So we will tour what Intel Arc B580 is doing to change up the formula of cheap gaming. It’s a revolutionary time for graphics cards, and at $250, this new GPU comes as a refreshing value that blows the amount spent by GeForce RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 7600 out of the water, dragging in 12GB VRAM for good measure.
Just like you’d expect after those mistakes, Intel’s second generation at discrete graphics is the Intel Arc B580, and you can tell they’ve learned. This GPU is built based on TSMC’s N5 process, replete with 19.6 billion transistors in a 272mm² die with 20 Xe cores, 160 Xe Vector Engines, and 20 RT units.
Well, Would You Look at These Numbers!
The performance profile the Intel Arc B580 presents is remarkable. It carries 12GB of GDDR6 memory running at 19 Gbps on a 192-bit interface, for a total memory bandwidth of 456 GB/s, and features core clocks up to 2,850 MHz. And at 1440p gaming, it’s a particularly powerful configuration, easily outperforming its closest competitors.
In fact, the Intel Arc B580 shines bright across our current modern titles. The RTX 4060 lags Cyberpunk 2077 behind by 15%, managing to accomplish 90 fps at 1080p with high settings, while the RTX 4060 relies on 85 fps only. At 1440p the card is very impressive when you consider its generous VRAM allocation and it proves its capabilities even more, as it maintains strong performance.
Let’s Talk About That Sweet Price Tag
The Intel Arc B580 flagship’s price-to-performance ratio is probably the most striking. For $250, it brings capabilities that cost significantly more. The highest note of technological progression spot seems to be the inclusion of 12GB VRAM, going above the 8GB offered by other cards with a higher price tag.
Both the Intel Arc B580’s thermal and power characteristics are equally impressive. Running the GPU under load when its temperatures don’t exceed 62°C and memory temperatures do not peak above 70°C. It is slightly more power thirsty than the RTX 4060 but the performance difference is huge enough to make it worthwhile.
Gaming Like a Boss
The Intel Arc B580 invariably performs well in real life games. The card excels particularly in modern titles like Star Wars Jedi: On the other side, it’s smooth framerates all the way at 1080p and 1440p on Survivor and A Plague Tale: Requiem. Never before has it performed at this level priced.
Top Intel Arc B580 ray tracing performance proves surprisingly capable. Although this won’t match NVIDIA’s up to the grease painted implementation in all cases, it’s an acceptable alternative for those who want ray traced effects but aren’t quite willing to shell out the bank. In these demanding cases, the card’s 12GB of VRAM particularly benefits.
Shaking Things Up in the GPU World
Intel Arc B580’s arrival means it’s time to reevaluate the entire budget GPU market. To compete, AMD and NVIDIA will need to respond with either dramatic price Cuts, or improved offerings. Ultimately this competition works to the consumer that can potentially mean better value for the money across all price segments.
We can only hope that the Intel Arc B580 means bright things ahead for Intel’s graphics division. Early drivers needed some refinement, but Intel’s focus on improvement has lead to a product that competes and dominates in its targeted market segment. This is a big deal in the graphics card industry and promises some evolution in the near future.
This isn’t just a gameplay performance update. The generous VRAM and competitive performance should appeal to content creators and graphics intensive application professionals, and at the attractive price point, it’ll be hard to beat. Along with this versatility, the Intel Arc B580 is a game changing product in the GPU market.
