Intel Arc Pro B70 vs NVIDIA N1 20SM Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Arc Pro B70 and NVIDIA N1 20SM occupy completely different segments of the GPU landscape, and the recorded specifications make the use-case split immediately apparent. The Arc Pro B70 is a discrete, dual-slot add-in board built for heavy rendering and compute workloads, while the N1 20SM is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) designed for deployment inside a host system with no separate power delivery.

The Arc Pro B70 wins decisively in raw throughput metrics. Its FP32 compute of 22.94 TFLOPS is nearly double the 12.01 TFLOPS of the N1 20SM. The pixel rate tells a similar story: 358.4 GPixel/s versus 56.30 GPixel/s, a 6.4x advantage for the Intel part. Texture rate follows with 716.8 GTexel/s against 375.4 GTexel/s. Any workload that stresses shading units, texture fetch, or rasterization will favor the Arc Pro B70.

The N1 20SM wins in capacity and integration. It carries 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, four times the 32 GB GDDR6 on the Arc Pro B70. Its 80 tensor cores exceed the Arc's 32 ray tracing cores in raw count, though the architectures differ fundamentally. The N1 20SM also draws no external power connectors and requires no dedicated PSU rating, making it suitable for systems where space and power envelopes are constrained.

The Arc Pro B70 supports a full modern API stack: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan. This means the Intel card can run contemporary game engines and graphics APIs directly, while the NVIDIA IGP does not expose those interfaces in the database. For professional 3D applications and compute frameworks built on these APIs, only the Arc Pro B70 is viable.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different foundries, different architectures, and different design philosophies. The Intel Arc Pro B70 uses the BMG-G31 chip built on Xe2-HPG architecture, part of the Battlemage Pro Series generation. It is fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC with a die size of 368 mm². The NVIDIA N1 20SM uses the GB20B chip based on Blackwell 2.0 architecture, part of the Blackwell IGP N1x generation. It too uses a 5 nm TSMC process, but its die is slightly larger at 382 mm². Both have unknown transistor counts, so die area is the only physical comparison available.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The Arc Pro B70 has 4096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 128 raster operations units. The N1 20SM has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and only 24 ROPs. The Intel part also has 32 dedicated ray tracing cores, while the NVIDIA part has 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores. The Arc has no listed tensor cores; the N1 has a substantial tensor core array. This indicates the NVIDIA IGP is designed with AI acceleration in mind, while the Intel card focuses on conventional graphics and ray tracing pipelines.

Clock behavior differs massively. The Arc Pro B70 runs at a 2280 MHz base and 2800 MHz boost. The N1 20SM runs at a 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost. The Intel card's higher base clock reflects a discrete card with active cooling and a 230 W TDP. The NVIDIA part, with unknown TDP and no power connectors, relies on much lower sustained clocks. The boost clock gap is smaller, but the base clock gap of 1539 MHz is enormous, indicating the N1 cannot sustain high frequencies under load.

Memory subsystems are fundamentally different in type and speed. The Arc Pro B70 uses 32 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, with a 2375 MHz memory clock (19 Gbps effective) yielding 608.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The N1 20SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, with a 1067 MHz memory clock (8.5 Gbps effective) yielding 273.2 GB/s. The Intel card has 2.2x the memory bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures and compute kernels that stream data. The NVIDIA part has 4x the capacity, which suits large datasets that fit entirely in memory but do not require rapid streaming.

The API support difference is stark. The Arc Pro B70 lists DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The N1 20SM lists N/A for all three. The database records no graphics API compatibility for the NVIDIA IGP, which suggests it is aimed at specialized compute or embedded roles rather than general-purpose graphics. The Intel card also outputs through 1x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 2.1, while the N1 provides only 1x HDMI.

Physical design reinforces the split. The Arc Pro B70 is a dual-slot card, 267 mm long, 110 mm high, and 39 mm wide, requiring a 1x 8-pin power connector and a 550 W suggested PSU. The N1 20SM is an IGP with no slot width, no dimensions, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU. The Intel card is a standalone expansion card; the NVIDIA part is integrated into a system board.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct benchmark scores for either GPU, and no nearest rival data is provided. The comparison must therefore rely on the measured specification fields, which are complete for both parts. The FP32 compute figures give the clearest head-to-head: the Arc Pro B70 delivers 22.94 TFLOPS versus 12.01 TFLOPS for the N1 20SM, a 1.9x advantage for Intel. In FP16, the Arc reaches 45.88 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), while the N1 manages 12.01 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). The Intel card has a 3.8x advantage in half-precision throughput, which matters for AI training loops and certain scientific workloads.

Pixel fill rate favors Intel heavily. The Arc Pro B70 outputs 358.4 GPixel/s against 56.30 GPixel/s for the N1 20SM, a 6.4x margin. This directly impacts rasterization performance at high resolutions and with heavy overdraw. Texture fill rate shows a 1.9x margin, 716.8 GTexel/s versus 375.4 GTexel/s, reflecting the Intel card's higher TMU count and clock speed.

Memory bandwidth gives Intel a 2.2x lead: 608.0 GB/s versus 273.2 GB/s. The N1's memory clock of 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective) is less than half the Intel card's 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective), even though both use a 256-bit bus. The N1 compensates with capacity: 128 GB versus 32 GB, a 4x advantage in total memory. The N1's LPDDR5X is a lower-power memory type, consistent with an integrated design.

The shading unit count favors Intel at 4096 versus 2560, a 1.6x margin. TMUs favor Intel at 256 versus 160, a 1.6x margin. ROPs favor Intel by an even larger factor: 128 versus 24, a 5.3x margin. The N1 does have 80 tensor cores, which the Arc lacks entirely, and 20 RT cores versus 32 on the Arc. The RT core count favors Intel by 1.6x, but the tensor core presence on the NVIDIA part is a category where Intel has no direct answer.

Clock speeds show a mixed picture. The Arc's base clock of 2280 MHz is 3.1x higher than the N1's 741 MHz. The boost clocks are closer: 2800 MHz versus 2346 MHz, a 1.2x margin for Intel. The N1's low base clock suggests it cannot maintain near-boost speeds for sustained workloads, while the Arc's high base clock indicates continuous operation at high frequency is expected.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on workload type. The Intel Arc Pro B70 is the only option for conventional graphics APIs, discrete rendering, and high-throughput compute. Its DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 support means it can run standard game engines, professional 3D applications, and compute frameworks that require these interfaces. The N1 20SM has no listed API support, making it unsuitable for those tasks.

For memory capacity, the N1 20SM is the clear winner. Its 128 GB of LPDDR5X is four times the Arc's 32 GB, and the database shows no other GPU with comparable capacity in this comparison. Workloads that need to hold very large datasets entirely in GPU memory will favor the NVIDIA part, provided the compute requirements fit within its 12.01 TFLOPS FP32 limit.

For memory bandwidth and raw rasterization, the Arc Pro B70 dominates. Its 608.0 GB/s bandwidth, 358.4 GPixel/s pixel rate, and 716.8 GTexel/s texture rate are all multiples of the N1's figures. Real-time graphics at high resolution, heavy post-processing, and texture-heavy scenes will all run faster on the Intel card.

The N1 20SM has a unique advantage in tensor cores. With 80 tensor cores and no equivalent on the Arc, the NVIDIA IGP is positioned for AI inference and machine learning workloads that use tensor operations. The Arc's 32 RT cores give it ray tracing capability, but the N1's tensor array is a distinct capability absent from the Intel part.

The launch MSRP for the Arc Pro B70 is 949 USD, recorded once here. The N1 20SM has no launch MSRP in the database. The N1 is also listed as Active in production status, while the Arc has no recorded status. The release dates differ: the Arc Pro B70 launched on 2026-03-25, and the N1 20SM on 2026-05-31.

Users needing a discrete GPU with full API support, high bandwidth, and strong rasterization should select the Intel Arc Pro B70. Users needing maximum memory capacity or tensor core acceleration in an integrated form factor should select the NVIDIA N1 20SM. The two parts do not compete in the same system class, so the choice is dictated by the host platform and the application requirements.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The Intel Arc Pro B70 delivers 22.94 TFLOPS FP32, while the NVIDIA N1 20SM delivers 12.01 TFLOPS. The Intel card has a 1.9x advantage.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The Intel Arc Pro B70 has 32 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus. The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, four times the capacity.

Q: Does the NVIDIA N1 20SM support DirectX or Vulkan?

A: No. The database records N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan on the N1 20SM. The Intel Arc Pro B70 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Intel Arc Pro B70 has 608.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 273.2 GB/s. The Intel card has a 2.2x bandwidth advantage.

Q: Which GPU has tensor cores?

A: The NVIDIA N1 20SM has 80 tensor cores. The Intel Arc Pro B70 has no listed tensor cores, but it has 32 ray tracing cores versus 20 on the NVIDIA part.

Q: What are the power requirements for each GPU?

A: The Intel Arc Pro B70 has a 230 W TDP and uses a 1x 8-pin power connector with a 550 W suggested PSU. The NVIDIA N1 20SM has unknown TDP and no power connectors, as it is an integrated graphics processor.