It seems the latest GPU drivers of Arc from Intel bring more than just software improvements to the platform. According to Neowin, a firmware update was pushed alongside the drivers to change the frequency of the Intel Arc A380.
With the latest GPU drivers, Intel has focused on improving its performance in DirectX 11 titles. Furthermore, the new drivers address several issues, including bug fixes, HDMI connection compatibility, stability, and improvements to the default fan curve.
While such changes are typical for GPU driver updates, it was not expected to see a frequency bump for Intel’s budget graphics card.
The Intel Arc A380, in particular, has received a new firmware update that has slightly increased the boost frequency.
After the firmware update, it defaults to 2.15 GHz instead of 2.0 GHz from launch. The firmware also updates the BIOS version of the budget graphics card from 20.0.1053 to 20.0.1064.
The frequency bump was noticed on a custom model of the Intel Arc A380 from ASRock since the low-end variant is only available through custom board partners. On the other hand, higher-end models of the GPU feature a hefty 2450 MHz frequency out of the box.
As of now, there is no news as to why Intel increased the frequency on its low-end card. The slightly higher boost frequencies do not lead to a major gain in performance, making the update somewhat pointless.
Being an entry-level graphics card, the Intel Arc A380 is equivalent to the likes of the GeForce GTX 1650 and Radeon RX 6500 XT. That being said, the Intel Arc A380 not only costs less than its competition but is also able to match the performance of its expensive rivals.
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[News Reporter]
Malik Usman is student of Computer Science focused on using his knowledge to produce detailed and informative articles covering the latest findings from the tech industry. His expertise allows him to cover subjects like processors, graphics cards, and more. In addition to the latest hardware, Malik can be found writing about the gaming industry from time to time. He is fond of games like God of War, and his work has been mentioned on websites like Whatculture, VG247, IGN, and Eurogamer.
