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Comparative Analysis of Nvidia and Intel Laptop GPUs

GOOVER DAILY REPORT July 23, 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Summary
  2. High-End GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 vs Intel Arc A770M vs NVIDIA RTX 4090
  3. Mid-Range GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 vs Intel Arc A570M
  4. Professional Mobile GPU: NVIDIA Quadro T500
  5. Conclusion

1. Summary

  • This report presents a comparative analysis of various laptop GPUs from NVIDIA and Intel, specifically focusing on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, RTX 4090, RTX 4050, Intel Arc A770M, A570M, and NVIDIA Quadro T500. The purpose of the report is to evaluate these GPUs based on their specifications, performance benchmarks, and power consumption, thereby highlighting their strengths and weaknesses across different gaming scenarios and professional applications. Key findings indicate that the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 stand out in high-end capabilities, particularly for 4k gaming with ray tracing. On the mid-range spectrum, the RTX 4050 and Intel Arc A570M offer balanced performance for mainstream gaming. The NVIDIA Quadro T500, while less focused on gaming, excels in professional applications with its specialized architecture and efficient performance in compute-heavy tasks.

2. High-End GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 vs Intel Arc A770M vs NVIDIA RTX 4090

  • 2-1. Specifications of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, codenamed GN21-X9, is a high-end notebook graphics card introduced in early 2023. It uses the AD104 chip based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, also used by the Desktop RTX 4070 Ti. The GPU offers up to 7,680 shaders, a 192-bit memory bus, 12 GB of GDDR6 graphics memory, and an effective clock speed of either 16 or 20 Gbps. The Total Graphics Power (TGP) ranges from 60 to 150 watts, plus an additional 15 watts for Dynamic Boost from the CPU. The GPU clock frequency varies from 1,350 MHz (boost at 60 watts) to 2,280 MHz (150 watts). This makes the performance highly dependent on the notebook's TDP settings and cooling capabilities. The RTX 4080 is manufactured by TSMC using a 5nm process (4N) and features 35.8 billion transistors in a die size of 379 mm². It boasts advanced features such as 232 Tensor Cores for DLSS 3 with Frame Generation and 58 Ray Tracing cores.

  • 2-2. Detailed features of Intel Arc A770M

  • The Intel Arc A770M is a dedicated mid-range GPU for notebooks, based on the ACM-G10 chip. It features 32 Xe cores (512 ALUs), 32 ray-tracing units, 6 MB L1 cache, and 16 MB L2 cache. The clock rates range from 300 MHz to 2,050 MHz in turbo mode, with a memory interface of 256 bits supporting 16 GB of GDDR6 graphics memory running at 16 Gbps. The TGP for the A770M varies between 120 and 150 watts, depending on the model. The ACM-G10 chip is produced using TSMC's 6nm process and integrates media engines capable of decoding VP9, AVC, HEVC, AV1 at 8k60 12-bit HDR and encoding 8k 10-bit HDR. The chip also supports four display pipes for up to 4x 4k120 HDR, HDMI 2.0b, DP 2.0 10G, and Adaptive Sync. Intel's Deep Link technology allows for Dynamic Power Share when used with a 12th-generation Alder Lake CPU.

  • 2-3. Performance of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, introduced in early 2023, is designed for high-end notebooks. It is based on the AD103 chip, leveraging the Ada Lovelace architecture, also used by the Desktop RTX 4080. This GPU features a maximum of 10,752 shaders and a 256-bit memory bus with 16 GB GDDR6 memory clocked at 20 Gbps. The TGP ranges from 80 to 150 watts, with an additional 15 watts for Dynamic Boost. GPU clock speeds vary from 1,455 MHz at 80 watts to 2,040 MHz at 150 watts, impacting overall performance. The RTX 4090 performs significantly better than the previous RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU and is only second to desktop versions. It can handle demanding 4k gaming scenarios and provides excellent performance with ray tracing enabled, especially when combined with DLSS. The AD103 chip is fabricated using TSMC's 5nm process, containing 45.9 billion transistors within a die size of 379 mm².

  • 2-4. Benchmark comparisons

  • Benchmark comparisons exhibit the superiority of the RTX 4090 over the RTX 4080 and Intel Arc A770M. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4090 leads by a clear margin, followed by the RTX 4080, which surpasses the older RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. Tests, including 3DMark Time Spy, Fire Strike, Cloud Gate, and SPECviewperf, reveal the consistent high performance of the RTX 4090 across various workloads. The Intel Arc A770M, while solid in the upper mid-range category, lags behind both NVIDIA competitors. The RTX 4080 stands out in performance ratings thanks to its higher clock speeds and efficient architecture, offering robust gaming performance at QHD and 4k resolutions under specific configurations and cooling scenarios.

3. Mid-Range GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 vs Intel Arc A570M

  • 3-1. Specifications of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, codenamed GN21-X2, is a mid-range notebook graphics card introduced in early 2023. It is based on the AD107 chip (Ada Lovelace Architecture) featuring a 96-bit memory bus with 6 GB GDDR6 memory clocked at 16 Gbps. The TGP (total graphics power) ranges from 35 to 115 watts, with an additional 10-25 watts available through Dynamic Boost from the CPU. Depending on the TGP settings, the boost clock can vary from 1605 MHz (at 35 watts) to 2370 MHz (at 115 watts). The GPU includes 80 Tensor cores supporting DLSS 3, providing a significant performance boost in supported games, and 20 Raytracing cores, which are less utilized due to limited performance for enabling effective ray tracing effects. The AD107 chip is manufactured using TSMC's 5nm process (4N).

  • 3-2. Features of Intel Arc A570M

  • The Intel Arc A570M, identified by Device ID 5696, is a dedicated mid-range laptop GPU from Intel. It is built on the ACM-G12 chip and features 16 Xe cores (256 ALUs), 16 ray-tracing units, and 8 MB L2 cache. The clock speeds range from 300 MHz to over 2.05 GHz in turbo mode. The memory system includes a 128-bit interface supporting 8 GB of GDDR6 memory at 14 Gbps. The TGP ranges between 75 and 95 watts, depending on the configuration. The GPU integrates two media engines for various decoding and encoding tasks and supports four display outputs, including HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 2.0 10G. Dynamic Power Share with a 12th-gen Intel CPU can be utilized for additional power management. The ACM-G12 chip is manufactured using TSMC's 6nm process (N6).

  • 3-3. Performance Benchmarks in Gaming Scenarios

  • The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU delivers performance that situates it between the RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU and the RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. It is best suited for 1920x1080 gaming with high to maximum settings, depending on the game. Benchmarks have shown it performing significantly better in synthetic tests and real-world gaming scenarios when compared to the Arc A570M. The Intel Arc A570M's performance is categorized in the lower mid-range of dedicated laptop GPUs, estimated to be between the AMD Radeon RX 6500M and RX 6600M. It handles demanding games with medium to high settings fluidly; however, it cannot compete with the higher-end RTX 4050 in most gaming benchmarks.

  • 3-4. Key Differences and Similarities

  • The primary differences between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 and the Intel Arc A570M lie in their architecture, performance, and power consumption. NVIDIA's GPU offers higher computational power with its more advanced Ada Lovelace architecture, resulting in superior gaming performance, especially in applications leveraging DLSS 3 and Tensor cores. In contrast, the Intel Arc A570M focuses more on balanced efficiency and is equipped with decent ray-tracing capabilities and media engine support. Both GPUs are manufactured using TSMC's processes, with different nodes (5nm for NVIDIA and 6nm for Intel). Despite being mid-range products, they provide a good mix of performance and energy efficiency, suitable for mainstream gaming and multitasking.

4. Professional Mobile GPU: NVIDIA Quadro T500

  • 4-1. Technical Specifications of NVIDIA Quadro T500

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile, formerly known as Quadro T500, is a professional mobile graphics card based on the Turing architecture (TU117 chip). It shares the same 896 cores and a 64-bit memory bus as the consumer GeForce MX450 and is available with either 2 GB or 4 GB of graphics RAM (GDDR5 or GDDR6). The TDP ranges between 18-25 watts, depending on the variant. Additionally, the T500 supports PCIe 4.0 and is manufactured with a 12nm FinFET process at TSMC.

  • 4-2. Turing Architecture Features

  • The Turing architecture in the NVIDIA Quadro T500 introduces several enhancements over previous generations. It provides concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations, resulting in better performance in compute-heavy workloads. The architecture also features a reworked cache system, implementing a new unified memory architecture that doubles the cache compared to Pascal. These changes lead to approximately 50% more instructions per clock and a 40% increase in power efficiency. However, unlike the faster Quadro RTX cards, the T500 does not include raytracing or Tensor cores.

  • 4-3. Performance Benchmarks

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500's performance is rated across various benchmarks. It shows notable results in synthetic benchmarks such as 3DMark 11, SPECviewperf 13, and SPECviewperf 2020. For SPECviewperf 13, the benchmarks include various categories such as medical, maya, energy, and others, with the TDP ranging from 18W to 25W. Several game benchmark results indicate varying performance levels across different resolutions and settings, ranging from 1280x720 low settings to 3840x2160 ultra settings. In 3DMark and other specific benchmarks, the performance is contingent on the used graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating system employed in the testing environment.

  • 4-4. Use Cases and Applications

  • The NVIDIA Quadro T500 is best suited for professional applications. Its optimized architecture makes it ideal for tasks involving compute-heavy workloads and modern games that benefit from the concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations. While it lacks the advanced ray tracing and Tensor cores found in higher-end models, its power efficiency and enhanced cache architecture make it suitable for various professional applications that require reliable performance over extended periods with moderate power consumption.

5. Conclusion

  • The study concludes that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 are top-tier options for high-end gaming, boasting superior performance and advanced features like ray tracing and DLSS 3. These GPUs outperform the Intel Arc A770M in both synthetic and real-world benchmarks. Mid-range GPUs such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 and Intel Arc A570M offer a good mix of performance and energy efficiency, making them well-suited for mainstream gaming and multitasking. The Intel Arc A770M and A570M, while competent, do not match the upper-tier performance seen in the high-end NVIDIA models. The NVIDIA Quadro T500 is specifically tailored for professional use, providing reliable performance for compute-intensive workloads despite its lack of advanced gaming features like ray tracing and Tensor cores. Future improvements in cooling technologies and power management could further enhance the overall performance and efficiency of these GPUs. Users can leverage these insights to select the most appropriate GPU based on their specific gaming or professional needs.

6. Glossary

  • 6-1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 [GPU]

  • A high-end laptop GPU with 7,680 shader cores, 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, and a power consumption of 60 to 150 watts. Known for superior gaming performance and advanced features.

  • 6-2. Intel Arc A770M [GPU]

  • A high-end Intel laptop GPU featuring 32 Xe-cores, known for delivering significant improvements over older models and targeting 4k gaming scenarios.

  • 6-3. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 [GPU]

  • A top-tier laptop GPU from NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace architecture, offering exceptional performance, particularly in 4k gaming with ray tracing effects.

  • 6-4. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 [GPU]

  • A mid-range laptop GPU with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and a power consumption of 35 to 115 watts, providing a balance of performance and energy efficiency for mainstream users.

  • 6-5. Intel Arc A570M [GPU]

  • A mid-range Intel laptop GPU, focusing on cost-effective performance for mainstream gaming and multitasking scenarios.

  • 6-6. NVIDIA Quadro T500 [Professional Mobile GPU]

  • A professional mobile graphics card based on the Turing architecture, meant for professional applications, featuring 896 cores and options for 2 or 4 GB graphics RAM.

7. Source Documents