Intel Arc Pro B50 vs NVIDIA N1X 40SM Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data positions the Intel Arc Pro B50 and NVIDIA N1X 40SM as fundamentally different products with separate intended roles. The Arc Pro B50 is a compact, actively produced discrete graphics card with a complete set of benchmark scores, while the N1X 40SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no recorded benchmark results in the database. For any user requiring measured performance data, the Arc Pro B50 is the only option with verifiable numbers. The N1X 40SM, despite its larger die and higher theoretical specifications, has zero benchmark entries, making direct performance comparison impossible. The Arc Pro B50 holds a percentile rank of 17 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2660. The N1X 40SM shows a percentile rank of 50, but this is based on no actual scores, rendering that percentile unsubstantiated. The data indicates the Arc Pro B50 is the rational choice for anyone needing a working, benchmarked graphics solution today. The N1X 40SM, with its 128 GB memory capacity and IGP form factor, appears tailored for a different segment, likely integrated systems where its massive memory pool is the primary feature, not raw rasterization performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturers and architectures. The Intel Arc Pro B50 uses the BMG-G21 chip built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, part of the Battlemage Pro Series generation. It is fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 72.1M per mm². The NVIDIA N1X 40SM uses the GB20B chip on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, belonging to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. It also uses a 5 nm TSMC process, but the transistor count is listed as unknown, while the die size is larger at 382 mm². The N1X 40SM has no transistor density figure recorded.

The Arc Pro B50 is a discrete card with a dual-slot form factor, 167 mm in length, and requires no power connectors, drawing a 70 W TDP with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The N1X 40SM is an IGP, meaning it is integrated into a system, with no dimensions listed and no TDP or PSU requirements given. Clock behavior differs significantly: the Arc Pro B50 runs at a 1700 MHz base and 2600 MHz boost, while the N1X 40SM has a much lower base of 741 MHz but boosts to 2346 MHz. Memory clocks also differ, with the Arc Pro B50 using 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) and the N1X 40SM using 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective).

Shader configuration is markedly different. The Arc Pro B50 has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and 16 ray tracing cores, with no tensor cores listed. The N1X 40SM has 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, 40 ROPs, 40 ray tracing cores, and 160 tensor cores. The N1X 40SM also supports a wider PCIe interface at PCIe 5.0 x16 compared to the Arc Pro B50's PCIe 5.0 x8. API support is another major divider: the Arc Pro B50 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the N1X 40SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan, indicating no traditional graphics API support in the recorded data.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has 5120 shading units, more than double the Intel Arc Pro B50's 2048 shading units.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, while the Intel Arc Pro B50 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Q: Does the NVIDIA N1X 40SM support DirectX 12?

A: No, the recorded data lists DirectX as N/A for the N1X 40SM. The Intel Arc Pro B50 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2).

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Arc Pro B50 boosts to 2600 MHz, which is higher than the NVIDIA N1X 40SM's boost of 2346 MHz.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The Intel Arc Pro B50 has an average benchmark score of 2660 based on multiple tests. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has an average score of 0, as no benchmarks are recorded for it.

Q: How do the memory bandwidths compare?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has a higher memory bandwidth at 273.2 GB/s, while the Intel Arc Pro B50 has 224.0 GB/s.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Arc Pro B50 | NVIDIA N1X 40SM |

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

| Chip | BMG-G21 | GB20B |

| Architecture | Xe2-HPG | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Generation | Battlemage (Pro Series) | Blackwell IGP (N1x) |

| Transistors | 19,600 million | unknown |

| Die Size | 272 mm² | 382 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 72.1M / mm² | null |

| Base Clock | 1700 MHz | 741 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2600 MHz | 2346 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective | 1067 MHz 8.5 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 16 GB | 128 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 224.0 GB/s | 273.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 5120 |

| TMUs | 128 | 320 |

| ROPs | 16 | 40 |

| RT Cores | 16 | 40 |

| Tensor Cores | null | 160 |

| Pixel Rate | 41.60 GPixel/s | 93.84 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 332.8 GTexel/s | 750.7 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 10.65 TFLOPS | 24.02 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 21.30 TFLOPS (2:1) | 24.02 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 70 W | unknown |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x8 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.1 | 1x HDMI |

| DirectX | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | N/A |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | N/A |

| Vulkan | 1.4 | N/A |

| Dimensions | 167 mm 6.6 inches length, 69 mm 2.7 inches height, 40 mm 1.6 inches width | null |

| Release Date | 2025-09-04 | 2026-05-31 |

| Launch MSRP | 349 USD | null |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no head-to-head benchmark entries for these two products, and the NVIDIA N1X 40SM has an empty benchmark array. Consequently, there are no direct score comparisons available. The Intel Arc Pro B50, however, has eight recorded benchmarks. Its best result is in PassMark G3D with a score of 12553, followed by PassMark G2D at 717, and PassMark GPU Compute at 6037. In DirectX-specific tests, it scores 100 in PassMark DirectX 11, 64 in PassMark DirectX 12, 58 in PassMark DirectX 10, and 144 in PassMark DirectX 9. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1604.

The N1X 40SM has no such measurements. The data shows wins for the Arc Pro B50 in every category where a score exists, but this is trivially true because the N1X 40SM has no recorded scores. The Arc Pro B50's nearest rivals in the database, based on average score, are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 (average 2662, delta -0.1%), NVIDIA Quadro K1100M (average 2664, delta -0.2%), NVIDIA GeForce GT 440 (average 2645, delta 0.6%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 SUPER (average 2690, delta -1.1%). These deltas are all within 1.1% of the Arc Pro B50's average of 2660, indicating it sits in a tightly clustered performance band relative to those specific cards. No rival data exists for the N1X 40SM.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc Pro B50 wins on the basis of having any measurable performance at all. It delivers a complete feature set for traditional graphics workloads, including DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 support. Its benchmark scores, while modest relative to the entire GPU population (17th percentile), are concrete and usable. The card's 70 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it suitable for systems with limited power delivery, and its dual-slot, 167 mm length form factor fits into compact chassis. The 16 GB GDDR6 memory with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for many professional and consumer tasks. Its launch MSRP is 349 USD.

The NVIDIA N1X 40SM wins on raw specification sheet comparisons. It has a larger die (382 mm²), higher pixel rate (93.84 GPixel/s), higher texture rate (750.7 GTexel/s), and more than double the FP32 throughput at 24.02 TFLOPS. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory is eight times the Arc Pro B50's capacity, with a 256-bit bus and 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The N1X 40SM also includes 160 tensor cores, which the Arc Pro B50 lacks entirely. Its IGP form factor means it requires no separate card slot, and its single HDMI output suggests a display-only role in integrated systems. However, none of these specifications are validated by any benchmark score, and the N1X 40SM lacks support for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan in the recorded data, which severely limits its applicability for standard graphics workloads.

For a user comparing these two, the Arc Pro B50 is the only choice with verified performance data. The N1X 40SM's advantages exist only on paper, and its absence of API support and benchmarks makes it unsuitable for any task requiring measured graphics capability. The Arc Pro B50 also benefits from an earlier release date (2025-09-04 versus 2026-05-31) and an established production status. The N1X 40SM's 50th percentile ranking is unsupported by any actual test results, so the Arc Pro B50's 17th percentile, backed by eight distinct benchmarks, is the only statistically meaningful figure in the comparison.