My Experience Living with an Intel Arc GPU for a Month

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Living with an Intel Arc GPU
3. Problems with Screen Capture
4. Lack of User-Friendliness
5. The DXVK Fix for Older Games
6. Failed Attempts at DXVK Fix
7. Performance Improvement with New Drivers
8. Uncertain Results
9. Final Thoughts
10. Conclusion

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the experience of living with an Intel Arc GPU in a gaming PC. The focus will be on the trials and tribulations of using this GPU, as well as the performance and usability issues encountered along the way.

Living with an Intel Arc GPU

The Intel Arc GPU was featured in the author's gaming PC for a month, replacing the usual RTX 3080. The system primarily served as a recreational gaming setup, with occasional use for editing thumbnails and other tasks. The games played during this period included Dota 2, Escape from Tarkov, Borderlands, The Forest, and Ship Breaker. The gaming experience was tested on a 34-inch ultra-wide display, which presented a significant resolution for the GPU to handle.

Problems with Screen Capture

One of the major issues encountered with the Intel Arc GPU was the inability to reliably use screen capture. Despite attempts to figure out the proper settings and shortcuts, the author was unable to get consistent results. The lack of a simple hotkey feature for starting and stopping screen capture proved to be a significant inconvenience. The author expressed frustration with the complex process required to initiate screen capture, highlighting the need for a more user-friendly solution.

Lack of User-Friendliness

The author criticized the Intel Arc GPU for its lack of user-friendliness when it comes to screen capture. While the software offered a variety of settings for capturing parameters, the absence of a hotkey option was puzzling. The author highlighted the need to press the start button in the software, which only worked half of the time. This forced the user to interrupt their workflow and navigate between the game and the capture software, leading to a frustrating experience.

The DXVK Fix for Older Games

To address the performance issues with older games, some users recommended using the DXVK fix on Intel Arc GPUs. This fix aimed to improve gaming performance, particularly with heavily modded versions of older games like Stalker Gamma. The author investigated this solution but encountered difficulties in downloading the necessary source files from GitHub. Additionally, the complex installation process and multiple mod locations made it challenging to properly implement the fix.

Failed Attempts at DXVK Fix

Despite multiple attempts to Apply the DXVK fix to Stalker Gamma, the author was unable to get it to work. The source files did not Align with the game's modded structure, and the installation process resulted in a broken game installation. Frustrated with the unsuccessful attempts, the author decided to abandon the DXVK fix and live with the subpar gaming performance.

Performance Improvement with New Drivers

The author's experience with the Intel Arc GPU took an unexpected turn when new drivers were released. After updating the drivers, a benchmark test revealed a significant improvement in gaming performance. The frame rate and GPU utilization displayed a noticeable boost. Even after reinstalling older drivers and disabling resize bar, the performance improvement persisted. The author expressed confusion and uncertainty regarding these results, highlighting the inconsistency in GPU performance.

Uncertain Results

The author struggled to make Sense of the conflicting results obtained during the test period. The performance of Stalker Gamma varied significantly, with unexpected drops and occasional fixes after system restarts. The author questioned whether the issues were solely attributed to the Intel Arc GPU or could have been caused by other factors. Despite the frustrations and uncertainties, the author deemed it necessary to include these experiences in the article for an authentic portrayal of their time with the GPU.

Final Thoughts

While the author had initially focused on the minor complaints and frustrations with the Intel Arc GPU, it was important to acknowledge that most of the time, gaming on the GPU was functional. However, the author emphasized that games working on a graphics card is a minimum requirement rather than a noteworthy achievement. The article concluded with a mention of Linus, who was also testing the Intel Arc GPU, likely providing a more comprehensive analysis in his own review.

Conclusion

Living with an Intel Arc GPU presented a mixed experience for the author. While gaming was mostly functional, the lack of reliability in screen capture and the intricate process of implementing performance fixes for older games proved to be significant drawbacks. The author's experience highlighted the importance of user-friendliness and consistent performance in gaming graphics cards.