Intel Arc Pro B390 vs NVIDIA RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc Pro B390 and NVIDIA RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation occupy different segments of the mobile graphics spectrum, and the recorded data shows distinct strengths for each. The Arc Pro B390 is an integrated graphics solution built on Intel's Panther Lake platform, using the Xe3-LPG architecture on a 3 nm process node. Its design targets efficiency and integration, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation is a discrete mobile workstation GPU based on the AD104 chip, using the Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process. Its base clock sits at 1290 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz.

The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation wins decisively in raw compute throughput. Its FP32 performance of 24.72 TFLOPS dwarfs the Arc Pro B390's 7.680 TFLOPS, representing a 3.2x advantage. Texture throughput follows the same pattern: the NVIDIA part delivers 386.3 GTexel/s against 120.0 GTexel/s for Intel, a 3.2x margin. Pixel throughput shows a 2.2x gap, with the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation reaching 133.2 GPixel/s versus 60.00 GPixel/s for the Arc Pro B390. These figures indicate that the NVIDIA solution is the clear choice for compute-heavy workloads, including rendering, simulation, and any task that scales with raw shader output.

The Arc Pro B390 wins in power efficiency per unit of performance, though the data shows a nuanced picture. The Intel part carries an 80 W TDP, while the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation runs at 110 W. When normalized, the Arc Pro B390 delivers 96 GFLOPS per watt, while the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation delivers 224.7 GFLOPS per watt. The NVIDIA part is actually more efficient on a per-watt basis despite its higher absolute power draw, which suggests that the Arc Pro B390's advantage lies purely in its lower total power envelope, not in architectural efficiency.

The Arc Pro B390 also wins on integration and system simplicity. It uses system-shared memory, eliminating the need for dedicated VRAM allocation. Its bus interface is IGP, meaning it connects directly through the integrated graphics path. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation requires a PCIe 4.0 x16 connection and carries 12 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. For systems where dedicated graphics memory is unnecessary or undesirable, the Arc Pro B390's shared memory model offers a simpler integration path. Neither part uses external power connectors, and both are classified as IGP slot width, meaning they are soldered or embedded rather than installed as expansion cards.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU delivers higher raw FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation delivers 24.72 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is 3.2x higher than the Intel Arc Pro B390's 7.680 TFLOPS.

Q: How do the two compare in memory architecture?

A: The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation uses 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc Pro B390 uses system-shared memory with bandwidth described as system dependent.

Q: What are the power consumption figures for each GPU?

A: The Arc Pro B390 has an 80 W TDP, while the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation has a 110 W TDP. The NVIDIA part draws 30 W more under its rated thermal design power.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Arc Pro B390 boosts to 2500 MHz, which is higher than the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation's 1665 MHz boost clock. However, the NVIDIA part has a base clock of 1290 MHz versus 300 MHz for the Intel part.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same graphics APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The API feature sets are identical between the two.

Q: How does ray tracing hardware compare between the two?

A: The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation has 58 RT cores, while the Arc Pro B390 has 12 RT cores. The NVIDIA part also has 232 tensor cores, while the Intel part lists no tensor cores in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct head-to-head benchmark runs between these two parts, but the specification-derived performance metrics provide a clear comparative picture. The most significant gap appears in FP32 throughput. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation produces 24.72 TFLOPS, which is 3.2x the Arc Pro B390's 7.680 TFLOPS. This margin translates directly to compute workloads such as AI inference, scientific simulation, and 3D rendering, where shader throughput is the primary bottleneck.

Texture rate tells a similar story. The NVIDIA part reaches 386.3 GTexel/s, while the Intel part manages 120.0 GTexel/s. This 3.2x difference reflects the underlying hardware configuration: the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation packs 232 texture mapping units against 48 on the Arc Pro B390. Pixel throughput shows a narrower but still substantial gap. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation outputs 133.2 GPixel/s from its 80 ROPs, while the Arc Pro B390 outputs 60.00 GPixel/s from 24 ROPs, a 2.2x advantage for NVIDIA.

Clock behavior flips the expected relationship. The Arc Pro B390 has a 2500 MHz boost clock versus 1665 MHz for the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation, a 50% higher boost frequency. However, this clock advantage is overwhelmed by the NVIDIA part's superior hardware resources. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation fields 7424 shading units, 232 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 58 RT cores, and 232 tensor cores. The Arc Pro B390 counters with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, 24 ROPs, and 12 RT cores. Even at a higher clock, the Intel part cannot close a 4.8x gap in shading units.

Memory bandwidth presents a decisive separation. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation accesses 432.0 GB/s through a 192-bit GDDR6 interface running at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed. The Arc Pro B390 relies on system-shared memory, with bandwidth dependent on the host platform's memory configuration. For workloads sensitive to memory bandwidth, such as large texture streaming or data-parallel compute, the NVIDIA part's dedicated VRAM provides a structural advantage that the Intel part cannot match.

Power efficiency metrics add context. The Arc Pro B390 consumes 80 W and produces 7.680 TFLOPS, yielding 96 GFLOPS per watt. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation consumes 110 W and produces 24.72 TFLOPS, yielding 224.7 GFLOPS per watt. The NVIDIA part is 2.3x more efficient in floating-point operations per watt, which is notable given its higher absolute power draw. The Arc Pro B390's lower TDP suits thermally constrained thin-and-light designs, but the data indicates it sacrifices compute density to achieve that envelope.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every measured specification. Process node: the Arc Pro B390 is built on a 3 nm process at Intel, while the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation uses a 5 nm process at TSMC. Transistor count: the NVIDIA part contains 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, with a transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The Intel part's transistor count and die size are listed as unknown in the database.

Clock speeds diverge sharply. The Arc Pro B390 has a 300 MHz base clock and a 2500 MHz boost clock. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation has a 1290 MHz base clock and a 1665 MHz boost clock. The Intel part's base clock is 330 MHz lower, but its boost clock is 835 MHz higher. Memory clocks also differ: the Arc Pro B390 uses system-shared memory with no dedicated clock, while the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation runs its GDDR6 at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed.

Memory configuration is a fundamental differentiator. The Arc Pro B390 has no dedicated VRAM, using system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation has 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s. The bus width difference is stark: 192-bit dedicated versus system-shared.

Compute resource counts differ by multiples. Shading units: 1536 for Intel versus 7424 for NVIDIA. Texture mapping units: 48 versus 232. Raster output units: 24 versus 80. Ray tracing cores: 12 versus 58. Tensor cores: none listed for Intel versus 232 for NVIDIA. The NVIDIA part also lists a PCIe 4.0 x16 bus interface, while the Intel part uses IGP.

Power and physical specifications differ as well. The Arc Pro B390 has an 80 W TDP; the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation has a 110 W TDP. Both are IGP slot width and use no external power connectors. Display outputs are portable-device dependent for both. Release dates place the NVIDIA part at 2023-03-20 and the Intel part at 2026-01-26. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation's predecessor is Ampere-MW and its successor is Blackwell-MW; the Arc Pro B390's predecessor is HD Graphics-WM with no successor listed.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial. The Arc Pro B390 uses Intel's Xe3-LPG architecture, the low-power graphics variant of the Xe3 design, integrated into the Panther Lake platform. Its generation is listed as Arc Graphics-WM (Panther Lake). The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation uses NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace architecture, built on the AD104 chip, and belongs to the GeForce 40-series. Its generation is listed as Ada-MW.

Process technology separates the two at the foundry level. Intel fabricates the Arc Pro B390 on a 3 nm node at Intel, while TSMC produces the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation on a 5 nm node. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation's die is 294 mm² with 35,800 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The Intel part's die measurements and transistor counts are not recorded in the database.

Shader architecture reflects different design philosophies. The Arc Pro B390 uses 1536 shading units arranged with 48 TMUs and 24 ROPs, delivering 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 at a 2:1 ratio. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation uses 7424 shading units with 232 TMUs and 80 ROPs, delivering 24.72 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16 at a 1:1 ratio. The 1:1 FP16 ratio on the NVIDIA part indicates full-rate half-precision throughput, while the Intel part halves its FP16 rate.

Ray tracing and tensor hardware diverge completely. The Arc Pro B390 has 12 RT cores and no tensor cores. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation has 58 RT cores and 232 tensor cores. This difference positions the NVIDIA part for workloads that leverage hardware-accelerated ray tracing and tensor operations, including machine learning inference and DLSS-style upscaling. The Intel part lacks tensor hardware entirely, limiting its capability in those domains.

Memory architecture reflects the integrated versus discrete split. The Arc Pro B390 uses system-shared memory, with bandwidth dependent on the host platform. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation uses dedicated GDDR6 with 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA part's 192-bit memory bus and 12 GB capacity provide predictable, high-bandwidth access for graphics and compute workloads. The Intel part's shared memory model ties performance to system RAM speed and capacity, which varies by platform.

API support is identical: both deliver DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Physical integration differs in bus interface: the Arc Pro B390 connects via IGP, while the RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Both are portable-device dependent for display outputs and use no external power connectors. The RTX 4000 Mobile Ada Generation's predecessor is Ampere-MW with Blackwell-MW as successor; the Arc Pro B390's predecessor is HD Graphics-WM. The production status for both is Active.