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| The Intel Arc B580 is based on the Xe2 Battlemage GPU architecture. |
In the ever-escalating arms race of PC graphics, the battleground has shifted from pure rasterization to the clever dark arts of upscaling and frame generation. For years, NVIDIA’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR have dominated the conversation. But Intel, the scrappy underdog in the dedicated GPU war, just fired a massive salvo.
On February 13, as part of a significant driver update, Intel officially unleashed XeSS 3 with Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) for its entire roster of Arc graphics cards. This isn't just a feature for the newest silicon; it's a gift that keeps on giving for the old guard, too. Desktop users rocking the first-gen Arc Alchemist (A-series) and the new Arc Battlemage (B-series) can now enable this technology, as well as users with integrated Arc graphics in Lunar Lake, Meteor Lake, and Arrow Lake-H mobile processors.
But the big question is: Does it actually work, or is it just another latency-filled gimmick? According to deep-dive testing by our colleagues at PC Games Hardware, the results are nothing short of transformative.
The "Night and Day" Difference: Over 200% Faster
To call the performance uplift "significant" might be an understatement. In their detailed benchmarks, PC Games Hardware put both the new Intel Arc B580 and the previous-generation Arc A770 through their paces in seven AAA titles at 1440p resolution using XeSS Quality mode.
The results are staggering. When enabling 4X Multi-Frame Generation, the frame rates absolutely skyrocketed. In Battlefield 6, the older Arc A770 managed a jaw-dropping 183% improvement over native rendering. Meanwhile, the new value king, the Arc B580, flexed its muscles with a 205% gain in the same scenario.
This wasn't a one-game wonder, either. In Dying Light: The Beast, both GPUs comfortably smashed the 200% performance increase barrier with 4X MFG enabled. Essentially, games that might have felt choppy at high settings are suddenly transformed into buttery-smooth experiences.
The Latency Bogeyman: Can XeLL Save the Day?
Of course, long-time PC enthusiasts know there is no such thing as a free lunch. The primary Achilles' heel of Multi-Frame Generation (whether from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) is latency. When the GPU is busy inserting "fake" frames between real ones, the input lag between your mouse click and what happens on screen can rise, making a fast-paced shooter feel sluggish.
Intel, however, came prepared. Their antidote is XeLL (Xe Low Latency) , a software-based latency reducer similar to NVIDIA’s Reflex. And according to the testing, it works surprisingly well.
Take Cyberpunk 2077, a game notorious for bending GPUs over its knee. Without any Frame Generation or XeLL enabled, the Arc A770 experienced a 79ms latency—playable, but not ideal for twitch reactions. Simply flipping the switch to enable XeLL slashed that latency by more than half, down to just 37ms.
Here is the magic part: When the team enabled 4X MFG (which inherently adds latency) alongside XeLL, the latency only rose to 56ms. While higher than the 37ms baseline, it is still a staggering 28% lower latency than playing the game natively without any of Intel's optimizations turned on. The Arc B580 followed a nearly identical pattern, proving that Intel’s software stack is keeping pace with the hardware muscle.
Why the Arc B580 is the "Value Champ" Right Now
Beyond the impressive frame generation numbers, there is a broader market context that makes this driver update so timely. The Intel Arc B580 (based on the new Xe2 "Battlemage" architecture) is already a darling of the budget PC building community.
Why? It comes down to simple math and market reality. NVIDIA’s RTX 50-series "Blackwell" GPUs have seen considerable price hikes. Currently, even the most affordable RTX 5060 models are hovering around $349 on Amazon, which is a significant $50 markup over the official MSRP.
In contrast, the Intel Arc B580 offers 12GB of VRAM (4GB more than many competitors in its price bracket) and a retail price of just $299.99.
When you combine that aggressive hardware pricing with the release of XeSS 3 MFG—which, as we've seen, can effectively double or triple performance in supported titles—the value proposition becomes undeniable. For gamers building a budget rig aimed at solid 1080p or entry-level 1440p gaming, the Arc B580 is quickly becoming the default recommendation.
The Verdict
Intel is playing the long game. While they may not yet have a halo product that beats the RTX 4090, they are winning the war for the hearts (and wallets) of the mainstream gamer. With repeated driver updates polishing the experience of older cards and bringing cutting-edge features like XeSS 3 MFG to the masses at a $299 price point, the "Blue Team" is proving they belong in the ring.
For a deeper dive into the raw data and benchmark methodology behind these impressive gains, check out the full analysis and charts over at PC Games Hardware via the source link below.
Source: PC Games Hardware: Intel Arc B580 & A770 Multi-Frame Generation Test
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| Intel Arc A770 and Intel Arc B580 Multi Frame Generation performance. |