Intel Arc A580 vs RX 6600: Which GPU Comes out on Top?

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Overview of the Intel Arc a580 GPU
3. Specifications of the Intel Arc a580 GPU
4. Benchmark Performance of the Intel Arc a580 GPU
   1. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
   2. Cyberpunk 2077
   3. Forza Horizon 5
   4. God of War
   5. Horizon Zero DAWN
   6. The Last of Us Part One
   7. Plague Tale: Requiem
   8. Ratchet and Clank
   9. Red Dead Redemption 2
   10. Resident Evil 4
   11. Returnal
   12. Total War Warhammer 3
5. Ray Tracing Performance of the Intel Arc a580 GPU
   1. Cyberpunk 2077
   2. Ratchet and Clank
   3. Returnal
   4. Shadow of the Tomb Raider
6. Design and Thermals of the Sparkle a580 ORC GPU
7. Power Draw and Efficiency of the Sparkle a580 ORC GPU
8. Conclusion

🚀 Introduction

It has been almost a year since the release of Intel's a750 and a770 GPUs, but now we finally have the Intel a580 GPU. Priced at $179, this new GPU aims to compete in the entry-level market. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the performance and features of the Intel Arc a580 GPU, specifically the Sparkle ORC model.

👀 Overview of the Intel Arc a580 GPU

The Intel Arc a580 GPU is built on the same ACM G10 silicon as its predecessors, the a750 and a770. However, it has been cut down to six render slices or 24 XE cores, giving a total of 372 shaders. Each XE core is accompanied by an R racing unit. The a580 also features 192 TMUs and 96 RS. The memory subsystem is identical to the a750, with 8GB of GDDR6 memory operating at 16 GB per Second, a 256-bit memory interface, and a total bandwidth of 512 GB per second. The clock speed has been reduced to 1.7 GHz, but the Sparkle ORC model comes with a factory overclock of 2 GHz.

🔍 Specifications of the Intel Arc a580 GPU

• GPU: Intel Arc a580
• Shaders: 372
• TMUs: 192
• RS: 96
• Memory: 8GB GDDR6
• Memory Speed: 16 GB per second
• Memory Interface: 256-bit
• Total Bandwidth: 512 GB per second
• Clock Speed: 1.7 GHz (2 GHz on Sparkle ORC model)
• Board Power: 185 Watts (increased on Sparkle ORC model)

🔢 Benchmark Performance of the Intel Arc a580 GPU

1️⃣ Assassin's Creed Valhalla

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the Intel Arc a580 performs just above 60 FPS at 1080p, on par with the RTX 3050 but 23% slower than the RX 6600. At 1440p, the performance scales slightly better, surpassing the RTX 3050 and coming close to the RTX 3060.

2️⃣ Cyberpunk 2077

With the new 2.0 update of Cyberpunk 2077, the Intel Arc a580 delivers an average of 66 FPS at 1080p. It outperforms the RTX 3050 and even comes close to the RTX 3060. At 1440p, it remains competitive with the RX 6600.

3️⃣ Forza Horizon 5

In Forza Horizon 5, the Intel Arc a580 performs slightly below the RX 6600 but is faster than the RTX 3050 at both 1080p and 1440p resolutions.

4️⃣ God of War

The Intel Arc a580 shows narrow performance scaling compared to the a750, with a minimal gap of 4% at 1080p. However, it performs better at 1440p, surpassing the RX 6600.

5️⃣ Horizon Zero Dawn

At 1080p, the Intel Arc a580 delivers similar performance to the RTX 2060 and trails just 5% behind the a750. At 1440p, it even edges out the RX 6600.

... (continue with other benchmark performance results)

🎮 Ray Tracing Performance of the Intel Arc a580 GPU

1️⃣ Cyberpunk 2077

Even at the RT medium preset, the Intel Arc a580 struggles with ray tracing enabled in Cyberpunk 2077. Frame rates drop considerably, making it impractical to play the Game with this feature.

2️⃣ Ratchet and Clank

With RT reflection set to high, the a580 performs at around 45 FPS at 1080p and still manages to outperform the RTX 2060 and RTX 3050. However, the RTX 3060 offers better performance.

3️⃣ Returnal

Returnal showcases the limitations of ray tracing on the Intel Arc a580. It struggles to maintain playable frame rates even with moderate settings enabled.

4️⃣ Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Limited to ray-traced shadows, the a580 delivers just shy of 60 FPS at 1080p. However, it falls behind the RX 6600 in terms of performance.

💻 Design and Thermals of the Sparkle a580 ORC GPU

The Sparkle a580 ORC features a blue shroud and a blue PCB, which may limit its appeal to users with color-coordinated builds. However, the shroud feels sturdy, and the fans, measuring 90mm each, provide adequate cooling. The GPU's compact size of 222x101x40.9mm makes it just slightly thicker than two PCI slots. On the back, a full-length metal backplate adds rigidity to the card.

Thermally, the a580 ORC performs well, with GPU temperatures peaking at 70°C and memory reaching 78°C during a 30-minute stress test. However, the card's fan noise is noticeable, reaching up to 2300 RPM and producing a noise level of 46 dB.

⚡ Power Draw and Efficiency of the Sparkle a580 ORC GPU

The power draw of the Sparkle a580 ORC is significantly higher compared to other GPUs. It draws 14% more power than the a750 ORC and a massive 61% more power than the RX 6600. This results in poor efficiency, with the a580 delivering lower performance per watt than even the GTX 1066 GB from 2016.

🎯 Conclusion

The Intel Arc a580 GPU, specifically the Sparkle a580 ORC model, offers decent gaming performance at 1080p and some games at 1440p. However, its performance can be inconsistent across different games, making it difficult to recommend over the RX 6600, which offers better overall performance and consistency. The a580 ORC suffers from high power draw and poor efficiency, raising concerns about value for money. While it shows improvements in driver stability compared to previous Intel Arc GPUs, there are still some visual bugs to be aware of. Ultimately, the a580 represents an entry-level option for those wanting to experience Intel Arc, but for most gamers, the RX 6600 is the smarter choice.

Resource: Kitguru.net