Intel has finally stirred the waves in the world of graphic cards by introducing the long-awaited Intel Arc A770 and its little brother Arc 750. After the Arc 380 failed to meet people’s expectations, with seemingly lackluster performance, Intel has much to prove. Can they compete with AMD and Nvidia, the established tech giants in the GPU industry?

© Intel Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Let’s dive into the story behind the new Intel Arc A770 GPU and determine if this unique new card can compete with its AMD and Nvidia counterparts. Are the features worth all the hype? Let’s get into it and find out!

Intel Arc A770: Best Deal Today

Intel Arc A770 is a new entrant in the market. Consequently, people want to lay their hands on the finest GPU from Intel. Finding this product in the market can be tricky, owing to the high demand. But sit back and relax, as we have got you covered. We have located some of the best deals available online:

Intel Arc A770: Overview

Intel introduced its first graphics card in the late 90s and called it the “Gen1 Graphic”. Since then, the company has produced many graphic cards, but not a single one has been able to outshine its Nvidia and AMD counterparts. The Arc series could be the redemption that Intel is looking for.

Release date and price

Intel’s new Arc series graphic cards are the latest editions to the market of GPUs. Arc A770 entered the market on 12th October 2022. It occupies the lower end of the price spectrum compared to its competitors. 

  • Intel Arc A770 16GB PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card

In a perfect world, you can buy the 8GB variant for $329. Or you can acquire the more powerful 16GB variant for about $20 more, for $349. However, as of this writing, these prices are nothing more than a dream. With high demand for GPUs and limited production, finding an Intel graphics card at the suggested retail price is next to impossible.

Different Models

Intel has released two models for its Arc A770 lineup, with only a minute difference in prices. 

Arc A770, 16GB variant, comes loaded with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM, which makes it a better choice for game enthusiasts who want nothing but the best. It has 21.7 Billion transistors, 512 Matrix cores, 32 Ray Tracing Units, and 560GB/s of bandwidth, making it compatible with most top-quality games.

The Arc A770 8GB variant has 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, sure to deliver a power-packed punch. The only difference between both the variants lies in the VRAM and Bandwidth. It lags behind the 16GB variant due to its 512 GB/s bandwidth. The price difference is only $20, so consumers will likely prefer the 16GB variant over this one.

Features

Intel loaded its latest graphic card with top-end features. The stand-out feature has been the excellent accelerated ray tracing. This technology enables this GPU to provide more realistic lighting and shadow effects in the games. 

  • GPU Clock: Graphics Clock 2.2GHz | OC Boost Clock 2.4GHzMemory Spec: 16GB GDDR6 VRAM Memory | 256bit Memory Bandwidth | 18Gbps Memory SpeedGPU Power/Thernal: TPD (Total Design Power) 250W | PCIe Power: PCIe 8+8Max Resolution: 7680 x 4320 | Ports: 1 x HDMI 2.1 and 3 x DisplayPort 2.0 | Connect Up To 4 DisplaysRGB Lighting: Customize RGB lighting colors and effects and bring your Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770 OC graphics card to life

Another exciting feature of the A770 is its compatibility with variable-rate shading. It allows the GPU to adjust details in the different areas of the screen with more specificity. The result is more detail in the areas actively capturing the user’s attention and reduced workload in the less important ones. This provides a better frame rate output and enhances the overall gameplay quality. 

A770 provides various choices to consumers in the domain of connectivity as well. It features an HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a, which enables higher resolution and frame rates on the device. HDMI 2.1 is necessary for the sharpest 8k + HDR resolutions. It is also compatible with various modern display technologies, including HDR and FreeSync. The bottom line is Intel has well-equipped its GPU with features that appeal to gamers and enthusiasts. 

Specifications

Intel Arc A770: Review

Intel Arc is a series of solid graphic cards that offers exceptional performance and a variety of features. The GPU goes toe to toe with some of the best options from Nvidia and AMD. It provides a sleek design that increases the beauty of any gaming setup. Intel has installed a dual-fan cooler to keep the temperature in check. As a result, game freaks can play for as many hours as they like. Moreover, this GPU is relatively quiet, allowing for a longer and more comfortable gaming experience. 

Arc A770 also has the best design in the lineup. Intel unveiled two different designs for its Arc lineup. One has a combination of two render slices coupled with 8 Xe cores. The A380 employs the same design. On the other hand, Arc A770 houses a more extensive, fully enabled design with a combination of eight render slices and the same number of Xe cores. This provides it with much more power than its elder brother. 

One potential advantage that A770 has over its competitors is its support for AV1 Video decoding. AV1 is a new addition to the video codecs market and is more efficient than the older ones but more compatible with upcoming technology. So, having A770 in your gaming setup would make your device future-proof. A770 offers a good balance of features and value on paper, but how do these specs add to real-life play? Let’s find out.

Gaming Performance

Intel has prioritized gaming performance, as evident in the following table. These days, the chipsets dominating the market support gaming at 1080p resolution. But things start to get interesting at 1440p and 4k resolutions. 1440p resolution sits at a sweet spot that tests the power of a chipset to the point relatable to an average gamer. Not many people have 4k monitors to use.

In the 1080p ultra settings, The Arc A770 outperforms RTX 3060 by almost 13%. It makes it parallel to the RX 6650 XT. If you increase the graphic settings to 1440p Ultra, there will be an approximate drop of ~20% in the GPU performance, compared to 29% for the AMD counterparts and 25% for the Nvidia ones. Definitely choose this GPU if you want to play 1440p games and are willing to sacrifice and drop some of the settings to high instead of Ultra. 

Power Usage and Noise

The A770 Limited Edition used 217W on average while playing Metro Exodus, with peak power reaching 253W. All the connectors are within specification because the PCIe slot can handle 48W, the 6-pin can handle 63W, and the 8-pin can handle 146W. Power consumption during the Metro benchmark varied between 190W and 230W while the GPU worked hard.

FurMark delivered a lot more steady load as usual, and the A770 LE averaged 223W during our test, staying close to its 225W TBP. Intriguingly, the A750 LE used more power than expected, proving that silicon binning is a reality. The A770 can probably continue operating at lower voltages and faster clock speeds.

Arc A770 consumes significant power, even when sitting idle. On average, it draws 48.1W of power in 30 seconds, which is relatively higher than other GPUs in the market. The RTX 3060 draws one-third, and RX 6650 XT draws one-sixth of this value.

Experts used Sound Pressure Level Meter to detect sound intensity. They placed the equipment between the two fans, 10cm apart. Sound intensity turns out to be 31.5 dB at rest and increases to 46 dB with 10 minutes of use. 

Intel Arc A770: Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Good value-for-money GPUCompatibility with AV1 Video Encoding16GB VRAM, and XeSS support

Cons:

  • Power HungryDrivers need improvement

Intel Arc A770: Is It a Buy?

A nice-looking card, the Arc A770 from Intel is a fantastic midrange option for those looking for continued driver support.

Buy it if…

You want great value for your money. 

The A770 costs $349, which might seem a bit much, but it lies on the lower side of the spectrum when you compare it to other GPUs on the market. For $349, this GPU provides a smooth gaming experience at 1440p resolution, the sweet spot that most use while gaming. 

You are looking for the latest in AV1 hardware acceleration.

The Arc A770 is currently the only GPU on the market that provides hardware acceleration for AV1 and VP9 encoding. This makes your PC future-proof and up-to-date for years to come.

You are an Intel fan.

If you love how Intel does things, then there is no better GPU choice than the Arc A770. If you have other intel components installed in your gaming PC, this GPU will provide excellent synchronization to complement the PC’s performance.

Don’t buy it if…

You make no compromise on the graphic settings.

Even though Arc A770 provides excellent fps with 1440p settings, it might still not be able to reach your expectations once you touch that 4k mark. If you have a power-hungry monitor and a PC with all the bumped-up specs, then it would be better to look for other options.

If you do not want to experiment with a new entrant.

Arc A770 is quite new in the realm of GPUs, and it has been hardly three months since Intel launched it. Experts have tried it, but it has still to undergo the test of time, whether it can compete with the expected games, video technologies, and upcoming technologies. Only time will be the best judge of how this GPU keeps up with the advanced technologies that the tech world will throw at it. 

If you want to buy a proven GPU, it is better to purchase comparable options from Nvidia or AMD.