2 Reasons to Buy an Intel GPU⁠ (& 2 Reasons You Shouldn’t!)

Intel is now officially a player in the GPU game. The Intel Arc A770 and the A750 are out and making their way to the hands of gamers, serving as great budget GPUs for anyone. However, with Intel being a newcomer, some people might be understandably worried about grabbing a graphics card from the company, at least until it gains experience as a GPU maker.

There are arguments for it and against it, though. Here are a few reasons why you might want to get yourself an Intel GPU—and a few reasons why you might not want to.

2 Reasons to Buy an Intel Arc GPU

Now, we’ll lay down some reasons why Intel GPUs might not be worth getting for you, at least right now.

1. It’s a First-Gen Product

Perhaps the most important reason why you should steer clear of Intel GPUs, at least right now, is that it’s a first-generation product. We told you above that Intel’s first-gen cards need to be successful for Intel to keep making and improving them, but the reason why you might want to avoid it is the same reason why many people would rather steer clear of first-gen products in general. They’re first-gen products from a company that’s been, so far, untested.

Intel is a known name in the CPU space, making some of the best CPUs available on the market. But regarding GPUs, it has had a rocky history. Its integrated GPUs have been mocked for being comically bad at gaming, and its efforts to launch decent GPUs were largely futile.

Even putting aside Intel’s reputation with GPUs, first-gen products could be problematic. Drivers may not be as widely supported as NVIDIA/AMD drivers, and you could encounter some strange issues that don’t happen on more expensive, thoroughly tested GPUs. It doesn’t look like we have any major issues, but issues could still arise over time, and you need to be prepared.

2. They’re Not Powerful

The second reason why you might not want to get one is that they’re not up to the task of heavier gaming.

Sure, the GPUs come with Intel XeSS, Intel’s answer to NVIDIA’s DLSS, which does alleviate some stress off the card and lets you reach higher resolutions. But even then, the GPU is notably weaker than the best GPUs on the market. It’s priced accordingly, of course, but it’s just not an option enthusiasts will seriously consider, at least not for ultra-high-end cards. They’ll perform well on certain systems, but if you want your card to do things an RTX 4090 does, you’re out of luck.

As we mentioned before, Intel could very well have plans to produce and release high-end cards. But that’ll likely take years, as Intel needs to evolve faster than its competitors to catch up.

Should You Buy an Intel Arc GPU? It’s Complicated

We want Intel to succeed in the GPU market. Competition is already outstanding with two GPU makers gunning at each other, and with a third alternative, it’ll only get even harsher. However, for Intel to compete, it needs refining. Right now, Intel’s offering is a good choice for budget gamers, but enthusiasts will likely stick with the established names for now.