Recently, the graphics card(GPU) market has expanded and innovated significantly. One of the latest additions is the Intel ARC Series, which represents Intel’s efforts to establish itself in the graphics card market. This series is designed for a wide range of users – from casual users to demanding gamers. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the Intel ARC Series, its main models, GPU technology and what we can expect from it.
Intel ARC Series
The Intel ARC Series is a new series of graphics cards launched in 2022. This series is designed to deliver the performance needed by gamers and professionals for a variety of tasks, from gaming to content creation. The ARC Series is based on Intel’s Xe architecture, which is known for its performance and efficiency. The series includes multiple models that vary in performance, features and price to cover a wide range of users. These cards represent Intel’s step into the world of dedicated graphics cards, as until now we have known Intel mainly as a processor manufacturer.
Intel History
Intel, known primarily for its processors, decided to enter the dedicated GPU market, which had traditionally been dominated by Nvidia and AMD. The ARC (Accelerated Ray Tracing and Compute) series is Intel’s first serious attempt to establish itself in this market. The first generation ARC, called Alchemist, was launched in March 2022. It was followed by the second generation, Intel Battlemage, which arrived in December 2024.
Xe architecture
At the heart of the Intel ARC Series is the Xe architecture, which was first introduced in a processor (iGPU). This architecture was subsequently extended and optimized for dedicated graphics cards. Its main components include Execution Units (EUs), which are responsible for processing tasks, and RT (Ray Tracing) Cores, which enable realistic lighting and shadows.
The evolution and future of Intel’s graphics cards
Intel plans to continue to develop and expand its ARC Series. The third generation, called Intel Celestial, is currently under development and is expected to bring further performance improvements. The fourth generation, Druid, is still in the planning stages and will incorporate the latest technologies and enhancements. Intel is committed to regularly updating its drivers and software support to ensure better compatibility and performance of its GPUs.
In this way, Intel has emerged as a strong competitor in the graphics card market. With further generations and improvements, we can expect Intel to continue to increase its competitiveness in the graphics card market.
Alchemist (1st generation)
Alchemist is the first generation of ARC graphics cards from Intel. It features technologies such as hardware ray tracing, which enhances realistic lighting, shadows and reflections in games. In addition, Alchemist supports Intel XeSS, which is a technology similar to Nvidia DLSS that improves performance and image quality through intelligent scaling.
Battlemage (2nd generation)
The second generation of ARC graphics cards, known as Battlemage, was launched in December 2024. Battlemage brought improvements in performance and power consumption compared to Alchemist. This generation uses a better manufacturing process and has a higher transistor density, allowing for higher clock speeds and performance. Battlemage also supports all modern technologies including ray tracing and XeSS.
Performance breakdown
The new series of Intel graphics cards offers several models that are designed for different needs and budgets. Here are some of the main models and their features:
High-end models(Intel Arc 700 series)
Intel Arc A770
The flagship of the Arc series , the Intel A770 offers high performance for 1440p and QHD gaming. It has 4096 shader units, a base frequency of 2100 MHz and a boost frequency of up to 2400 MHz. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus and a transfer rate of 17.5 Gbps, it delivers peak performance at a TDP of 225 W. It is the ideal choice for demanding gamers.
Intel Arc A750
A more affordable option that is optimised for Full HD and QHD gaming. It has 3584 shader units, a base frequency of 2050 MHz and a boost frequency of 2300 MHz. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it is a powerful option for gamers looking for a high price/performance ratio.
Mainstream models (mid-range – Intel Arc 500 series)
Intel Arc A580
The Intel Arc A580 is designed for gamers with medium demands who prefer Full HD gaming on high settings. The card offers 3072 shader units, a base frequency of 1900 MHz and a boost frequency of 2200 MHz. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 128-bit bus, it provides solid performance for most modern games.
Entry-level models (base cards – Intel Arc 300 series)
Intel Arc A380
The Intel Arc A380 is the ideal choice for less demanding gaming and e-sports titles in Full HD. It features 1024 shader units, a base frequency of 2000 MHz and a boost frequency of 2100 MHz. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 96-bit bus, it’s aimed at undemanding gamers.
Intel Arc A310
The entry-level Arc series for office applications and simple gaming. It has 768 shader units, a base frequency of 1800 MHz and a boost frequency of 2000 MHz. With 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 64-bit bus, it is ideal for less demanding games and multimedia.
Performance and benefits of Intel ARC cards
Intel’s new series of cards offer performance that is comparable to competing products from Nvidia and AMD.
All ARC models support hardware ray tracing, which enhances the realism and visual quality of gaming. This technology enables realistic lighting, shadows and reflections, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) technology enables enhanced performance and better graphics. XeSS uses intelligent scaling to improve image quality, allowing gamers to enjoy games with higher resolution and detail without sacrificing frame rate.
Thanks to an improved manufacturing process and optimized architectures, these graphics cards deliver high performance at relatively low power consumption.
Limitations and improvements
Although the Intel ARC Series offers great performance and benefits, it also has some limitations that should be improved. ARC models can be less efficient in some cases compared to competing products from Nvidia and AMD.
Optimizing the structure and layout could bring further improvements in performance and efficiency. Intel is still working to improve its drivers and software support to ensure better compatibility and performance. Regular driver updates and improved software support can improve the stability and performance of ARC GPUs. Adoption of XeSS technology is not yet widespread, which may limit its use in various gaming titles. Extending XeSS support in games and applications could increase the attractiveness and usability of this technology.
Who is this series for?
The Intel graphics card series is designed to appeal to a wide range of users. This series is ideal for gamers who are looking for performance for 1440p to 4K resolutions (especially the 7xx series of cards), while also wanting to take advantage of technologies like hardware ray tracing and XeSS.
Ordinary users who need a reliable graphics card for everyday tasks such as multimedia viewing, content creation and casual gaming will choose from the lower Arc 5xx and Arc 3xx series.