Concerning the finest graphics playing cards, compatibility is simply as essential as efficiency. Whereas AMD and Nvidia do not have many points in that division, Intel’s Arc Alchemist nonetheless has some kinks to work out because the firm’s graphics playing cards wrestle with legacy APIs.
Not like different publications specializing in the Arc A380‘s efficiency, German information outlet PC Video games {Hardware} took the graphics card for a spin via 50 video games that launched between 1999 and 2022. The positioning used Gunnir’s Arc A380 Photon 6GB OC for the assessments, certainly one of three customized Arc A380 fashions accessible available on the market.
General, the Arc A380’s compatibility throughout the 50 titles was fairly respectable, contemplating the state of Intel’s Arc drivers. The graphics card solely had issues with 9 video games out of the 50 that PC Video games {Hardware} examined. If we need to simplify the outcomes, Arc A380 would have points with each 1 out of 5 video games. It is not an terrible ratio, however Intel’s drivers finally have plenty of optimization headroom.
It did shock us that the Arc A380 did not play good with Doom Everlasting, Quake 2 RTX, Halo Infinite, or Spider-Man Remastered, contemplating that these titles leverage the Vulkan or DirectX 12 APIs. After all, Arc ought to work remarkably with video games on fashionable APIs. However then once more, let’s not confuse efficiency with compatibility.
PC Video games {Hardware}’s outcomes additionally revealed that Arc runs flawlessly on APIs that precede DirectX 12. Fashionable video games, equivalent to Counter–Strike:Â International Offensive (DirectX 9) or The Witcher 3 (DirectX 11), labored with out hiccups. Nonetheless, it is stunning that the German publication ignored different most-played Steam, together with Dota 2 (DirectX 11), Apex Legends (DirectX 11), and Misplaced Ark (DirectX 11), out of its testings.
Do do not forget that PC Video games {Hardware} examined for compatibility. Efficiency, then again, is one other story. Intel has admitted that Arc performs poorly on DirectX 11 and older APIs. The chipmaker goals to shut the efficiency hole between legacy APIs and DirectX 12, however it’s a protracted work in progress or a “labor of affection ceaselessly,” as Intel Fellow Tom Petersen calls it.
The Arc A380 has been accessible in China for a few months now. The ASRock Challenger Arc A380 mannequin lately arrived on U.S. soil through Newegg for $139.99 (opens in new tab), and it is already offered out. We’re nonetheless ready for Intel’s Arc A5 and A7 collection, which is able to hopefully land earlier than the tip of the yr.
