Intel Arc B580 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a stark contrast between these two GPUs. Across the ten recorded head-to-head tests, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 claims nine victories, with only a single win for the Intel Arc B580. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

The RTX 3090 dominates in raw compute and legacy API performance. In the PassMark GPU Compute test, it delivers a score of 15,356 against the Arc B580's 7,729, a commanding 98.7% advantage. This nearly doubles the Intel card's output and reflects the substantial difference in shading hardware. Similarly, in Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA card scores 172,758 versus 92,821, an 86.1% lead that underscores its superiority in general-purpose compute workloads.

DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 results show the widest gaps. The RTX 3090 scores 268 in DirectX 9, 46.4% ahead of the Arc B580's 183. In DirectX 10, the margin expands to 139.5%, with scores of 182 versus 76. These older API tests highlight how the NVIDIA architecture maintains strong legacy performance, while the Intel card appears optimized for modern pipelines.

In DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, the RTX 3090 continues its winning streak. The 220 score in DirectX 11 represents a 71.9% advantage over 128, while DirectX 12 shows a 44.7% lead (110 versus 76). The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, a modern benchmark, sees the RTX 3090 score 5,118 against 3,068, a 66.8% margin. Even the PassMark G3D score, which aggregates overall gaming performance, favors the NVIDIA card at 26,645 versus 15,748, a 69.2% difference.

The single Intel victory comes in Geekbench Vulkan, where the Arc B580 scores 109,672 against the RTX 3090's 53,927. This represents a 50.8% swing in Intel's favor, a remarkable result given the overall performance disparity. It suggests that Intel's Vulkan driver implementation is exceptionally well-optimized, potentially offering advantages in Vulkan-based games and applications.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this hierarchy. The RTX 3090 holds an average score of 27,565, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT at 27,425 (0.5% behind) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 at 27,839 (1% ahead). The Arc B580, by contrast, averages 23,021, sitting in the 68th percentile, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 at 22,895 (0.6% behind).

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these cards is substantial, beginning with the manufacturing process. The RTX 3090 uses an 8 nm node from Samsung, while the Arc B580 employs a 5 nm process from TSMC. This process advantage allows Intel to pack 19,600 million transistors into a 272 mm² die, achieving a density of 72.1 million transistors per square millimeter. The NVIDIA chip, by comparison, uses 28,300 million transistors across a massive 628 mm² die, with a density of just 45.1 million per square millimeter.

The GPU configurations diverge sharply. The RTX 3090 features 10,496 shading units, 328 texture mapping units, and 112 render output units. It also includes 82 RT cores and 328 tensor cores, the latter being absent from the Intel specification. The Arc B580 counters with 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, along with 20 RT cores but no dedicated tensor core count listed.

Memory systems reflect different design philosophies. The RTX 3090 carries 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 936.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc B580 offers 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, yielding 456.0 GB/s. This gives the NVIDIA card twice the memory capacity and more than double the bandwidth, crucial for high-resolution textures and compute workloads.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The Arc B580 runs at a fixed 2670 MHz for both base and boost, while the RTX 3090 boosts from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. Despite the lower clocks, the RTX 3090's sheer hardware count produces far higher throughput: 35.58 TFLOPS FP32 versus 13.67 TFLOPS for the Intel card. In FP16, the gap narrows, with the RTX 3090 achieving 35.58 TFLOPS (1:1) and the Arc B580 reaching 27.34 TFLOPS (2:1).

Power and physical characteristics differ as well. The RTX 3090 consumes 350 W and requires a triple-slot cooler with a 12-pin connector and a 750 W suggested PSU. The Arc B580 draws 190 W, fits in a dual-slot design, uses a standard 8-pin connector, and needs only a 450 W PSU. The NVIDIA card measures 336 mm long, 140 mm tall, and 61 mm wide, while the Intel card is significantly more compact at 272 mm by 115 mm by 45 mm.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3090 establishes dominance in nearly every measured category, making it the clear choice for compute-heavy workloads. The 98.7% lead in GPU compute and 86.1% advantage in OpenCL point to its strength in rendering, scientific simulations, and AI-adjacent tasks. Its 24 GB memory buffer and 936.2 GB/s bandwidth provide the capacity and speed needed for large datasets, though the database does not explicitly test memory-bound scenarios.

For gaming, the RTX 3090 wins across all DirectX versions tested. The 69.2% margin in G3D and 66.8% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad indicate superior frame rates in both legacy and modern titles. The 44.7% DirectX 12 advantage suggests it handles current-generation games comfortably, while the 139.5% DirectX 10 and 46.4% DirectX 9 leads ensure older titles run smoothly as well.

The Arc B580's single win in Vulkan is notable. The 50.8% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan suggests that for Vulkan-native games and applications, the Intel card may offer competitive or even superior performance. This could matter for Linux gamers or those using Vulkan-based emulators, though the database does not provide additional Vulkan gaming tests to confirm this pattern.

PassMark G2D scores show the RTX 3090 at 1,063 versus 709 for the Arc B580, a 49.9% lead in 2D graphics tasks. This affects desktop rendering, video playback, and GUI performance, where the NVIDIA card appears more capable.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 averages 27,565 across all recorded benchmarks, placing it in the 73rd percentile. The Intel Arc B580 averages 23,021, placing it in the 68th percentile.

Q: How large is the performance gap in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The RTX 3090 scores 5,118 against the Arc B580's 3,068, a 66.8% advantage in this modern DirectX 12 benchmark.

Q: Does the Intel Arc B580 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Arc B580 wins Geekbench Vulkan with a score of 109,672 versus 53,927 for the RTX 3090, a 50.8% margin in Intel's favor.

Q: How do the memory configurations compare?

A: The RTX 3090 features 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 936.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 456.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The RTX 3090 has a 350 W TDP and requires a 750 W suggested PSU with a single 12-pin connector. The Arc B580 has a 190 W TDP and needs a 450 W PSU with a single 8-pin connector.

Q: Which card has better raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 3090 delivers 35.58 TFLOPS FP32 and 35.58 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1). The Arc B580 offers 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 and 27.34 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1).

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly positions the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 as the superior performer in nine out of ten tests. For users prioritizing raw compute, legacy API compatibility, or maximum frame rates in DirectX-based games, the RTX 3090 is the definitive choice. Its 98.7% lead in GPU compute and 69.2% advantage in G3D make it particularly suited for rendering, simulation, and high-end gaming workloads.

The Intel Arc B580, despite its overall deficit, demonstrates a compelling strength in Vulkan. The 50.8% victory in Geekbench Vulkan suggests that for Vulkan-centric applications, this card can outperform the RTX 3090. This makes it an intriguing option for developers, Linux users, or those running Vulkan-exclusive titles, though the database does not confirm this advantage extends to all Vulkan games.

The RTX 3090's 24 GB memory and 936.2 GB/s bandwidth provide a significant capacity and throughput advantage over the Arc B580's 12 GB and 456.0 GB/s. For workloads that exceed 12 GB of VRAM, such as large 3D scenes or high-resolution texture packs, the NVIDIA card is the only viable option. The Arc B580's 190 W TDP and compact dual-slot design, however, make it far easier to integrate into smaller systems with modest power supplies.

Users should also note the production status: the RTX 3090 is end-of-life, while the Arc B580 remains active. This means the Intel card may receive continued driver optimizations, potentially improving its already strong Vulkan performance. The RTX 3090's architecture, while powerful, is no longer receiving the same level of developer focus.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. The RTX 3090 uses the GA102 chip with 28,300 million transistors on an 8 nm Samsung process, while the Arc B580 uses the BMG-G21 with 19,600 million transistors on a 5 nm TSMC process. Die sizes are 628 mm² versus 272 mm², with transistor densities of 45.1M per mm² and 72.1M per mm² respectively.

Clock speeds show the Arc B580 at a constant 2670 MHz for both base and boost, while the RTX 3090 runs at 1395 MHz base and 1695 MHz boost. Memory clocks are 1219 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective) for NVIDIA and 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective) for Intel. The RTX 3090 packs 10,496 shading units, 328 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 82 RT cores, and 328 tensor cores. The Arc B580 has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 80 ROPs, and 20 RT cores, with no tensor cores listed.

Pixel and texture rates favor the Intel card in pixels (213.6 GPixel/s versus 189.8 GPixel/s) but favor NVIDIA in textures (556.0 GTexel/s versus 427.2 GTexel/s). FP32 performance is 35.58 TFLOPS for NVIDIA and 13.67 TFLOPS for Intel. FP16 is 35.58 TFLOPS (1:1) versus 27.34 TFLOPS (2:1). TDP is 350 W versus 190 W, with the RTX 3090 requiring a triple-slot cooler and the Arc B580 a dual-slot design. Power connectors are 1x 12-pin versus 1x 8-pin, with suggested PSUs of 750 W and 450 W. The bus interfaces are PCIe 4.0 x16 and PCIe 4.0 x8. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a for NVIDIA, versus 1x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 2.1 for Intel. Dimensions are 336 mm by 140 mm by 61 mm for the RTX 3090 and 272 mm by 115 mm by 45 mm for the Arc B580. The RTX 3090 is end-of-life with a launch MSRP of 1,499 USD, while the Arc B580 is active with a launch MSRP of 249 USD.