Intel Arc B390 vs NVIDIA RTX A1000 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains a single direct comparison between the Intel Arc B390 and the NVIDIA RTX A1000, using the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. This is a modern DirectX 12 Ultimate workload that stresses both the graphics pipeline and ray tracing capabilities of each GPU.

The Intel Arc B390 delivers a score of 1482 in this benchmark, while the NVIDIA RTX A1000 scores 969. That places the Arc B390 ahead by 52.9 percent, a decisive margin in a single generation of graphics workloads. The Arc B390 wins the only head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, giving it a 1-0 record in direct comparisons.

The RTX A1000 does have additional benchmark entries in the database, specifically Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan scores of 52078 and 49574 respectively. However, the Arc B390 has no corresponding scores for those tests, so no direct comparison can be made on compute or API-specific performance. The only shared test is the 3DMark Steel Nomad run, and there the Arc B390 is clearly faster.

For context on where these scores place each card, the Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals are older low-end parts: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3 percent slower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5 percent slower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5 percent slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7 percent slower). This indicates the Arc B390 is positioned at the entry level of the performance stack, despite its strong showing against the RTX A1000 in this one test.

The RTX A1000, by contrast, sits at the 79th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A2000 12 GB (34154, 0.2 percent slower), the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT (34133, 0.2 percent slower), the NVIDIA TITAN V (34355, 0.4 percent faster), and the AMD Radeon RX 480 (33997, 0.6 percent slower). The RTX A1000's average benchmark score of 34207 across its three tests is much higher than the Arc B390's single-test average of 1482, which shows that the RTX A1000 is a substantially more capable card overall when considering the full benchmark suite.

The discrepancy between the head-to-head result and the percentile rankings is significant. The Steel Nomad DX12 test clearly favors the Arc B390's architecture, but the RTX A1000's other benchmark results suggest it has broader strengths. The database records one win for the Arc B390 and zero wins for the RTX A1000 in direct comparisons, but the overall picture is more nuanced.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc B390 wins the only recorded head-to-head test, the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark. This test is a DirectX 12 Ultimate workload that includes ray tracing and mesh shading features. The Arc B390's architecture, based on the Xe3-LPG design with 12 dedicated ray tracing cores, appears to handle this workload efficiently. Its boost clock of 2500 MHz is substantially higher than the RTX A1000's 1462 MHz boost, and its FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS exceeds the RTX A1000's 6.737 TFLOPS. These raw throughput advantages likely contribute to the 52.9 percent lead in this particular test.

The NVIDIA RTX A1000 wins in overall performance breadth, as evidenced by its 79th percentile ranking versus the Arc B390's 9th percentile. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 52078 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 49574 demonstrate strong compute and general-purpose GPU capabilities. The RTX A1000 also has dedicated tensor cores (72 of them), which the Arc B390 lacks entirely. This makes the RTX A1000 the better choice for workloads that leverage tensor core acceleration, such as AI inference or certain rendering features, though the database does not include specific tests for those workloads.

The Arc B390's advantage is specific to the Steel Nomad test, while the RTX A1000 shows superiority in the broader benchmark picture. Users focused solely on that one DX12 workload would prefer the Arc B390, while users needing consistent performance across diverse GPU tasks would favor the RTX A1000 based on its higher overall benchmark average and percentile placement.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher benchmark score in the shared 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The Intel Arc B390 scores 1482, which is 52.9 percent higher than the NVIDIA RTX A1000's 969 in that specific test.

Q: How does the RTX A1000 perform in other benchmarks not available for the Arc B390?

A: The RTX A1000 records a Geekbench OpenCL score of 52078 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 49574. The Arc B390 has no entries for these tests in the database.

Q: What is the overall performance percentile for each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, while the NVIDIA RTX A1000 sits at the 79th percentile.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Arc B390 boosts to 2500 MHz, while the NVIDIA RTX A1000 boosts to 1462 MHz.

Q: Does either GPU include tensor cores?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A1000 includes 72 tensor cores. The Intel Arc B390 has no tensor cores listed in the database.

Q: What memory configuration does each GPU use?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A1000 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Arc B390 uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category in the database.

The Intel Arc B390 uses a 3 nm process node fabricated by Intel, while the NVIDIA RTX A1000 uses an 8 nm node from Samsung. The RTX A1000 has a known transistor count of 8,700 million on a 200 mm² die, with a transistor density of 43.5M per mm². The Arc B390's transistor count and die size are listed as unknown.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The Arc B390 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The RTX A1000 has a base clock of 727 MHz and a boost clock of 1462 MHz, with memory clocked at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective).

Memory configurations are completely different. The Arc B390 uses system shared memory, with system shared type, bus width, and system dependent bandwidth. The RTX A1000 has 8 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Compute unit counts differ. The Arc B390 has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 ROPs, and 12 ray tracing cores. The RTX A1000 has 2304 shading units, 72 TMUs, 32 ROPs, 18 ray tracing cores, and 72 tensor cores.

Pixel and texture rates show different strengths. The Arc B390 achieves 60.00 GPixel/s and 120.0 GTexel/s. The RTX A1000 achieves 46.78 GPixel/s and 105.3 GTexel/s. The Arc B390 is ahead in both fillrate metrics.

FP32 throughput favors the Arc B390 at 7.680 TFLOPS versus 6.737 TFLOPS for the RTX A1000. FP16 performance also differs: the Arc B390 delivers 15.36 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio, while the RTX A1000 delivers 6.737 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio.

Power draw and physical specifications differ. The Arc B390 has a TDP of 80 W and is an integrated GPU (IGP) with no power connectors and a portable device dependent display output. The RTX A1000 has a TDP of 50 W, is a single-slot card measuring 163 mm by 69 mm, has no power connectors, suggests a 250 W PSU, uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, and outputs to 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a.

API support is identical: both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Arc B390 is built on the Panther Lake chip using the Xe3-LPG architecture, part of the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. It uses a 3 nm process from Intel's own foundry. The architecture includes 12 ray tracing cores but no tensor cores. Its memory architecture relies entirely on system shared memory, meaning performance depends on the host system's memory configuration.

The NVIDIA RTX A1000 uses the GA107 chip with the Ampere architecture, part of the Workstation Ampere (Ax000) generation. It uses an 8 nm process from Samsung. The Ampere architecture includes 18 ray tracing cores and 72 tensor cores, providing hardware acceleration for both ray tracing and tensor-based workloads. The 8 GB GDDR6 memory is dedicated, with a 128-bit bus and fixed bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s.

The Arc B390's FP16 performance at 15.36 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio indicates it can double its FP32 throughput when using reduced precision. The RTX A1000's FP16 is 6.737 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio, meaning it does not gain a throughput advantage from FP16 execution.

The RTX A1000 has a known transistor density of 43.5M per mm², which is a measurable architectural characteristic. The Arc B390's transistor count, die size, and density are all listed as unknown in the database, so no direct comparison of silicon complexity is possible.

The RTX A1000's predecessor is listed as Quadro Turing, and its successor is Workstation Ada, placing it clearly in NVIDIA's workstation product line. The Arc B390 has no predecessor or successor listed, and its production status is Active, matching the RTX A1000's Active status.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two GPUs. The Intel Arc B390 wins the only direct head-to-head test, the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, by 52.9 percent with a score of 1482 versus 969. Its higher boost clock (2500 MHz versus 1462 MHz), higher FP32 throughput (7.680 TFLOPS versus 6.737 TFLOPS), and higher pixel and texture rates all support this result.

However, the NVIDIA RTX A1000 is the stronger card in the broader database context. Its 79th percentile ranking places it far above the Arc B390's 9th percentile. Its average benchmark score of 34207, driven by strong Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan results, shows consistent performance across diverse workloads. The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 comes from a single test.

The RTX A1000 also offers dedicated memory (8 GB GDDR6), tensor cores, and a lower TDP of 50 W versus 80 W. The Arc B390 is an integrated GPU with system shared memory, making it dependent on host system configuration for memory performance.

The choice depends on the specific workload. For the DX12 Steel Nomad test specifically, the Arc B390 is clearly faster. For general GPU compute, broader benchmark coverage, and workstation-oriented features like tensor cores and dedicated VRAM, the RTX A1000 is the more capable and better-positioned card according to the recorded data. The database records one win for the Arc B390 and zero for the RTX A1000 in direct comparisons, but the percentile and average score data favor the RTX A1000 overall.