Intel Arc B570: Budget GPU Struggles to Match Predecessor’s Performance

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Intel‘s latest budget graphics card, the Arc B570, launched Jan. 16, 2025, with a $219 price tag, aiming to compete in the entry-level GPU market. However, early testing reveals it falls short of its predecessor, the Arc B580, due to reduced memory and bandwidth.

The Arc B570 features a 10% reduction in core counts, 3.5% lower clock speeds, and a 17% cut in VRAM capacity and bandwidth compared to the B580. While the price is 12% lower, these compromises may limit its appeal for gaming and AI applications.

“The B570 is a mixed bag,” said Jarred Walton, senior editor at Tom's Hardware. “It’s cheaper, but the reduced memory and bandwidth hold it back, especially at higher resolutions.”

The card uses Intel’s BMG-G21 architecture, manufactured on TSMC‘s 5nm process. It includes 18 Xe-Cores, 2,304 shaders, and 10GB of VRAM with a 160-bit bus width. Its boost clock reaches 2,750 MHz, matching the B580’s performance in most tests.

However, the B570’s 10GB VRAM may struggle with modern games that exceed 8GB usage. While memory compression techniques can mitigate this, the card’s 380 GB/s bandwidth is significantly lower than the B580’s 456 GB/s.

In the competitive sub-$250 market, the B570 faces off against AMD‘s RX 6600 and Nvidia‘s RTX 3050. The RX 6600, priced at $190, remains a strong contender despite being over three years old. Nvidia’s RTX 3050 6GB, at $170, offers a cheaper alternative but lacks performance in ray tracing.

Intel’s Arc series, launched in 2022, initially faced driver and software issues. The company has since improved its software support, but the B570’s launch highlights the challenges of competing with established players like AMD and Nvidia.

“The B570 is a step forward for Intel, but it’s not a game-changer,” Walton added. “For budget-conscious gamers, it’s worth considering, but the value proposition isn’t as strong as the B580.”

As Intel continues to refine its GPU offerings, the B570 represents a cautious step into the competitive budget market. Whether it can carve out a niche remains to be seen.