Best Intel Arc graphics cards
Looking for a good GPU alternative, then Intel Arc has some options to pick from
In the marketplace for a great new graphics card, then there are plenty of choices out there now. But with a new contender in the duopoly, you may consider the best Intel Arc GPU. The range of cards is Intel’s way back into the dedicated GPU market after many years away. And with a changed scene, there is a lot it can offer.
In a place with only two big manufacturers in play, Nvidia and Intel. This means the choices are limited and pricing can get out of hand as there isn’t too much competition as Nvidia still leads in market share. But over time this may change, with Intel Battlemage expected in the coming years, it shows a willingness to continue and improve on what it has to offer.
Our top picks
- 01
Best Intel Arc GPU
Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770 OC
Core Clock Speed
2.20 GHz
Shading units
4,096
Memory Size
16 GB GDDR6
Dimensions
267 x 117 mm, 2-slot
PSU Required
650 W
TBP
225 W
- Overclocked model gives the top performance out of the range
- Still a cheap alternative to other offerings at the perfromance level
- Great new design from predator that is new to the market
- A more expensive option
- Drivers might still have some issues on some games as they develop
With such a limited range of graphics cards so far, you don’t have to look far to find the best option for the range of cards. At the top of the pack is the Intel Arc A770. And the card comes with a great performance and pricing. Especially as Intel continues to slash retail pricing for the cards to get more users on the generation, and as such it has put a lot of development behind them.
The card leads the pack in performance, and from maturing drivers, it has been improving even further. As Gamers Nexus revisits the GPUs, we see an overall improvement even since the launch. With the performance of the A770 in between the 3050 and 3060 for Rainbow Six. But then close to the 6700 XT or 3070 in other titles, so it is still a bit varied.
The card comes with an MSRP of $329, but the custom card comes in closer to $400. But it does provide an overclocked model that can push that performance even higher. And with a different cooling design that is a bit more unique and has some more RGB to it that as we all know gives more performance.
Looking at specifications, the Intel Arc A770 comes with 4,096 shader cores in its 32 Xe cores. Along with 32 ray tracing units, 512 vector engines, and a memory set up of 16GB GDDR6, across a 256-bit interface with 560 GB/s of bandwidth with a speed of 17.5 Gbps. With the Predator card, the clocks are increased with a clock of 2.2 GHz and a boost of up to 2.4 GHz, compared to 2.1 GHz of the Limited Edition card.
Best budget Intel Arc GPU
Intel Arc A750
Core Clock Speed
2,050 MHz base, 2,400 MHz boost
Shading units
3,584
Memory Size
8GB GDDR6
Dimensions
280 mm x 115 mm (L x H), 2 slot
PSU Required
550W
TBP
225W
- Great perfromance for the cost, putting it above other options
- Low price for what it can achieve
- Expected to be supported for some time as Intel enters the market so driver support should improve
- Driver support still improving so experience may vary per game still as it improves over time
- Software still developing and has its issues that can spoil the experience when tinkering with the card
Now the other option that is a bit cheaper to get at still, is the Intel Arc A750. It does come close to the A770 in terms of performance already but with an MSRP of $289. This lowers the barrier to entry to an even better point especially to a gaming market with the current generation that might not be too daunting to join in on.
The card drops down to 3,584 shading units, with 28 Xe cores, and 28 ray tracing units. Along with a memory setup of 8 GB of GDDR6, with a 256-bit bus clocked at 16 Gbps giving it a bandwidth of 512 GB/s. But with all that still gives a good performance that is capable of providing a good experience, as long as the games are supported by the developing drivers.
Whilst the design is a more simple, Intel Limited Edition option. It has a two-fan cooling solution, that keeps the temps down, along with a simple blue line of lighting that keeps it simple and clean that will fit well in any build.
How we choose and test the best Intel Arc graphics cards
When it comes to picking out the list of choices, there is a good range of options to pick from. As such we have to go through and make sure we are suggesting the right pick of stuff. Therefore we have a lot of factors to consider when choosing the products, we go through a range of requirements.
One thing is that we look at benchmarks and reviews of the products, the first step to understanding what is a good choice out of the options. And we also have the experience and the knowledge to know what to expect and look for in custom models and graphics cards. Being able to look and compare and know what to offer makes sure you get the best bang for the buck.
You can read more about our procedures on our how we test GPUs page.
Intel Arc buying guide
When it comes to choosing which Intel Arc to pick go for, then there are some differences to look out for. These may have some differences to try to navigate which options to go for. As such it might be hard to find the differences and what they have to offer. Therefore we bring some things to look out for.
Price
One of the key factors is how much you’re paying for the Intel Arc GPU. There you have to consider what the price to performance really is. The pricing ranges between models as they have different specifications and so offer up a different range of performance and what they can achieve.
It will also vary between some custom models and what they feature. Especially when it comes to overclocked models as these stand up from the crowd and will ask for a premium for doing so. This does sometimes make it more viable but does not always suit everyone.
Performance
One key feature of graphics cards is how well they perform. It will vary depending on its use case mostly, with the likes of the resolutions changing how well it can do. So if you’re running 4k you are more likely to go for a higher-end option as you need the performance to be able to run that relatively well.
Some options will also offer a different performance even on the same model depending on the overclock. As even though the rest might be the same, the clocks can differ and so it might be more appealing even if that comes at a higher price.
Final word
There is a range of best Intel Arc graphics cards, there aren’t many to choose from, but it still has a few options to choose from. These do offer some differences and offer a good alternative to the limited manufacturer options in the market at the moment. And with the developing drivers, it sure is becoming a good alternative.
FAQs
What is the best Intel GPU?
The best Intel graphics card is the Intel ARC A770. It is the top-of-the-range performance, with constantly improving drivers that improve performance even for older titles. It gives a good choice for a lower price range than some of the current options.
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
