Intel, with its first generation of Arc graphics cards, aims to continue making a good impression on users after entering the market. They hope to encourage wider adoption with the recent announcement of a $40 price drop for the Intel Arc A750, bringing it down to just $250.
It's unclear how well Arc GPUs are performing in the gaming segment. Jarred Walton of Tom's Hardware points out that no Arc GPUs appear individually in the usual Steam hardware surveys. Given that the gaming sector is hungry for new graphics cards following the component and cryptocurrency crisis, their absence suggests something is amiss in reaching consumers.
New drivers and better price for the Arc A750
Since the release of the 3490 drivers in October 2022, Intel has provided three WHQL drivers and at least four beta drivers. The latest beta, version 4090, was released last week. Improving performance and compatibility has been a key goal of all driver updates.
Then there's the area of DirectX 9 performance, where they have to resort to emulation. That compatibility has benefited, according to Intel testing across thirteen games: Average frame rates at 1080p have improved by 43%, and 99th percentile fps have improved by 60%. At 1440p, mid fps increased 35%, while 99th percentile fps improved 52%.
Along with the price drop, Intel has also added Nightingale and The Settlers: New Allies to the software suite for those purchasing a new Arc graphics card or system equipped with an Arc GPU. It is common to add games to enjoy the new graphics, but those games are not exactly a component seller.
With all this, we have that Intel is not abandoning the Arc, and that it wants to show that they are there for the game for the long term. The Arc Battlemage could come out this year, but in the meantime. They must earn the trust of users, and not give the idea that they only care about Arc graphics when they are going to launch a new series.
Source: Tom's Hardware
