Intel Arc desktop GPUs had a rocky start but, given enough time, future iterations could rival Nvidia and AMD. With that said, we think Intel should be commended for throwing its proverbial hat into the GPU race. Even if the cards had a flawless launch, it’s doubtful they would have unseated the current (and only) kings of the GPU market. With AMD and especially Nvidia so deeply entrenched in the GPU space, it won’t be easy for Intel’s Arc GPU to gain traction. It might take a long time (and better driver support) for Intel Arc GPUs to garner a loyal fanbase. Nvidia is the current king of GPUs and AMD has made considerable progress with its GPU offerings in recent years. Getting an Nvidia or AMD enthusiast to ditch their favorite company’s GPU for Intel will take considerable work. (Image credit: Nvidia)īrand loyalty is another factor to consider. It will be difficult for Intel to unseat Nvidia in the GPU space. The same isn’t true about Arc GPUs, as we discussed in the previous section. To be more specific, they’ll know how well their PCs and legacy games will work with those graphics cards.

People know what they’re getting with an Nvidia or AMD card. Intel is well known for its CPUs, but its Arc GPUs represent an unknown commodity. Intel eventually released updated drivers to fix this issue, but it underlines the fact that Arc GPUs aren’t quite as game-ready as their competitors yet. In its Intel Arc A770 Limited Edition review, sister site Tom’s Hardware (opens in new tab) said that Intel Arc drivers were “finicky.” Fortnite failed to launch during the site’s testing, for example.

Intel recently released a driver update that boosts the performance of DirectX 9 titles, but it's clear that older games will have problems running on Intel's graphics cards. But if you’re playing DirectX 11 titles or older, you might run into some problems. Weak driver supportĪrc GPUs work well enough on modern computers. This isn’t something first adopters in the PC gaming space are necessarily looking for. However, it also means you’re not getting cutting-edge graphics and performance from these mid-range cards. Those prices are enticing, especially after nearly two years of over-priced graphics cards on the market. The entry-level Arc A380 is even more affordable at $139. Speaking of price, the Intel Arc A750 and A770 cost $289 and $329 (respectively). Intel Arc vs Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series.

Intel graphics card for gaming