Intel just announced its Battlemage GPUs, and I can’t decide if I’m more excited about the performance or prices

What you need to know

  • Intel Arc B-Series graphics cards, also known as Battlemage, have been announced.
  • The Intel Arc B580 and B570 aim to deliver 1440p gaming at prices that are more affordable than competing cards from NVIDIA and AMD.
  • The Intel Arc B580 will start shipping on December 13, 2024, with a starting price of $249, and the Intel Arc B570 will become available on January 16, 2024, with prices starting at $219.

As an observer with a background in technology and gaming, I must say that Intel’s foray into the high-performance graphics card market with their Arc B580 and B570 GPUs, codenamed Battlemage, is quite intriguing. With prices starting at $249 and $219 respectively, they are targeting a segment of gamers who desire 1440p gaming performance without breaking the bank.


Intel recently revealed its Arc B580 and Arc B570 graphics cards, nicknamed “Battlemage”. These new GPUs are based on Intel’s Xe2 graphics architecture and cater to gamers seeking 1440p performance without breaking the bank. The Intel Arc B580 will hit stores starting December 13, 2024, with a price tag of $249, while the Intel Arc B570 is set for release on January 16, 2024, at an initial cost of $219.

Hey there! As a tech enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on the Arc B580 versus its sibling, the Arc B570. From what I’ve gathered, the Arc B580 packs quite a punch with its 20 Xe-cores, 20 ray tracing units, and a hefty 12GB of DDR6 memory compared to the Arc B570’s 18 Xe-cores, 18 ray tracing units, and 10GB of GDDR6 memory. Interestingly, the more budget-friendly Arc B570 boasts higher memory bandwidth than both the NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, graphics cards that focus on 1440p gaming, just like our Arc series.

Intel Vice President and General Manager of Client Graphics, Vivian Lien, stated, “Intel Arc B-Series GPUs are ideal enhancements for gaming enthusiasts. They offer top-tier performance-to-dollar value and provide exceptional 1440p gaming encounters with XeSS 2, second-generation ray tracing units, and XMX AI engines. We’re thrilled to have an increased number of partners on board, which means gamers will have a wider variety of designs to choose from when finding their optimal match.

Intel Battlemage performance and features

Intel’s latest graphics cards from the company are based on the Intel Xe2 graphics architecture, offering enhanced efficiency and a greater performance per core compared to the previous generation. The Xe2 cores within these new graphics cards also feature XMX AI engines, delivering superior capabilities in ray tracing and mesh shading compared to their predecessors.

XeSS, which is Intel’s answer to NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR, has received upgrades as well.

2nd-generation XeSS comes equipped with three advancements for enhanced gaming: XeSS High Definition, XeSS Dynamic Frame Creation, and Xe Low Lag. Similar to its predecessor, XeSS High Definition leverages AI technology to boost game resolution. At present, it’s compatible with more than 150 titles.

Using XeSS Frame Generation, additional frames are interpolated to enhance game fluidity, whereas Xe Low Latency ensures quicker reactions to gamer input. By utilizing all three technologies within XeSS 2, you can expect up to a 3.9x improvement in performance on top-tier PC games.

Intel asserts that its new Arc B-Series GPUs deliver a 70% improvement in performance per core and a 50% enhancement in efficiency per watt compared to their predecessors. To be more precise, the B580 model demonstrates an average speed boost of 24% in 1440p gaming over the Intel Arc A750. It’s worth noting that the B580 can be up to 78% faster than the A750 in certain games, although most titles won’t exhibit such a significant performance jump.

1440p gaming with top-notch graphics settings could potentially become more budget-friendly if Intel’s latest GPUs perform well in practical applications.

The announcement of the new Battlemage graphics cards comes at a tumultuous time for Intel. The company’s CEO just retired abruptly, though reports suggest he was forced out.

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2024-12-04 17:09