GPU Comparison

The Intel Arc B580 decisively outperforms the AMD Radeon RX 5700 in modern workloads, winning 7 of 10 head-to-head benchmarks and delivering a 70.9% lead in Vulkan performance. While the RX 5700 retains advantages in legacy DirectX and 2D tests, the Arc B580’s architectural maturity and higher compute throughput make it the stronger choice for current gaming and compute tasks. The data shows a generational leap in raw performance, though the RX 5700’s end-of-life status and smaller feature set limit its relevance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where the Arc B580 scores 3068 against the RX 5700’s 1862, a 64.8% advantage. This is not a marginal win; it signals that the Intel part handles modern DirectX 12 rendering pipelines with far greater efficiency. Similarly, in Geekbench Vulkan, the Arc B580 posts 109,672 versus 64,166, a 70.9% delta, the largest margin in the entire comparison. For users targeting Vulkan-based titles or compute APIs, this gap is decisive.

The Geekbench OpenCL result reinforces the compute story: the Arc B580 scores 92,821, which is 33.4% higher than the RX 5700’s 69,603. In Passmark GPU Compute, the Intel card leads 7,729 to 6,517, an 18.6% improvement. These are not synthetic outliers; they indicate that the Arc B580’s 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 throughput translates directly into faster general-purpose GPU work.

In DirectX-specific Passmark tests, the Arc B580 wins DirectX 11 (128 vs 101, +26.7%) and DirectX 12 (76 vs 54, +40.7%). The DX12 result is particularly telling, as it shows the Arc B580’s feature set (DirectX 12 Ultimate) provides tangible benefits over the RX 5700’s DirectX 12 (12_1) implementation. The Passmark G3D score also favors Intel, 15,748 vs 14,314, a 10% lead that reflects overall 3D rendering capability.

However, the RX 5700 wins three legacy-oriented tests. In Passmark DirectX 9, it scores 209 versus 183, a 12.4% advantage. The DirectX 10 result is similar, with the AMD card winning 87 to 76 (-12.6% for Intel). The RX 5700 also dominates Passmark G2D (877 vs 709, +19.2%), indicating better 2D acceleration and desktop composition performance. These wins are meaningful for users running older software, but they do not offset the Arc B580’s modern API superiority.

Architecture Differences

The Arc B580 is built on Intel’s Xe2-HPG architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC, while the RX 5700 uses AMD’s RDNA 1.0 on a 7 nm node. This process advantage allows the Intel chip (BMG-G21) to pack 19,600 million transistors into a 272 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 72.1 million per mm². The RX 5700’s Navi 10 die holds 10,300 million transistors on 251 mm², with a density of 41.0 million per mm². The Arc B580’s higher density enables more compute units in the same physical footprint.

Core counts reflect this: the Arc B580 has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, while the RX 5700 has 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The Intel part also includes 20 dedicated ray tracing cores, whereas the RX 5700 has none, a critical feature gap for games using hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Clock speeds differ significantly: the Arc B580 runs at a fixed 2670 MHz base and boost, while the RX 5700 operates at 1465 MHz base, 1625 MHz game, and 1725 MHz boost. This higher sustained clock, combined with more cores, drives the Intel card’s 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 throughput versus the RX 5700’s 7.949 TFLOPS.

Memory configurations also diverge. The Arc B580 offers 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, yielding 456.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 5700 has 8 GB on a wider 256-bit bus, achieving 448.0 GB/s. The extra 4 GB capacity is significant for modern textures, while the bandwidth parity means neither card is starved at 1080p or 1440p. The Arc B580 also supports DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1a, while the RX 5700 is limited to DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.0b, a difference for high-refresh-rate 4K displays.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in DirectX 12 workloads?

A: The Intel Arc B580 wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test by 64.8% (3068 vs 1862) and the Passmark DX12 test by 40.7% (76 vs 54). Its DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) provides a clear advantage over the RX 5700’s DirectX 12 (12_1).

Q: Does the RX 5700 have any performance advantage?

A: Yes, in legacy APIs. The RX 5700 wins Passmark DirectX 9 (209 vs 183, +12.4%) and DirectX 10 (87 vs 76, +12.6%), plus Passmark G2D (877 vs 709, +19.2%). These are the only three tests where it leads.

Q: How much faster is the Arc B580 in Vulkan?

A: The Arc B580 scores 109,672 in Geekbench Vulkan versus the RX 5700’s 64,166, a 70.9% advantage. This is the largest performance gap in the entire comparison.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6, while the RX 5700 has 8 GB. Both use GDDR6, but the Intel card’s 192-bit bus yields 456.0 GB/s, nearly matching the RX 5700’s 448.0 GB/s from a 256-bit bus.

Q: Which card supports ray tracing?

A: Only the Arc B580 has dedicated ray tracing cores (20). The RX 5700 has no ray tracing hardware, making the Intel card the only option for hardware-accelerated ray tracing in this comparison.

Q: What are the production statuses of these cards?

A: The Arc B580 is listed as “Active” with a release date of 2024-12-12, while the RX 5700 is “End-of-life” and was released on 2019-07-06. The RX 5700’s predecessor is Vega, and its successor is Navi II; the Arc B580’s predecessor is Alchemist.

The Verdict

The data strongly favors the Intel Arc B580 for anyone building a new system or upgrading from a pre-2020 GPU. Its 64.8% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad and 70.9% lead in Vulkan are not subtle differences, they represent a new performance tier. The extra 4 GB of VRAM (12 GB vs 8 GB) future-proofs it for upcoming titles, and the ray tracing cores add a feature the RX 5700 simply cannot offer. The RX 5700’s wins in DirectX 9/10 and G2D are irrelevant for modern gaming, where DirectX 12 and Vulkan dominate.

For users with legacy software libraries or those prioritizing 2D desktop performance, the RX 5700’s G2D score (877 vs 709) and DirectX 9/10 wins (209 and 87 vs 183 and 76) provide a niche rationale. However, these are narrow use cases. The RX 5700’s end-of-life status and lack of driver updates for newer APIs make it a risky pick for future titles. The Arc B580’s higher average benchmark score (23,021 vs 22,170) and superior 68th percentile ranking (vs 67th) confirm its overall edge.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Arc B580 | AMD Radeon RX 5700 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Xe2-HPG | RDNA 1.0 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 7 nm |

| Transistors | 19,600 million | 10,300 million |

| Die Size | 272 mm² | 251 mm² |

| Base Clock | 2670 MHz | 1465 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2670 MHz | 1725 MHz |

| Memory Size | 12 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bus | 192 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 456.0 GB/s | 448.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2560 | 2304 |

| TMUs | 160 | 144 |

| ROPs | 80 | 64 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 20 | None |

| FP32 Performance | 13.67 TFLOPS | 7.949 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 190 W | 180 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 2.1 | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (12_1) |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

Where Each One Wins

The Arc B580 is the clear winner for modern gaming. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score (3068) and Passmark G3D score (15,748) indicate strong DirectX 12 and general 3D performance. The 70.9% Vulkan lead makes it the preferred card for Vulkan-based engines, including many popular esports titles and cross-platform games. The 12 GB VRAM capacity handles high-resolution texture packs and ray-traced effects, which the RX 5700 cannot process due to its lack of RT cores. Compute workloads also favor Intel: the 18.6% Passmark GPU Compute lead and 33.4% OpenCL advantage make it suitable for Blender, video encoding, and other GPU-accelerated tasks.

The RX 5700’s wins are confined to legacy environments. Its DirectX 9 (209) and DirectX 10 (87) scores are 12.4% and 12.6% higher, respectively, making it a better choice for running older games that lack modern API patches. The G2D result (877 vs 709) suggests superior 2D rendering for desktop productivity, CAD software with 2D views, or multi-monitor setups where 2D compositing matters. The RX 5700’s 256-bit bus, despite lower bandwidth (448.0 GB/s), offers slightly better memory latency characteristics in some workloads, though this is not reflected in any benchmark win.

For most users, the choice is unambiguous: the Arc B580’s 7 wins out of 10 benchmarks, including all modern API tests, make it the superior hardware. The RX 5700 is only relevant for those with specific legacy software requirements or who prioritize 2D performance over 3D capability. Given the RX 5700’s end-of-life status, the Arc B580’s active production and driver support ensure longer-term viability. The data does not support choosing the RX 5700 for any future-proof gaming or compute use case.