Intel Arc B390 vs NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation Comparison

Intel Arc B390 vs NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a single benchmark entry for the Intel Arc B390: a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. This places the Intel part at the 9th percentile among all GPUs in the database. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has no benchmark scores recorded, and its average benchmark score is listed as 0. Consequently, no direct head-to-head comparison can be drawn from actual test results, as the head-to-head benchmark table is empty and neither wins counter shows an advantage (both are 0).

The Intel Arc B390's nearest rivals in the database provide context for its single score. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX averages 1463, which is 1.3% lower than the Arc B390. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M averages 1460, a 1.5% deficit. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, trailing by 2.5%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 records 1443, a 2.7% gap. These deltas indicate that the Arc B390's performance in this specific DX12 workload is marginally ahead of these older discrete mobile and entry-level desktop parts, with differences ranging from roughly one to three percent. The spread is narrow, suggesting that in this test, the Intel GPU sits at the upper edge of a cluster of low-end parts.

The RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation, despite having no recorded benchmarks, holds a 50th percentile ranking in the database. This percentile is derived from its specifications and classification rather than any measured score. The absence of benchmark data for the NVIDIA part means that any numerical comparison between the two GPUs in this section is limited to the Arc B390's absolute score and its relative standing against its listed rivals. The data does not support a claim that either GPU outperforms the other in any tested workload, because only one side has a recorded result.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different manufacturers and use fundamentally different architectures. The Intel Arc B390 is built on the Xe3-LPG architecture, using the Panther Lake chip, and belongs to the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. It is fabricated on a 3 nm process at Intel's foundry. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation uses the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, manufactured by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The process node difference, 3 nm versus 5 nm, reflects a newer manufacturing technology for the Intel part, though the NVIDIA chip integrates 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 118.9M per mm². The Intel chip's transistor count and die size are listed as unknown in the database, so no density figure can be derived.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The Intel Arc B390 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation runs at a base clock of 930 MHz and a boost clock of 1455 MHz. The Intel part's boost clock is considerably higher, while the NVIDIA part starts from a much higher base frequency. Memory configurations are also distinct. The Arc B390 uses system shared memory, with the memory type, bus width, and size all listed as system shared, and bandwidth described as system dependent. The RTX 2000 Max-Q has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, with a memory clock of 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). The Intel GPU relies on the host system's memory, which can vary, while the NVIDIA GPU has dedicated VRAM with fixed specifications.

Shader resources favor the NVIDIA part. The RTX 2000 Max-Q has 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The Arc B390 has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The NVIDIA GPU also has 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores, while the Intel GPU has 12 ray tracing cores and no tensor cores listed. These counts indicate that the RTX 2000 Max-Q has double the shading units, TMUs, and ROPs of the Arc B390, along with double the ray tracing cores. The pixel rate for the NVIDIA part is 69.84 GPixel/s versus 60.00 GPixel/s for Intel, and the texture rate is 139.7 GTexel/s versus 120.0 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 8.940 TFLOPS for NVIDIA and 7.680 TFLOPS for Intel. FP16 performance differs in approach: the Intel GPU delivers 15.36 TFLOPS using a 2:1 ratio, while the NVIDIA GPU provides 8.940 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio.

Power consumption is a notable differentiator. The Intel Arc B390 has a TDP of 80 W, whereas the RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation is rated at 35 W. Both are integrated into portable devices with no power connectors, and both use an IGP slot width. The bus interfaces differ: the Intel part uses IGP, while the NVIDIA part uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs are portable device dependent for both. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The production status for both is active. The RTX 2000 Max-Q has a predecessor (Ampere-MW) and successor (Blackwell-MW) listed, while the Intel part has none.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the Intel Arc B390 wins in raw clock speed, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz compared to 1455 MHz for the NVIDIA part. It also delivers higher FP16 throughput at 15.36 TFLOPS, assuming a 2:1 ratio is usable, versus 8.940 TFLOPS for NVIDIA. The Intel GPU uses a newer 3 nm process, which may offer efficiency advantages at the architectural level, though the TDP for Intel is higher at 80 W versus 35 W for NVIDIA. The Arc B390 also has a higher average benchmark score of 1482, but this is solely due to having a recorded test, while the NVIDIA part has none.

The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation wins in nearly every compute and memory metric. It has double the shading units (3072 versus 1536), double the TMUs (96 versus 48), double the ROPs (48 versus 24), and double the ray tracing cores (24 versus 12). It also has 96 tensor cores, which the Intel part lacks. FP32 throughput is higher at 8.940 TFLOPS versus 7.680 TFLOPS, and pixel rate and texture rate are both higher at 69.84 GPixel/s and 139.7 GTexel/s respectively. The NVIDIA GPU has dedicated 8 GB GDDR6 memory with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part depends on system shared memory with variable bandwidth. The RTX 2000 Max-Q also has a lower TDP of 35 W, making it more power-efficient on paper. The database percentile favors NVIDIA at 50th versus Intel's 9th, though this is based on classification rather than measured performance.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. For workloads that rely on FP32 compute, dedicated memory bandwidth, or tensor core acceleration, the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation is the stronger part on specifications. Its 3072 shading units and 96 tensor cores, combined with 256.0 GB/s of dedicated bandwidth, give it a structural advantage in tasks that scale with those resources. The higher FP32 throughput of 8.940 TFLOPS and the 24 ray tracing cores further support this position. The lower TDP of 35 W also makes it a more constrained-power option, which is relevant for portable devices.

For workloads that depend on FP16 throughput or higher boost clocks, the Intel Arc B390 has an advantage. Its 2500 MHz boost clock is substantially higher, and its FP16 figure of 15.36 TFLOPS exceeds the NVIDIA part's 8.940 TFLOPS, though the 2:1 ratio means this is achieved through hardware conversion rather than native FP16 computation. The 3 nm process node is newer, but without transistor counts or die size for Intel, the practical impact is unquantified. The single benchmark score of 1482 for the Arc B390, while ahead of its nearest rivals by 1.3% to 2.7%, cannot be compared to the NVIDIA part because no NVIDIA benchmark exists in the database.

The choice depends on whether the use case favors dedicated memory and higher FP32/tensor throughput, which points to NVIDIA, or higher boost clocks and FP16 throughput, which points to Intel. The RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has the broader specification sheet and a mid-pack percentile ranking, while the Arc B390 is positioned at the 9th percentile with a single test result. The NVIDIA part is the safer pick for compute-heavy tasks, while the Intel part offers a specific niche for FP16-oriented workloads. Neither GPU has a recorded head-to-head victory, so the verdict rests on the specification differences.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher benchmark score in the database?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has no recorded benchmark scores, so no direct comparison is possible.

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

A: The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has 3072 shading units, while the Intel Arc B390 has 1536 shading units. This gives the NVIDIA part twice the shading unit count.

Q: How do the memory configurations differ?

A: The Intel Arc B390 uses system shared memory with no dedicated size, type, or bus width listed, and bandwidth is system dependent. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has a boost clock of 1455 MHz, which is lower.

Q: What is the TDP for each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a TDP of 80 W. The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation has a TDP of 35 W.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in the following recorded fields:

• Process Node: Intel Arc B390 uses 3 nm. NVIDIA RTX 2000 Max-Q Ada Generation uses 5 nm.
• Foundry: Intel for Arc B390, TSMC for NVIDIA.
• Transistors: Intel is unknown. NVIDIA has 18,900 million.
• Die Size: Intel is unknown. NVIDIA has 159 mm².
• Transistor Density: Intel has none listed. NVIDIA has 118.9M / mm².
• Base Clock: Intel is 300 MHz. NVIDIA is 930 MHz.
• Boost Clock: Intel is 2500 MHz. NVIDIA is 1455 MHz.
• Memory Clock: Intel is system shared. NVIDIA is 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective).
• Memory Size: Intel is system shared. NVIDIA is 8 GB.
• Memory Type: Intel is system shared. NVIDIA is GDDR6.
• Memory Bus Width: Intel is system shared. NVIDIA is 128 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: Intel is system dependent. NVIDIA is 256.0 GB/s.
• Shading Units: Intel has 1536. NVIDIA has 3072.
• TMUs: Intel has 48. NVIDIA has 96.
• ROPs: Intel has 24. NVIDIA has 48.
• RT Cores: Intel has 12. NVIDIA has 24.
• Tensor Cores: Intel has none listed. NVIDIA has 96.
• Pixel Rate: Intel is 60.00 GPixel/s. NVIDIA is 69.84 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: Intel is 120.0 GTexel/s. NVIDIA is 139.7 GTexel/s.
• FP32: Intel is 7.680 TFLOPS. NVIDIA is 8.940 TFLOPS.
• FP16: Intel is 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1). NVIDIA is 8.940 TFLOPS (1:1).
• TDP: Intel is 80 W. NVIDIA is 35 W.
• Bus Interface: Intel is IGP. NVIDIA is PCIe 4.0 x16.
• Release Date: Intel is 2026-01-26. NVIDIA is 2023-03-20.
• Predecessor: Intel has none listed. NVIDIA has Ampere-MW.
• Successor: Intel has none listed. NVIDIA has Blackwell-MW.
• Percentile: Intel is 9th. NVIDIA is 50th.
• Average Benchmark Score: Intel is 1482. NVIDIA is 0.