Comparison of NVIDIA and Intel Laptop GPUs: Capabilities and Market Positioning

1. Summary

• This report provides a comparative analysis of laptop GPUs from NVIDIA and Intel, specifically examining the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, RTX 4050, and Quadro T500, as well as the Intel Arc A570M and A770M. It evaluates each GPU's specifications, architecture, performance metrics, and market positioning. Key results highlight the high-end performance of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080 for gaming and demanding applications, with lower-range options like the Intel Arc A570M and A770M offering substantial performance for less intensive tasks. Additionally, it covers aspects such as shader counts, memory configurations, power ratings, and suitability for various use-case scenarios including gaming and professional tasks, aiming to guide users on the right GPU selection based on specific needs.

2. NVIDIA GeForce and Intel Arc GPU Specifications

• 2-1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU

• The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, codenamed GN21-X9, is a high-end notebook graphics card introduced in early 2023. It is based on the AD104 chip (Ada Lovelace Architecture) similar to the desktop RTX 4070 Ti. The GPU features up to 7,680 shaders, a 192-bit memory bus, and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at either 16 or 20 Gbps. The total graphics power (TGP) ranges from 60 to 150 watts, with an additional 15 watts for Dynamic Boost from the CPU. GPU clock speeds range from 1350 MHz (boost at 60W) to 2280 MHz (boost at 150W). According to initial tests, the performance of the RTX 4080 Laptop GPU surpasses that of the RTX 3080 Laptop GPU but is slightly inferior to the desktop RTX 4070 Ti. It allows for fluid gameplay in demanding titles like F1 23 with ray tracing enabled in QHD and can handle 4K gaming in less demanding scenarios. The GPU also includes 232 fourth-generation Tensor cores for DLSS 3, incorporating Frame Generation, and 58 third-generation Ray-Tracing cores. It is manufactured on TSMC's 5nm process (4N) and encompasses 35,800 million transistors in a die size of 379 mm².

• 2-2. Intel Arc A570M

• The Intel Arc A570M is a mid-range dedicated graphics card for laptops that utilizes the ACM-G12 chip. It includes 16 Xe cores (256 ALUs), 16 Ray-Tracing units, and 8MB L2 cache. The core clock speeds range from 300 MHz to 2.05+ GHz in Turbo mode, and its memory interface supports 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 128-bit bus and 14 Gbps speed. The A570M's TGP varies between 75 and 95 watts, depending on the model. Performance-wise, it slots below high-end GPUs but should be capable of handling demanding games at medium to high detail settings fluidly. Its fabrication uses TSMC's 6nm process (N6), and it uses a BGA2660 package. The chip includes dual-media engines for VP9, HEVC, and AV1 8k60 12-Bit HDR decoding and encoding. Display-wise, it supports up to four 4k120 HDR displays, HDMI 2.0B, DisplayPort 2.0 10G, and Adaptive Sync. The Dynamic Power Share feature can be leveraged through Deep Link with 12th-generation Alder Lake CPUs.

• 2-3. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU

• 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) and features a 96-bit memory bus carrying 6 GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at an effective 16 Gbps. TGP values range from 35 to 115 watts, with an additional 10-25 watts possible for Dynamic Boost. The GPU boost clock ranges from 1605 MHz (35W) to 2370 MHz (115W). Performance is heavily impacted by TDP settings. Benchmarks place it between the RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3060 laptop GPUs, making it suitable for 1080p gaming at high to maximum settings. It includes 80 Tensor cores for DLSS 3 (including Frame Generation), which can boost gaming speed with minimal quality loss. However, its 20 RT cores may not handle ray tracing effectively due to insufficient performance. The GPU is manufactured on TSMC's 5nm process (4N).

• 2-4. NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU

• The NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU, also known as the Nvidia T500, is a professional mobile graphics card built on the Turing architecture (TU117 chip). It shares its architecture with the consumer GeForce MX450 and includes 896 cores and a 64-bit memory bus. The T500 is available with either 2 GB or 4 GB of graphics RAM (GDDR5 or GDDR6), and its TDP ranges between 18 and 25 watts depending on the variant. The chip is manufactured using TSMC's 12nm FinFET process. Unlike the higher-end RTX cards, the T500 does not include raytracing and Tensor cores, but it benefits from Turing's optimized cores and cache architecture. This results in concurrent execution of floating-point and integer operations and enhanced performance in compute-heavy workloads. The new unified memory architecture doubles the cache compared to the Pascal architecture, leading to up to 50% more instructions per clock and 40% better power efficiency. The T500 supports DirectX 12_1 and OpenGL 4.6.

3. Intel Arc A770M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 Laptop GPUs

• 3-1. Intel Arc A770M Specifications and Performance

• The Intel Arc A770M is a mid-range dedicated graphics card for notebooks based on the ACM-G10 chip. It features all 32 Xe cores (512 ALUs), 32 Ray-Tracing units, 6 MB L1 cache, and 16 MB L2 cache. The operating frequencies range from 300 MHz to 2050 MHz, with a gaming clock of 1650 MHz. It supports 16 GB GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit interface at 16 Gbps. The TGP ranges from 120 to 150 W depending on the model. The A770M's performance is similar to a slightly underpowered RTX 3070. The ACM-G10 chip, used in its construction, is manufactured by TSMC using the 6 nm process, housing 21.7 billion transistors with a die size of 406 mm². The GPU integrates two media engines supporting various video encoding and decoding formats including VP9, AVC, HEVC, and AV1 with support for 8k 60 fps 12-bit HDR decoding and 8k 10-bit HDR encoding. Four display pipes allow up to four 4K 120 Hz HDR displays with HDMI 2.0B, DP 2.0 10G, and Adaptive Sync. When paired with a 12th-generation Alder Lake CPU, it also supports Dynamic Power Share.

• 3-2. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU

• The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, codenamed GN21-X11, is a high-end mobile graphic card introduced in early 2023. Built on the same AD103 chip as the desktop RTX 4080, it features up to 10,752 shaders (or 9,728 similar to the RTX 4080 desktop) and a 256-bit memory bus with 16 GB GDDR6 memory running effectively at 20 Gbps. The TGP ranges from 80 to 150 W, plus an additional 15 W with Dynamic Boost. The performance of the RTX 4090 mobile is superior to the RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU but below the desktop RTX 4080. This performance heavily depends on the TGP, with maximum frequencies reaching 2040 MHz at 150 W. In synthetic benchmarks, it significantly outperforms the RTX 4080M and the older 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. In gaming scenarios, the RTX 4090 can smoothly render 4K gaming, especially with the use of DLSS when ray tracing is enabled. The AD103 chip in the RTX 4090 is manufactured on a 5nm process at TSMC, housing 45.9 billion transistors with a die size of 379 mm².

• 3-3. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU

• The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, codenamed GN21-X9, made its debut in early 2023. This high-end notebook GPU uses the AD104 chip, the same as the desktop RTX 4070 Ti, featuring up to 7,680 shaders and a 192-bit memory bus with 12 GB GDDR6 memory running effectively at either 16 or 20 Gbps. Its TGP varies between 60 to 150 W, with an additional 15 W available via Dynamic Boost. While its performance is expectedly lower than the desktop RTX 4070 Ti, it outpaces the older RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. GPU frequencies shift based on the TGP, peaking at 2280 MHz for a 150 W setting. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4080 Laptop GPU outperforms the RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU and is only outshone by the RTX 4090. It is capable of running demanding games such as F1 23 smoothly at QHD with ray tracing, and at 4K without ray tracing for less demanding games. It boasts 232 Tensor cores of the fourth generation for DLSS 3, including frame generation capabilities, and 58 Ray-Tracing cores, third generation. The AD104 chip, fabricated in a 5nm process at TSMC, includes 35.8 billion transistors on a die size of 379 mm².

• 3-4. Synthetic Benchmarks and Gaming Performance

• In synthetic benchmarks, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU dominates, significantly outperforming both the RTX 4080M and the older RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. The performance of the RTX 4080 Laptop GPU also remains robust, outpacing the previous generation RTX 3080 Ti but trailing behind the RTX 4090. With lower power limit laptops (125 W), performance can drop by up to 20%. This trend is seen across various benchmarks including 3DMark Time Spy, Fire Strike, and SPECviewperf. Gaming benchmarks reflect similar trends, with the RTX 4090 comfortably handling 4K gaming and demanding titles like F1 23 in ray tracing mode when paired with DLSS. The RTX 4080 provides a solid gaming experience at QHD and can manage 4K for less demanding titles without ray tracing. Power consumption across these high-end GPUs, ranging from 80 W to 150 W (plus an extra 15 W for Dynamic Boost), corroborates the need for robust cooling systems to harness their full potential.

4. Market Positioning and Use Cases

• 4-1. High-End vs Mid-Range GPUs

• The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, GeForce RTX 4050, and Quadro T500 are compared against Intel's Arc A570M and Arc A770M to determine their positioning in the market. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is classified as a high-end laptop GPU, featuring up to 7,680 shaders and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, with power consumption ranging between 60 and 150 watts depending on the configuration. On the other hand, the GeForce RTX 4050 is categorized as a mid-range option with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and a power consumption range of 35 to 115 watts. The Intel Arc A570M is also considered a mid-range GPU, featuring 16 Xe cores and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, with power consumption between 75 and 95 watts. In contrast, the Intel Arc A770M, while still mid-range, offers higher performance with 32 Xe cores and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, with a power consumption range of 120 to 150 watts. Lastly, the NVIDIA Quadro T500, aimed at professional applications, features 896 cores and up to 4 GB of graphics RAM with power consumption varying between 18 and 25 watts.

• 4-2. Gaming Performance

• In terms of gaming performance, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 excels with its high shader count and advanced features like DLSS 3 and ray tracing, allowing for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions such as QHD and even 4K in certain scenarios. This GPU supports demanding games with ray tracing enabled, providing significant visual enhancements. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, though positioned as a mid-range GPU, performs admirably at 1080p resolution with high to maximum detail settings and supports DLSS 3 for a substantial performance boost. However, its ray tracing capabilities are limited. The Intel Arc A570M demonstrates performance adequate for medium to high detail settings in modern games, sitting somewhere between the Radeon RX 6500M and 6600M. The Intel Arc A770M offers better performance, comparable to that of the NVIDIA RTX 3070, though it falls slightly below it in certain benchmarks.

• 4-3. Professional Applications and Compute Tasks

• For professional applications and compute tasks, the NVIDIA Quadro T500 stands out despite its lack of ray tracing capabilities. The T500 is built on NVIDIA's Turing architecture, which achieves higher performance through concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations and improved cache architecture. The card is particularly suited for compute-heavy workloads due to its optimized CUDA cores. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4050 also perform well in professional applications, supporting features like CUDA and advanced ray tracing technology, making them suitable for a combination of gaming and professional use. The Intel Arc A770M, with its 32 Xe cores and robust media engine support, also serves well in professional settings, with capabilities for advanced decoding and encoding tasks. Additionally, both Intel GPUs support Dynamic Power Share with 12th Gen Intel CPUs, enhancing their efficiency in compute tasks.

5. Conclusion

• The in-depth comparison of NVIDIA and Intel laptop GPUs elucidates their specific strengths and distinct market positions. High-end GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 are tailored for 4K gaming and resource-intensive applications, offering substantial shader counts and advanced features like DLSS 3 and ray tracing. Mid-range GPUs such as the Intel Arc A570M and A770M exhibit solid performance for medium to high detail settings in gaming, although they may fall short in the most demanding scenarios. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 provides a balance of performance and power efficiency for 1080p gaming. Professional GPUs like the NVIDIA Quadro T500, while lacking in ray tracing capabilities, excel in compute-heavy tasks, showcasing Turing architecture's optimized performance. Notable limitations include the power consumption and thermal management needs of high-end GPUs, and the comparative underperformance of mid-range models in high-demand contexts. Future developments in GPU technology will likely continue to enhance performance efficiency and incorporate more advanced features even in mid-range options. Practical applications of these findings can guide consumers in selecting suitable GPUs for gaming, professional tasks, or a combination of both, taking into account their power consumption and performance requirements.

6. Glossary

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

• A high-end GPU with 7,680 shaders and 12 GB GDDR6 memory, designed for demanding games and applications.

• 6-2. Intel Arc A570M [Product]

• A mid-range GPU with 16 Xe cores and 8 GB GDDR6, suitable for medium to high settings in games.

• 6-3. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU [Product]

• A mid-range GPU featuring 80 Tensor cores, positioned between the RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3060, suitable for 1080p gaming.

• 6-4. NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU [Product]

• A professional graphics card based on Turing architecture, aimed at compute-heavy tasks with variable performance depending on configurations.

• 6-5. Intel Arc A770M [Product]

• A mid-range GPU with 32 Xe cores, capable of performance slightly below the RTX 3070, with a TGP of 120-150W, suitable for various applications.

• 6-6. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU [Product]

• A high-end GPU with up to 10,752 shaders, built on Ada Lovelace architecture, delivering top-tier performance for 4K gaming and demanding applications.

7. Source Documents

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU vs Intel Arc A570M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPUhttps://www.notebookcheck.com/NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-4080-Laptop-GPU-vs-A570M-vs-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-4050-Laptop-GPU_11438_11610_11457.247532.0.html
• NVIDIA Quadro T500 Mobile GPU - Benchmarks and Specshttps://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-Quadro-T500-Mobile-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.513926.0.html
• Intel Arc A770M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPUhttps://www.notebookcheck.com/A770M-vs-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-4090-Laptop-GPU-vs-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-4080-Laptop-GPU_11313_11437_11438.247532.0.html