Intel Arc B580 Achieves Significant Performance Improvements in Select Games with New Drivers Reducing CPU Overhead

Intel’s Arc Battlemage GPUs are gaining momentum with recent driver updates, showcasing notable improvements across various gaming titles. Despite still needing further refinements, these updates are making a tangible impact.

Intel Resolves CPU Overhead Challenges in Multiple Games; Arc B580 Performs Better with Older CPUs

The Arc B580 has emerged as one of the standout budget GPUs priced at $249. However, it initially faced resistance from gamers primarily due to a significant CPU overhead issue. Historically, the Arc B580 struggled when paired with older processors—not just those from 2015 but even recent Zen 3 models introduced about five years ago. These processors, despite their age, still deliver impressive gaming performance, making them popular among many gamers.

Recognizing the issue, Intel promptly initiated a series of driver updates designed to optimize the Arc B580’s compatibility with these CPUs. A prominent review by Hardware Unboxed illustrated the progress made. Previously, the performance drop was quite pronounced when pairing the Arc B580 with the Ryzen 5600 GPU, especially when compared to AMD and NVIDIA alternatives. This setback was largely attributed to CPU overhead limitations that hampered the Intel GPU’s performance.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered benchmark screen shows performance of Radeon RX 9060 XT 8G and Intel Arc B580 with Ryzen 7 9800X3D. — Credit: Hardware Unboxed

Recent benchmarks indicate significant improvements in several games. For example, the Arc B580’s performance in Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered showed a dramatic recovery when matched with the Ryzen 5 5600, particularly in contrast to the RX 9060 XT 8 GB. Although both GPUs faced CPU-related limitations, the Arc B580’s performance gap has narrowed considerably since Intel’s driver version 7028 was released in August, yielding performance boosts of over 30% compared to previous driver iterations.

Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark shows Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Radeon RX 9060 XT 8G at 101 FPS, Intel Arc B580 at 79 FPS, 1080p Ultra. — Credit: Hardware Unboxed

Similar enhancements were observed in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, where the Arc B580 exhibited no performance regression when paired with the Ryzen 5 2600, matching the RX 9060 XT’s performance. Other games—including Dying Light: The Beast, Marvel Rivals, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Borderlands 4—also demonstrated promising improvements when using the Ryzen 5600. However, CPU overhead problems persist in some titles when using the Ryzen 5 2600, although these issues are becoming less frequent with the Ryzen 5600.

Bar chart titled Dying Light The Beast compares performance of AMD and Intel processors with Radeon RX 9060 XT 8G.

Marvel Rivals benchmark chart shows performance for Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Radeon RX 9060 XT 8G, and Intel Arc B580 at Medium, 1080p Native.

Borderlands 4 benchmark shows Radeon RX 9060 XT 8G and Intel Arc B580 performance with Ryzen CPUs at low 1080p upscaling.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II benchmark comparing Radeon RX 9060 XT 8G and Intel Arc B580 graphics cards with different Ryzen CPUs.

With continuous updates, Intel is systematically addressing driver-related weaknesses in the Arc B580, allowing this GPU to become a strong contender in the budget segment. Now priced at $249 across major retailers, it remains the only 12 GB graphics card in its class, making it a highly appealing option for gamers seeking to enhance their gaming experience.

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