Intel Arc B580 And B570 Desktop Graphics Cards Launched With Competitive Pricing to Take on Nvidia and AMD

Intel is set to release its latest desktop graphics cards, the Arc B580 and Arc B570, priced at $249 and $219, respectively. These cards will be available on December 13th and January 16th. Intel claims these GPUs offer the best performance for their price in the market. They are based on the Xe2 "Battlemage" architecture found in Intel's Lunar Lake laptop chips but with enhanced specifications.

The Intel Arc B580 boasts more than double the graphics cores compared to its laptop counterparts, up to 12GB of dedicated video memory, and a power capacity of up to 190W. According to Intel's benchmarks, this allows it to slightly outperform Nvidia's $299 RTX 4060 and AMD's $269 RX 7600 in certain scenarios. However, performance can vary depending on the game.

Performance Comparisons

Intel suggests that when paired with its Core i9-14900K CPU, the B580 can achieve a 60fps average in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 at 1440p ultra settings. Despite this, Nvidia's RTX 4060 still leads in titles such as Starfield and Gears 5. The B580's advantage becomes apparent in memory-intensive situations due to its larger video memory.

In Forza Motorsport, for instance, while the Nvidia card outperforms Intel's at standard settings (86fps vs. 77fps), Intel takes the lead when ray tracing is enabled (64fps vs. 57fps). Intel has not provided direct comparisons with AMD's RX 7600 or its own Arc B570 model.

Product Variants

Intel will offer an Arc B580 Limited Edition card featuring two fans and a single 8-pin power connector. Other manufacturers like Acer and ASRock will also produce versions of these cards. While it's encouraging to see affordable GPUs with higher memory capacities entering the market, pricing dynamics could shift quickly due to competitive pressures.

The new XeSS technology from Intel introduces frame generation capabilities that significantly boost frame rates by creating new frames between existing ones. This feature aims to rival Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR technologies. Additionally, XeSS now includes a Low Latency mode designed to eliminate any drawbacks associated with frame generation techniques.

Future Prospects

Despite these advancements, there are uncertainties surrounding Intel's future in discrete graphics cards. CEO Pat Gelsinger hinted at potential cuts before his departure from the company. Nonetheless, Intel continues to enhance its offerings with upgrades like XeSS 2, which will be integrated into upcoming games such as F1 24 and Assassin's Creed Shadows.

The GPU market remains dynamic with rapid technological advancements and competitive pricing strategies shaping consumer choices. As Intel introduces these new products, it remains to be seen how they will fare against established players like Nvidia and AMD in terms of both performance and market share.