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It feels like only yesterday that Intel Arc graphics cards made their debut, albeit with a stumbling entrance rather than a thump. However, a lot has changed since that 2022 launch, and the tech giant now has various board partners under its wing, including Acer, MSI, and Gigabyte. That list keeps growing, as Japanese manufacturer Kuroutoshikou is about to enter the Alchemist fold with an A750 model with rather striking blue innards.
Look, we’re not going to pretend that Intel is tearing up the track in the best graphics card race, nor does it have a proper new-gen AMD or Nvidia contender. Yet, Arc GPUs are slowly developing into a go-to option for budget builders and entry-level enthusiasts alike. That arguably matters more than raw gaming PC performance and AI trickery amid a cost of living crisis, as at the end of the day, if an A750 can run games at 1080p and costs less, it’s going to cater to the majority of Steam players out there.
Coming in at 22K Yen (around $159) the new A750 graphics card by Kuroutoshikou comes armed with a cut-down version of Intel’s ACM-G10 GPU, featuring 28 Xe cores and 8GB GDDR6 memory (via Videocardz). It’s also an overlocked card, with a slight tune-up to 2.2GHz helping it pick up the pace.
Of course, there is another talking point in regard to this new Arc card, as Kuroutoshikou has a blue board and a blue connector. Yes, I did write that to the tune of that weird Eiffel 65 song with the creepy CGI, which I guess means the choice will at least grab some attention over alternatives.
Sticking with the limited edition theme we’ve witnessed with Alchemist since its arrival, Kuroutoshikou is set to produce a smaller number of units. It’s worth noting that this card is also on sale in Japan, and it likely won’t get a release in the US or the UK. Nevertheless, more Arc graphics cards are a good sign, one that should help Intel establish ground ahead of its new Battlemage series. Who knows, if the company plays its "cards" right, it could flank Nvidia at an opportune time with a high-end contender that packs a punch.
Should you buy an Intel Arc graphics card?
Intel Arc graphics cards are all about bang for buck, and you can pick up a partner model A770 with 16GB GDDR6 RAM normally for under $350 (the Limited Edition model was recently discontinued). That’s not bad considering the recently released RTX 4060 costs $299 and only comes with 8GB memory, but Nvidia does have better drivers and fancier AI upscaling features like DLSS 3 on its side.
Still, Arc cards are developing like fine wine, and while reports of optimization issues with older games originally made the rounds, performance is on the up. So, if you’re in the market for a cheap GPU that packs decent specs, it’s worth considering Intel’s budget gladiator. We’ll be putting Acer’s Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770 OC card to the test in an upcoming review, so watch this space for benchmarks and impressions.
Before you go, I’ve included some of the best Arc graphics card deals out there at the moment below, so feel free to have a browse.
Looking for a complete build? Check out the best Alienware gaming PCs with GPUs already inside. Alternatively, have a peek at our best gaming laptop picks for a collection of portable powerhouses.
