AMD Radeon 860M vs Intel Arc B390 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents an unusual comparison because the two GPUs were tested under different benchmark suites. The AMD Radeon 860M has results from Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan, while the Intel Arc B390 has a single result from 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. There are no shared head-to-head benchmarks in the database, so direct side-by-side comparisons must rely on the average benchmark score and the percentile rankings relative to all GPUs.

The AMD Radeon 860M delivers an average benchmark score of 26401, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 22759, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 30043. The Vulkan score is notably higher than the OpenCL score, indicating that the Radeon 860M responds well to Vulkan's lower overhead and more direct hardware access. This gap of 7284 points between the two API tests suggests the architecture scales efficiently when the driver overhead is minimized.

The Intel Arc B390 produces an average benchmark score of 1482 from its single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a very low standing. The average score difference between the two products is substantial: the Radeon 860M's 26401 is approximately 17.8 times higher than the Arc B390's 1482. Even accounting for different benchmark methodologies, the magnitude of this gap points to a fundamental performance disparity.

Looking at nearest rivals for context, the Radeon 860M sits within a tight cluster. The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 26421, just 0.1% above the Radeon 860M. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 scores 26331, which is 0.3% below. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 26553, 0.6% above, and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 scores 26683, 1.1% above. This grouping shows the Radeon 860M performs within a narrow band of established discrete GPUs, effectively matching a MX550-class part and trailing the RTX A4000 by just over one percent.

The Arc B390's nearest rivals are far weaker. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% below the Arc B390. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% below. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% below, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% below. The Arc B390 leads all four rivals by small margins, but those rivals are entry-level parts from previous generations. The data places the Arc B390 in a completely different performance tier than the Radeon 860M.

Benchmark results indicate the Radeon 860M is the clear winner in raw compute performance. The Vulkan score of 30043 alone exceeds the Arc B390's total average by a factor of over 20. The OpenCL score of 22759 also dwarfs the Arc B390's result. Neither product has any wins recorded in head-to-head benchmarks, as no such benchmarks exist in the database. The wins tally is zero for both, but the average score comparison leaves no ambiguity about which GPU delivers more performance.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different manufacturers and use different underlying designs. The AMD Radeon 860M uses the Krackan Point chip, built on RDNA 3.5 architecture. This is part of the Navi III IGP generation for Strix Point Mobile. The process node is 4 nm at TSMC. The Intel Arc B390 uses the Panther Lake chip, built on Xe3-LPG architecture. This belongs to the Arc Graphics-M generation for Panther Lake. The process node is 3 nm at Intel's own foundry.

The shader configuration differs dramatically. The Radeon 860M has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. The Arc B390 has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units. The Arc B390 has three times the shading units, 1.5 times the TMUs, and 1.5 times the ROPs. Ray tracing cores also differ: the Radeon 860M has 8, while the Arc B390 has 12. Neither product has tensor cores listed in the database.

Clock speeds show an inverse relationship with the core counts. The Radeon 860M has a base clock of 600 MHz and a boost clock of 3000 MHz. The Arc B390 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The Radeon 860M boosts 500 MHz higher and has a base clock twice as fast. Despite having fewer shading units, the higher clocks help the Radeon 860M achieve competitive throughput.

The raw throughput numbers confirm the Arc B390's theoretical advantage. The Arc B390 delivers 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the Radeon 860M delivers 3.072 TFLOPS. The Arc B390 is exactly 2.5 times higher in FP32. For FP16, the difference widens. The Arc B390 delivers 15.36 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the Radeon 860M delivers 3.072 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. The Arc B390's FP16 output is five times higher. Pixel rate and texture rate follow the same pattern: the Arc B390 reaches 60.00 GPixel/s and 120.0 GTexel/s, while the Radeon 860M reaches 48.00 GPixel/s and 96.00 GTexel/s.

Power consumption tells a different story. The Radeon 860M has a TDP of 15 W, while the Arc B390 has a TDP of 80 W. The Arc B390 consumes over five times the power. Both are classified as IGP slot width with no power connectors, and both have portable device dependent display outputs. The bus interface differs: the Radeon 860M uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the Arc B390 is listed simply as IGP.

Both GPUs support the same API set: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Memory is system shared for both, with system dependent bandwidth. Neither has a listed die size or transistor count. The release dates differ by nearly a year: the Radeon 860M launched on February 28, 2025, while the Arc B390 launched on January 26, 2026. Both are marked as Active in production status.

The Verdict

The data shows a decisive performance gap in favor of the AMD Radeon 860M. Its average benchmark score of 26401 places it in the 72nd percentile, while the Intel Arc B390's average score of 1482 lands in the 9th percentile. The Radeon 860M's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and the NVIDIA RTX A4000, both modern or pro-grade parts. The Arc B390's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which are legacy entry-level parts.

The Radeon 860M is the appropriate choice for applications that require meaningful GPU compute, such as general 3D rendering, video processing, or light gaming. Its Vulkan score of 30043 indicates strong performance in modern graphics APIs. The 72nd percentile ranking confirms it outperforms the majority of GPUs in the database.

The Arc B390, despite its higher theoretical specifications, does not translate those specifications into competitive benchmark results. Its 1536 shading units, 7.680 TFLOPS FP32, and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 are the highest numbers in this comparison, yet the recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it near the bottom of the database. The 9th percentile ranking means over 90% of GPUs score higher. The TDP of 80 W also makes it less suitable for power-constrained portable devices.

The architecture differences explain part of the gap. The Radeon 860M's RDNA 3.5 design with a 3000 MHz boost clock and 15 W TDP achieves high efficiency. The Arc B390's Xe3-LPG design with a 2500 MHz boost clock and 80 W TDP consumes far more power but produces far lower benchmark scores in this dataset. The process node advantage at 3 nm from Intel does not overcome the benchmark deficit.

For a user prioritizing raw performance, the Radeon 860M is the only viable option based on recorded data. For a user prioritizing low power consumption, the Radeon 860M again leads with 15 W versus 80 W. There is no benchmark category in which the Arc B390 demonstrates superiority in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has an average benchmark score of 26401, while the Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 860M compare to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce MX550?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 26421, which is 0.1% higher than the Radeon 860M's average score of 26401.

Q: What is the difference in shading units between the two GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has 1536 shading units, which is three times the 512 shading units of the AMD Radeon 860M.

Q: Which GPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has a boost clock of 3000 MHz, which is 500 MHz higher than the Intel Arc B390's boost clock of 2500 MHz.

Q: What are the TDP values for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has a TDP of 15 W, and the Intel Arc B390 has a TDP of 80 W.

Q: Which GPU was released earlier?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M was released on February 28, 2025, while the Intel Arc B390 was released on January 26, 2026.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 860M wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 22759 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 30043 both exceed the Intel Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 by a wide margin. The Radeon 860M's average score of 26401 is higher, its percentile ranking of 72 is higher, and its TDP of 15 W is lower. The Radeon 860M is also the only one of the two with a documented Vulkan result, which shows a strength in that API.

The Intel Arc B390 wins in theoretical specifications. It has more shading units at 1536, more TMUs at 48, more ROPs at 24, and more ray tracing cores at 12. Its FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS is 2.5 times the Radeon 860M's 3.072 TFLOPS. Its FP16 throughput of 15.36 TFLOPS is five times higher. Its pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s exceed the Radeon 860M's 48.00 GPixel/s and 96.00 GTexel/s. It also has a smaller process node at 3 nm versus 4 nm.

However, these theoretical wins do not appear in the benchmark results. The Arc B390's single recorded benchmark places it in the 9th percentile, and its nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts. The data does not show any workload where the Arc B390's higher core counts or throughput translate into a higher score. The Radeon 860M's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and NVIDIA RTX A4000, which places it in a much more capable performance class.

For power efficiency, the Radeon 860M wins decisively. Its 15 W TDP is one-fifth of the Arc B390's 80 W TDP, while delivering a far higher average benchmark score. For portability, both are IGP parts with portable device dependent display outputs, but the Radeon 860M's lower power draw makes it more suitable for thin and light systems. The Arc B390's higher power draw suggests a need for more robust cooling and battery capacity.

The release timeline also favors the Radeon 860M for earlier availability. It launched on February 28, 2025, while the Arc B390 launched on January 26, 2026. Both are listed as Active in production status, but the Radeon 860M has been on the market longer.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across most core specifications. The AMD Radeon 860M uses the Krackan Point chip with RDNA 3.5 architecture, while the Intel Arc B390 uses the Panther Lake chip with Xe3-LPG architecture. The process nodes differ: 4 nm at TSMC for AMD, 3 nm at Intel for the Arc B390.

Shading units are 512 for the Radeon 860M and 1536 for the Arc B390. TMUs are 32 versus 48. ROPs are 16 versus 24. Ray tracing cores are 8 versus 12. The Arc B390 leads in all of these counts.

Clock speeds are lower on the Arc B390. The Radeon 860M has a base clock of 600 MHz and a boost clock of 3000 MHz. The Arc B390 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz.

Throughput figures favor the Arc B390. FP32 is 3.072 TFLOPS for the Radeon 860M and 7.680 TFLOPS for the Arc B390. FP16 is 3.072 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio for the Radeon 860M and 15.36 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio for the Arc B390. Pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s versus 60.00 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s versus 120.0 GTexel/s.

Power consumption differs substantially. The Radeon 860M has a TDP of 15 W, while the Arc B390 has a TDP of 80 W. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8 for the Radeon 860M and IGP for the Arc B390. Both have no power connectors and a slot width of IGP.

Memory specifications are identical in form: system shared for both, with system dependent bandwidth. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Neither has a listed die size, transistor count, or launch MSRP.

Release dates differ by almost a year. The Radeon 860M launched on February 28, 2025. The Arc B390 launched on January 26, 2026. Both are in Active production status. The Radeon 860M has a listed predecessor, Navi II IGP, while the Arc B390 has no predecessor listed.