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The Intel Arc B580 and the RX 6700 XT target the entry-level market these days. Although launched for 1440p gaming at high framerates, the last-gen AMD GPU and the slightly overclocked mid-gen have been discounted to around $300-330, making them a direct competitor to the RTX 4060 and other GPUs at this price range.
The B580 is the latest launch in this segment and packs serious rendering prowess with 12 GB of VRAM at a lucrative $249. This raises the question: should you opt for the older 6700 XT, which continues to stay relevant because it originally targeted a higher market segment, or the brand-new Arc GPU? The answer depends on your budget.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions
Both Intel Arc B580 12 GB and AMD RX 6700 XT 12 GB offer competitive gaming performance
On paper, the Arc B580 and the RX 6700 XT are very different graphics cards because of the vastly different architectures powering them. An apples-to-apples comparison between them is quite impossible, but let's look at the hardware each card packs to get an idea of what to expect.
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Specs comparison
The Arc B580 is based on the BMG-G21 graphics processor, which is the only chip launched as part of the new Battlemage lineup so far. The new technology is a massive improvement over the last generation, with improvements in both die size and power efficiency. Intel claims the new Xe2 cores — the B580 packs 20 of these — offer up to 50% more performance than the older Xe.
The 6700 XT, on the other hand, is an RDNA 2-based pixel pusher. The card is powered by the Navi 22 graphics chip, which is a cut-down version of the flagship Navi 21. You get 2,560 shading units and 40 RT cores.
However, what the two cards share is the video memory: both GPUs bring 12 GB GDDR6 memory based on a 192-bit bus. However, the B580 has the upper hand in terms of bandwidth because of the slightly faster chips it uses.
Here is a detailed specs lists of the two cards:
Despite the price cuts to the 6700 XT, the Arc B580 is the cheaper card among the two. It is priced at just $249, which makes it one of the most competitive GPUs in the market.
The 6700 XT is available for around $320 brand new. You can also get the 6750 XT for about the same price. There are better deals on the used market, of course.
Read more: Intel Arc B580 vs Arc A770
Performance comparison
Performance is often the main delimiter for gamers. In this aspect, both cards promise high FPS at 1080p with decent capabilities at 1440p. Well-optimized and not-so-demanding games would run well at UHD. However, 4K gaming isn't particularly a strong point for either card.
Below is a detailed comparison of the two GPUs in some of the latest titles. We sourced these numbers from the YouTube channel Testing Games.
On average, the Radeon RX 6700 XT is about 7.9% faster than the Arc B580. However, if you look closely at the performance gaps, the Arc GPU beats the AMD card in some games, while the 6700 XT takes massive leads in others.
The B580's inconsistent performance can largely be attributed to Intel's driver issues. The software-hardware bridge still isn't mature enough to squeeze out the maximum of the GPUs.
All the games listed above are DirectX 12-based, where Intel cards are supposed to perform the best. While Battlemage cards have improved performance over the last generation, this inconsistency sure remains a concern. While such issues can be addressed with future software patches, buying cards on this promise won't be a wise idea.
The AMD RX 6700 XT and the overclocked 6750 XT continue to be superb cards for 1080p and 1440p gaming to date. However, the Intel card gets the upper hand in terms of pricing. If you don't want to spend more than $249, we recommend opting for the Arc B580. However, if you have more cash, consider the Team Red offerings. At the $330 price point, these cards are the best options.
