AD103 chip, maintains a benchmark performance edge over the RTX 4080, particularly in tests that put a premium on peak GPU clock speeds and core count. Notebooks equipped with the RTX 4090 also benefit from variations in TGP (Total Graphics Power) which can range from 80 to 150 Watts, allowing some configurations to hit higher performance marks. Meanwhile, the Intel Arc A570M, powered by the ACM-G12 chip, holds its ground in the mid-range performance category, being especially effective in tasks that do not demand the top-tier capabilities of the NVIDIA GPUs.

  • 6-2. Gaming Performance Comparison

  • Gaming performance analyses indicate that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 Laptop GPUs stand out in delivering fluid gameplay even in highly demanding AAA titles. The RTX 4080 with its Ada Lovelace architecture and advanced DLSS 3, including Frame Generation, ensures smooth frame rates at QHD with ray-tracing enabled. The RTX 4090, utilizing DLSS technology, showcases even higher performance, capable of maintaining enjoyable gameplay at 4K resolution settings for games like F1 23, though optimizing settings or using DLSS is recommended for optimal performance in ray-traced scenarios. The Intel Arc A570M, with its 16 Xe-Cores and 16 Ray-Tracing Units, provides respectable performance for 1080p gaming, handling medium to high detail levels comfortably, making it a suitable choice for less demanding titles or for users not focused on ultra-high graphical settings. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, positioned between the older RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3060, excels at 1080p gaming as well, making it a budget-friendly option for those seeking good performance without the higher price tag of the top-end RTX models.

  • 6-3. Use Cases and Recommendations

  • The data-driven analysis indicates varied use cases for each GPU. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 are recommended for users looking for high-end gaming and graphical workloads, with the RTX 4090 being the top choice for those needing the absolute best performance in gaming and professional applications that utilize ray tracing and DLSS technologies. The Intel Arc A570M is suited for mid-range tasks, providing reliable performance for general gaming, multimedia, and day-to-day usage without the higher power consumption of top-tier GPUs. Lastly, the NVIDIA Quadro T500, although not the focus of synthetic benchmarks, is well-documented for compute-heavy professional applications, making it a specialized GPU for those in fields requiring robustness rather than gaming-oriented features. These insights enable users to select the appropriate GPU based on their specific needs, balancing between performance expectations and cost constraints.

7. Conclusion

  • The comparative analysis reveals that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4050 Laptop GPUs are top choices for high-end gaming and graphical tasks, thanks to features like DLSS 3 and Ray Tracing. The Intel Arc A570M GPU serves the mid-range gaming market well, providing reliable performance for general gaming and multimedia tasks. The NVIDIA Quadro T500 stands out for professional applications, offering robust performance for resource-intensive tasks. While the report highlights each GPU's strengths, it also notes limitations, such as the RTX 4050's underutilized Ray Tracing cores and the Intel Arc A570M's limitations in real-time ray tracing. Future prospects suggest continued advancements in GPU technologies, with potential improvements in performance and efficiency, making these GPUs relevant for various user needs.

8. Glossary

  • 8-1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU [Product]

  • A high-end GPU based on Ada Lovelace architecture, with 7,680 shaders, 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, 232 Tensor cores for DLSS 3, and 58 ray tracing cores, designed for high-performance gaming and graphical tasks.

  • 8-2. Intel Arc A570M [Product]

  • A mid-range GPU with 16 Xe cores and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. Positioned between the Radeon RX 6500M and 6600M, this GPU is suitable for medium to high-detail gaming performance.

  • 8-3. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU [Product]

  • A part of NVIDIA's RTX 40 series, offering a balance of performance and efficiency for mid-range gaming. Details about its architecture and specs are pivotal in understanding its position in the market.

  • 8-4. NVIDIA Quadro T500 [Product]

  • A professional GPU based on Turing architecture, featuring 896 cores, a 64-bit memory bus, and a TDP of 18-25 watts. It's designed for compute-heavy workloads in professional settings.

9. Source Documents