Intel recently unveiled a new driver tailored for its Intel Arc graphics cards, specifically catering to the ‘Meteor Lake’ Intel Core Ultra mobile processors equipped with Arc graphics cards.
This latest driver update brings substantial performance enhancements to various Intel Core Ultra models, including the Ultra 7 155H, Ultra 5 125H, and Ultra 9 185H. Notably, it delivers significant improvements in DirectX 11 titles, with framerate boosts ranging from 7% to an impressive 155%.
Among the standout improvements are a 65% framerate surge in titles like Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, along with a remarkable 155% increase in framerate witnessed in Just Cause 4.
It’s worth highlighting that this driver focuses on optimizing DirectX 11 titles, particularly those running at 1080p resolution with ‘Medium’ settings. While DirectX 11 is predominantly associated with older games, newer titles such as Palworld also benefit greatly, experiencing a staggering 155% framerate enhancement. Additionally, this update extends support to Last Epoch and includes the awaited DirectX 12 update for Sea of Thieves.
The accompanying release notes address known issues, including sporadic crashes in Dragon Quest X Online, terrain corruption in Diablo 4, and crashes in the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves collection, among others. These issues are expected to be resolved in subsequent updates.
A list detailing the improvements for various games:
| Game | DirectX Version | FPS Uplift | Resolution & Settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin’s Creed Syndicate | DX11 | Up to 65% | 1080p, Medium |
| Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | DX11 | Up to 17% | 1080p, Normal |
| Divinity Original Sin 2 | DX11 | Up to 25% | 1080p, Medium |
| Far Cry 5 | DX11 | Up to 8% | 1080p, Normal |
| Halo: The Master Chief Collection | DX11 | Up to 19% | 1080p, Original |
| It Takes Two | DX11 | Up to 24% | 1080p, Medium |
| Just Cause 3 | DX11 | Up to 18% | 1080p, Medium |
| Just Cause 4 | DX11 | Up to 155% | 1080p, Medium |
| Palworld | DX11 | Up to 14% | 1080p, Medium |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | DX11 | Up to 9% | 1080p, Medium |
| Rust | DX11 | Up to 9% | 1080p, Medium |
| SCUM | DX11 | Up to 6% | 1080p, Medium |
| Sid Meier’s Civilization VI | DX11 | Up to 27% | 1080p, Medium |
| Snowrunner | DX11 | Up to 49% | 1080p, Medium |
| Warframe | DX11 | Up to 7% | 1080p, Medium |
| XCOM 2 | DX11 | Up to 8% | 1080p, Medium |
This comprehensive driver update is poised to significantly enhance the gaming experience for users of Intel Arc graphics cards, particularly in DirectX 11 titles.
Intel Arc Graphics: Evolving Yet Room for Growth
Intel Arc graphics cards exhibit continual performance enhancements, inching closer to top-tier competitors. Notably budget-friendly, they fill a market gap left by competitors’ indifference.
Models like the Intel Arc A770 and A750 demonstrate remarkable strides, boasting up to 40% performance gains since their launch. Despite this, they’re not yet on par with Nvidia and AMD in AI and gaming capabilities, as evidenced by the January 2024 Steam survey.
While Intel Arc cards struggle with older titles and fail to run Starfield, competitors excel. Intel must address these shortcomings to dominate the budget graphics card market.