# I Upgraded My RTX 4070 Super and Used the Intel ARC B580 for a Month: Insights for Upgraders and Newbies
I have a fondness for unconventional hardware. My journey in technology began with a 386 processor from Thomas, not the usual Intel or AMD, and my first venture into 3D graphics was with the Hercules Stingray 128 featuring a Voodoo Rush chip. Throughout the years, I’ve explored niche technologies like Kyro GPUs and Transmeta processors, and my enthusiasm for virtual reality also resonates with the offbeat. Therefore, when Intel launched its ARC B580 graphics card, I felt compelled to swap out my popular RTX 4070 Super to evaluate how this underdog would perform.
This piece is not a review laden with benchmarks but rather a reflective narrative of my month-long encounter with the Intel ARC B580, emphasizing its unique features, advantages, and drawbacks. Whether you’re a seasoned upgrader or just starting out, my observations may assist you in determining if Intel’s Battlemage GPU suits your needs.
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## **Known Problems with the Intel ARC B580**
The installation of the ARC B580 is user-friendly: insert it, connect the power, install the drivers, and you’re all set. But reaching peak performance is a different challenge. The card has a few known issues that prospective users should keep in mind:
### **1. Dependence on Resizable Bar**
The ARC B580 is significantly dependent on the Resizable Bar (ReBar) feature to harness its full capabilities. In contrast to Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super, where ReBar provides only a slight performance boost, the B580 experiences marked declines in performance without it. If your system lacks ReBar support or it’s improperly configured, the card’s performance may suffer a severe blow.
### **2. Elevated CPU Demand**
Compared to Nvidia and AMD, Intel’s drivers impose a higher overhead on the processor, which means the ARC B580 requires more CPU resources. This can create bottleneck situations, particularly with older or less capable CPUs.
### **3. Game Compatibility Challenges**
Certain games don’t perform well with the B580. While future driver updates could enhance compatibility, there are still titles that currently function poorly or show glitches.
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## **Battlemage and Legacy PCs: A Varied Experience**
To evaluate the ARC B580’s potential as an upgrade, I installed it in my son’s PC, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X CPU and a B450 motherboard supporting PCIe 3.0. His RTX 2080, although still functional, sometimes struggles with its 8GB VRAM in modern gaming.
### **The Outcomes**
Even with ReBar activated, the older architecture of the Ryzen 9 3900X, along with the PCIe 3.0 limitations, adversely affected the ARC B580’s performance. The card operates with only 8 PCIe lanes, which on a PCIe 3.0 system translates to bandwidth equivalent to just 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes. This restriction led to noticeable delays when the GPU needed to load new data into memory.
For instance, games like *Marvel Rivals* and *Overwatch* found it challenging to maintain consistent performance, sometimes necessitating resolution reductions to levels reminiscent of the 1990s. Unsurprisingly, my teenage son was not thrilled.
### **Advice for Upgraders**
If you’re contemplating the ARC B580 as an upgrade for an older PC, confirm that your setup supports ReBar and includes a recent CPU and motherboard. Failing to do so may leave you dissatisfied with the card’s performance.
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## **Virtual Reality: A Bumpy Beginning but Encouraging Results**
As a VR aficionado, I was keen to evaluate the ARC B580 with my Meta Quest 3 headset. Regrettably, the experience fell short of ideal:
### **1. Compatibility Difficulties**
The Meta Quest Link app failed to recognize the ARC B580, and SteamVR initially did not identify it as a viable video source. As a result, I was unable to utilize the official Meta (Air-)Link or Steam Link applications to connect my headset.
### **2. Solution via Virtual Desktop**
Fortunately, the paid Virtual Desktop application proved useful. It acknowledged the ARC B580 and allowed me to enjoy VR games without any problems. Titles like *Half-Life: Alyx* and *Arken Age* ran surprisingly well, and even demanding games such as *Behemoth* performed decently.
However, the ARC B580 has difficulty handling VR mods for traditional games. For example, *Cyberpunk 2077* and *Indiana Jones and the Great Circle* with the Luke Ross mod were unplayable because of performance constraints.
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## **Gaming on a Display: Good Performance with Limitations**
For standard gaming on a 1440p monitor, the ARC B580 generally performed well in most scenarios. Games that support Intel’s XeSS showed promise.