Title: Intel Arc A770: A Budget-Friendly Graphics Card with Impressive 1440p Performance
Introduction:
Since its launch on October 12, 2022, the Intel Arc A770 has been making waves in the graphics card market. Despite a rocky start, Intel has managed to impress gamers with its affordable pricing and solid performance. In this one-minute review, we delve into the key features, price, and availability of the Intel Arc A770.
Price and Availability:
The Intel Arc A770 is available in two variants: one with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM and a price of $349 (about £280/AU$510), and another with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM priced at $329 (about £265/AU$475). Although these were the launch prices in October 2022, the cards have become more affordable since then. Currently, the Intel Arc A770 offers the best value for gamers on a tight budget, particularly for those looking for a 1440p graphics card.
Design:
Intel’s Limited Edition reference card carries an impeccable design. While third-party options may differ in terms of shrouds and cooling solutions, the Limited Edition card stands out aesthetically. The black finish on the card’s plastic shroud has a textured feel, while the silver trim and subtle RGB lighting add class to its overall appearance. The twin fans operate quietly, and the card’s slim profile makes it compatible with most gaming PC cases. It features a power connection of 1 x 8-pin and 1 x 6-pin, along with three DisplayPort 2.0 outputs and one HDMI 2.1 output.
Specifications and Features:
The Intel Arc A770 features Intel’s Xe HPG architecture, which introduces render slices consisting of Xe Cores, ray tracing processors, and matrix processors. Both the 8GB and 16GB variants of the A770 offer a total of 4096 shaders, 32 ray processors, and 512 matrix processors. The ACM-G10 GPU operates at a base frequency of 2,100MHz with a boost frequency of 2,400MHz. The 16GB variant boasts a slightly faster memory clock speed of 2,184MHz compared to the 8GB variant’s 2,000MHz. With a fully equipped memory bus and high memory bandwidth, the Intel Arc A770 delivers fast and efficient performance for 1440p gaming.
Performance:
The Intel Arc A770 excels in delivering outstanding 1440p performance for most modern PC titles. It competes well against its rivals in terms of pricing and performance. However, the card struggles with older DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 titles, which impacts its overall score. Intel has been diligent in releasing regular driver updates that enhance the card’s performance across various games. While it falls short in terms of legacy game support compared to Nvidia and AMD, the Intel Arc A770 remains a solid choice for gamers seeking budget-friendly yet powerful graphic cards.
Conclusion:
With its affordable pricing and impressive 1440p performance, the Intel Arc A770 stands out as one of the best options for budget-conscious gamers. Although it lacks support for older titles, it excels in delivering optimal performance for modern PC games. As the Intel Arc A770 continues to gain popularity, it proves to be a strong contender in the midrange graphics card market.
