New Arc drivers provide huge DX11 performance boost for Intel GPUs

Image: Brad Chacos/IDG

New drivers for Intel’s Arc GPUs, unifying previously separate drivers for desktop Arc graphics cards and the Arc GPU integrated into new Core Ultra laptop processors, have led to significant performance increases for a range of DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 games.

The average performance increase for Intel’s Arc A-series graphics cards is 37.4 percent across a wide range of (mostly DX11) games, but for some titles the figure is much higher. In the game Just Cause 4, with the new drivers, you should see a 268 percent increase in frames per second with “Very High” graphics settings and 1080p resolution.

Here are the complete list of improvements, as provided by Intel, for Arc desktop GPUs:

Albion Online (DX11)

Up to 11% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Anno 1800 (DX11)

Up to 33% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra High settings

Apex Legends (DX11)

Up to 26% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (DX11)

Up to 13% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra High settings

Black Desert Online (DX11)

Up to 18% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Elder Scrolls Online (DX11)

Up to 10% average FPS uplift at 4K with Ultra settings

Elex II (DX11)

Up to 101% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Humankind (DX11)

Up to 11% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Fantastic settings

Hunt: Showdown (DX11)

Up to 27% average FPS uplift at 1080p with High settings

Just Cause 3 (DX11)

Up to 160% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Very High settings

Just Cause 4 (DX11)

Up to 268% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Very High settings

New World (DX11)

Up to 13% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Very High settings

Returnal (DX12)

Up to 8% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Epic settings

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (DX11)

Up to 32% average FPS uplift at 1080p with High settings

Sons of the Forest (DX11)

Up to 15% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Space Engineers (DX11)

Up to 69% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Extreme settings

Star Citizen (DX11)

Up to 9% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Very High settings

Star Wars Squadrons (DX11)

Up to 6% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Stellaris (DX11)

Up to 5% average FPS uplift at 1080p with High settings

Tekken 8 (DX12)

Up to 15% average FPS uplift at 4K with Ultra settings

The Last of Us Part 1 (DX12)

Up to 8% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

Warframe (DX11)

Up to 20% average FPS uplift at 1080p with High settings

Watch Dogs: Legion (DX11)

Up to 16% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings

XCOM 2 (DX11)

Up to 4% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Maximum settings

The improvements are not as impressive for Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel’s Arc integrated graphics. As an example, with the graphics settings “Very Low” and 1080p resolution in the game The Last of Us Part 1, you should only see a 6 per cent increase in frames per second.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of improvements in Core Ultra processors, as provided by Intel:

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (DX12)

Up to 25% average FPS uplift at 1080p with High settings

Returnal (DX12)

Up to 6% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Low settings

The Last of Us Part 1 (DX12)

Up to 6% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Very Low settings

The new drivers also add initial support for several new games:

Enshrouded

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Tekken 8