Review: Intel Arc B580 12GB Gaming Benchmarks at 1440p Resolution

Review: Intel Arc B580 12GB Gaming Benchmarks at 1440p Resolution

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Introduction

The Intel Arc B580 GPU has emerged as a significant player in the budget gaming graphics card market, boasting a 12GB GDDR6 memory pool and the promise of delivering solid performance at 1440p resolution. This review aims to delve deep into the gaming benchmarks of the Intel Arc B580, focusing specifically on its performance at 1440p.

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Hardware Overview

The Intel Arc B580 is built on Intel's second-generation Xe2 "Battlemage" architecture, with 20 Xe cores, 160 Xe Vector Engines, and enhanced ray tracing capabilities. It features 12GB of memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 456 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a notable advantage over many competitors in its price range that come with only 8GB.

Benchmarking Setup

For this review, benchmarks were conducted on a system equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and a high-end NVMe SSD to ensure that the GPU was not bottlenecked by other components. The latest drivers were used to provide the most accurate reflection of the card's capabilities.

Performance at 1440p

  • General Gaming Performance: Across a suite of 40 games, the Intel Arc B580 demonstrates it's not just about the memory; it holds its own against the Nvidia RTX 4060 and AMD RX 7600. On average, it's around 10-12% faster than the RTX 4060 at 1440p with ultra settings enabled. In particular, games like "Forza Horizon 5" and "Cyberpunk 2077" show the Arc B580 leading by 14% and 23% respectively over the RTX 4060 when ray tracing is enabled.

  • Ray Tracing: Perhaps one of the most surprising aspects is the Arc B580's ray tracing performance. In titles like "Cyberpunk 2077" and "Alan Wake 2", it not only competes but often surpasses the RTX 4060's performance. This is attributed to Intel's advancements in ray tracing hardware and software optimizations.

  • 1% Low Performance: A critical aspect for gamers is the consistency of frame rates. The B580 shows excellent 1% lows, ensuring smoother gameplay with less stuttering. In some benchmarks, it's reported to have 1% lows that are significantly better than the RTX 4060, particularly in memory-intensive scenarios where the extra VRAM plays a pivotal role.

  • XeSS and Upscaling: Intel's XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) technology, now in its second generation, offers a compelling alternative to DLSS and FSR, providing a performance boost at 1440p. However, the adoption rate and game support for XeSS are areas where Intel still lags behind Nvidia but is rapidly catching up.

Game-Specific Performance

  • AAA Titles: In "Horizon Forbidden West", the B580 is 24.5% faster than the RTX 4060, showcasing its prowess in handling graphically intensive games. However, in "Black Myth: Wukong", it falls slightly behind, indicating that performance can vary based on specific game optimizations.

  • Esports and Competitive Games: For titles like "Fortnite" and "War Thunder", the B580 performs admirably, often matching or exceeding the performance of the RTX 4060, providing high frame rates essential for competitive play.

Power Consumption and Efficiency

The Arc B580 consumes more power than the RTX 4060, with an average board power of 190W versus Nvidia's more efficient design. However, considering the performance, this trade-off might be acceptable for those prioritizing performance over power efficiency.

Driver Stability and Software

Intel has made significant strides in improving driver stability since the first generation of Arc GPUs, though some reviewers have noted occasional issues in specific games. The commitment to regular driver updates suggests that any initial hiccups could be addressed swiftly.

Conclusion

The Intel Arc B580 12GB stands out as a formidable contender in the budget to mid-range GPU market, particularly for 1440p gaming. Its combination of high VRAM, solid frame rates, and competitive ray tracing performance makes it an attractive option for gamers looking to upgrade without breaking the bank. While it's not without its challenges, particularly in terms of game-specific performance and driver stability, Intel's ongoing support and the card's architectural advantages at this price point position it as one of the best value propositions for 1440p gaming in 2024.