Intel Arc B580 12GB vs Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB - Gaming Benchmarks Review

Intel Arc B580 12GB vs Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB - Gaming Benchmarks Review

Overview

The graphics card market in 2024 has seen significant competition, particularly in the budget to mid-range segments, where Intel's Arc B580 and Nvidia's RTX 4060 stand out. Here's a detailed comparison based on current specifications, performance benchmarks, and user feedback.

Intel Arc B580 12GB Sale on Amazon Stock

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB Sale on Amazon Stock

Intel Arc B580 12GB:

• Architecture: Xe2 (Battlemage)

• Memory: 12GB GDDR6

• Memory Bus: 192-bit

• Power Consumption: Around 170-180W

• Price: $249

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB:

• Architecture: Ada Lovelace

• Memory: 8GB GDDR6

• Memory Bus: 128-bit

• Power Consumption: 115W

• Price: Around $300

Design and Build

The Intel Arc B580 features a well-built reference card design, known for its quiet operation and a single 8-pin power connector, making it suitable for various PC builds. It's equipped with a trio of DisplayPort outputs and one HDMI 2.1. Nvidia's RTX 4060, on the other hand, has a design that varies slightly between manufacturers but generally offers a robust build with similar connectivity options. The RTX 4060 tends to be more power-efficient, which might be a consideration for those looking to maintain lower overall system power draw.

Performance

Synthetic Benchmarks:

• In synthetic benchmarks, the Arc B580 has shown to outperform the RTX 4060 by margins up to 31%, particularly in Vulkan API tests, suggesting strong performance in modern gaming scenarios.

Gaming Performance:

• Ray Tracing: The Arc B580 holds up well against the RTX 4060 in games with ray tracing enabled, sometimes even outperforming it in some titles. However, Nvidia's card still has an edge in some games due to better ray tracing hardware.

• Rasterization: Without ray tracing, the B580 often matches or exceeds the RTX 4060's performance, especially at higher resolutions like 1440p, where the extra VRAM can make a difference.

• 1% Lows: Intel's card has shown significant improvements in 1% lows, which translates to fewer frame drops, providing a smoother gaming experience.

Game Benchmarks Table:

Note: These numbers are indicative based on various reviews and benchmarks. Actual performance can vary.

Additional Features

• Intel XeSS: Intel's equivalent to DLSS, XeSS 2, includes frame generation technology, enhancing performance in supported games.

• Nvidia DLSS 3: RTX 4060 supports DLSS 3, which offers significant performance boosts in supported games.

Price and Value

The Arc B580 provides a compelling value proposition with its lower price point and higher VRAM capacity, which could be more future-proof. Nvidia's RTX 4060, while more expensive, offers established driver support, broader game compatibility, and the advantage of DLSS 3.

Conclusion

The Intel Arc B580 emerges as a strong contender in the budget GPU market, especially for gamers looking at 1440p gaming or those concerned about VRAM constraints. Its performance, particularly with ray tracing and at higher resolutions, challenges Nvidia's RTX 4060, which, while slightly behind in some areas, benefits from Nvidia's mature ecosystem. The choice might boil down to preference for Nvidia's technology stack versus Intel's better price-to-performance ratio.

Given the current landscape, if you're on a budget and looking for value and future-proofing, the Arc B580 is an excellent choice. However, if you prioritize ray tracing, DLSS, and Nvidia's broader software support, the RTX 4060 might still be your go-to, despite the higher cost.