Intel Arc Graphics Card Prices Dip Again, Up to 18%

Intel's Arc Alchemist graphics cards have received significant discounts from U.S. retailers. The Arc A770 and Arc A380, already two of the best graphics cards, are getting even more affordable, dropping in price by up to 18%.

The flagship Arc A770, available in 16GB and 8GB variants, launched at $349 and $329, respectively. The 16GB model hasn't budged yet, as Intel's Arc A770 Limited Edition still sells for $349. However, the 8GB version, such as the ASRock Phantom Gaming Arc A770, is currently retailing for $269, 18% lower than the official MSRP. The new pricing effectively puts the Arc A770 8GB in the same price range as AMD's Radeon RX 6650 XT ($259) and Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3050 ($269). 

The Arc A770 8GB isn't a compelling option compared to the Radeon RX 6650 XT, because the latter is faster and cheaper. However, the Arc A770 8GB does deliver more performance and has a substantially lower price tag than a GeForce RTX 3060, which starts at $349.

Intel has already slashed the price of the Arc A750 from $289 to $249. But the price continues to improve through retailers. The ASRock Challenger Arc A750 is down to $239, placing it in the same price range as the Radeon RX 6600 ($239). The Arc A750 is slightly faster than the Radeon RX 6600. Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ($219) is cheaper, but it's far behind the Arc A750 in terms of performance.

For those looking for something even more affordable the Arc A380 debuted in the Chinese market and eventually arrived on the U.S. market for $139. The ASRock Challenger Arc A380 is now selling for $119, 14% under the MSRP. At the current price, the Arc A380 is an essential SKU for Intel to capture customers in the entry-level segment. The GeForce GTX 1630 is available a $124, but it's far from offering the level of performance as the Arc A380. The GeForce GTX 1650 performs similarly to the Arc A380, but the cheapest GeForce GTX 1650 is $169.

AMD doesn't currently have a direct competitor for the Arc A380. The closest models that deliver comparable performance to the Arc A380 are the Radeon RX 6500 XT and Radeon RX 570. But the first has a higher price tag ($149), and the latter is old and often hard to find. There's also the RX 6400, but that still lacks video encoding support and is markedly slower than the A380.

To add value to Arc Alchemist graphics cards, Intel recently announced the revamped "Intel Arc Graphics: Play & Create Bundle" that rewards Arc buyers with two games and five creative applications. The bundle, a $450+ value according to Intel, gives buyers free copies of Nightingale and The Settlers: New Allies, as well as a one-year subscription for PowerDirector 365, a three-month subscription for XSplit Premium and D5 Render, a six-month subscription of MAGIX Video Pro X14 and a full download for Topaz Gigapixel AI.

Intel's Arc A380, Arc A750, and Arc A770 graphics cards generally qualify for the bundle, but the exact SKUs may vary by participating retailers. The bundle is only valid for new purchases between February 1 and April 30. After that, buyers have until July 31 to redeem the offer.