Intel’s B580 GPUs have gone down very well, offering excellent performance at an affordable price point, and even out matching some of the familiar mid-range graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD.
This time, I’m testing out the Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft model, and seeing what the brand has brought to the table this time around.
Specifications
- GPU: BMG-G21
- Shading units: 2,560
- VRAM: 12GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 192-bit
- Bandwidth: 456GB/s
- Base/Boost clock speed: 2,670/2,850MHz
What We Think
Like the other B580 model, the Maxsun delivers outstanding performance on the Intel graphics card. Pushing the clocks higher with its overclock, it edges out over the other builds. Further improving the prowess of the GPU as it offers 12GB of VRAM at the lower tier.
However, it still requires users to have a relatively new platform, detracting from its budget position, as its need for ReBAR to be enabled and x8 PCIe Gen 4 slot does limit some gamers from upgrading to it. As well as this particular model’s limited availability at over $400 detracts massively from the main appeal of this card.
Reasons to Buy
- One of the highest overclocks for the B580
- Great looking slim design
- Plenty of onboard VRAM
- Up to date video outputs
Reasons to Avoid
- The model has limited availability and a way too high a price
- PCIe 4.0 x8 interface may bottleneck older platforms
- Requires ReBAR from the best performance
Price
The MSRP of the Arc B580 is the key selling point of this GPU. Coming out with a starting price of $249 was pretty astonishing compared to the competition. To my surprise, finding the Maxsun B580 online was a little more challenging, and when I did it was coming in at a higher price point than expected. I found one on Newegg for $389 and on a limited time offer, but that’s still a fair whack more than the standard B580 – at least from what I found.
At this price point, you’re starting veer into the RTX 4060 and RX 7700XT territory – and these two cards offer more in terms of performance.
It’s a curious choice, and one I myself was curious to explore further and see if there was anything justifying the price.
Specs
| Spec | Arc B580 | Arc A580 |
|---|---|---|
| Microarchitecture | Xe2 | Xe HPG |
| Lithography | TSMC N5 | TSMC N6 |
| Xe-cores | 20 | 24 |
| Render slices | 5 | 6 |
| Ray tracing units | 20 | 24 |
| Xe vector engines | 160 | 384 |
| Graphics Clock/Maxsun iCraft boost clock | 2,670MHz/2,850MHz | 1,700MHz |
| GPU Peak TOPS | 233 | 197 |
| TBP | 190W | 185W |
| PCIe version | 4.0 x8 | 4.0 x16 |
| Memory | 12GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Interface/Speed/Bandwidth | 192-bit/19Gbps/456GB/s | 256-bit/16Gbps/512GB/s |
| Video outputs | HDMI 2.1, DP 2.1 | HDMI 2.1, DP 2.0 |
| Launch price | $249/£249 | $180/£180 |
| Launch Date | December 2024 | October 2023 |
The base card of the B580 will be the same no matter what the partner models offer. These days, the boost clock is what tends to change between them, as some provide overclocked GPU frequencies. This is where the iCraft OC offers something impressive and more so than most models.
It has a specced boost clock of up to 2,850MHz, increasing the factory Intel frequency by 180MHz. It also goes 110MHz over the Sparkle Titan OC I reviewed, as that is rated for up to 2,740MHz. That means you can expect a bit of a faster and better-performing graphics card, as you’ll see later in the test results.
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft backplate, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft box contents, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft box, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft fans front, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft GPU back on box, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft profile, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft GPU on box, Image by PC Guide
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The highlight of the B580 still is the VRAM that is onboard. It goes for 12GB of GDDR6, offering a lot more capacity than the AMD and Nvidia cards at the same tier, pushing its capabilities to higher resolutions and outperforming some of the more expensive options. It is essential when new games come out with more impressive textures demanding even more video memory.
It’s also worth highlighting that the card does use a PCIe Gen 4 x8, which isn’t immediately a worry. If you have a PCIe Gen 4 slot, you won’t have any trouble, and the bandwidth produced by the card will be acceptable. It only comes into question if you have an older, say, PCIe Gen 3 slot that can throttle the performance of it and slow it down. But considering Intel makes you enable ReBar, too, older platforms might not be suitable for it either way.
Design
One of the great things about more partner cards is having a variety of choices as to how they look. In this case, Maxsun has gone for a white colorway, an option much less commonly seen in PC hardware. It makes for a sleek and decent-looking card that I enjoy, even if I don’t intend to make a whiteout build.
It measures 241x104x43mm and is surprisingly thin compared to modern cards, fitting into just two slots. Adding in some extra length to accommodate a three-fan setup but still having a relatively compact size to accommodate plenty of cases. This includes some smaller mATX cases if they have the length for it, but the slimmer design is one to enjoy when the higher-tier cards can get so large.
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft backplate logo, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft GPU and box, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft side logo, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft power connectors, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Intel Arc B580 iCraft IO ports, Image by PC Guide
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The Maxsun iCraft also includes a dash of ARGB on the front by the fans, giving a semblance of control and personalization. It’s not exactly the flashiest of implementations and not in a prominent spot, but it’s there if you want it. I would have expected to see it on the side facing the case’s side panel, but maybe it’s more complex to implement with the thinner card.
Performance
It was then onto performance, where I looked at the Sparkle B580, RTX 4060, and the Maxsun iCraft B580. Obviously, I wasn’t expecting a significant change between the two B580, but put it through our PC Guide testing lab with the following parts to see for myself.
- Motherboard: ASUS ProArt X670E-CREATOR WIFI
- CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- RAM: Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB (64GB, 6600MT/s, CL32)
- CPU Cooler: ROG RYUJIN III 360
- PSU: 1000W Phanteks
Gaming
In gaming benchmarks, the Maxsun B580 was very much at a similar level to the Sparkle. Most of it could be attributed to run-to-run testing errors and differences, but sometimes it does jump ahead. For example, Doom Eternal nets nearly 10FPS over the other model.
Then again, in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it does drop behind by a few frames on average. It can be very run- and game-dependent; what matters is that it is still pulling ahead of the 4060 for the most part, offering a better value option compared to it.
Unless you care and desire better ray tracing performance, the RTX 4060 can still do better with Nvidia’s implementation, although the 8GB of VRAM limits where you can even use it, considering Doom Eternal won’t let it run at 4K max settings due to this limitation.
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft CS2 FPS, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft AC Mirage FPS, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Cyberpunk 2077 FPS, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Doom Eternal FPS, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Indiana Jones Great Circle, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Image by PC Guide
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Synthetics
Synthetic benchmarks tell the same tale: the Maxsun model is on par with the Sparkle and B580 capabilities. There are usually a few points between them as the model’s speed gives it that slight edge here and there.
Still, for the most part, it also cements the card over the 4060’s capability. As in 3DMark and Handbrake, it falls behind the Intel graphics cards. However, for rendering, it is powerful, as in Blender, the RTX 4060 leaps ahead in the samples per minute it achieves and shows the prowess of CUDA in creating those 3D environments much quicker.
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Blender 4.3 samples, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Handbrake FPS, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft 3DMark score, Image by PC Guide
Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft Handbrake time taken, Image by PC Guide
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Alternatives
Although it might be a great budget card, the Intel Arc B580 might not meet everyone’s tastes and needs. There are plenty of other GPUs to consider out there if you were to pick one, so I’ll list a few of those and explain why you might like it, too.
A few options are available instead of the B580; although they come above the MSRP of the Intel GPU, they are still around the same as the Maxsun model. You may also have to consider the RTX 50 series or RDNA 4 release as they are coming soon as of writing this article, potentially providing more options.
Firstly, there is the RTX 4060 I was comparing the B580 to. It is close in performance, and although it falls behind, for the most part, it still has the Nvidia architecture that has plenty of great features and leads in specific scenarios. Such as ray tracing and rendering, which can be seen in Blender and certain games. Along with DLSS 3 and software implementations that might sway you to Team Green instead.
On the other hand, there is AMD, which is more directly in competition with Intel in terms of low-end pricing. The RX 7600 XT is a strong alternative at this price with the high capacity VRAM on offer, although the drop in bandwidth might have a more significant impact on the performance. But based on our review, it’s not that far off either, achieving a similar framerate in Cyberpunk and Doom Eternal; however, much like intel, the rendering and ray tracing fall behind Nvidia’s cards.
Verdict
Specifications
- GPU: BMG-G21
- Shading units: 2,560
- VRAM: 12GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 192-bit
- Bandwidth: 456GB/s
- Base/Boost clock speed: 2,670/2,850MHz
Once again, I was impressed with what this GPU was capable of. But the Maxsun model, as lovely as it is, doesn’t fully stand up to the price point in my opinion. Coming in that much more expensive over the MSRP ruins the cost-effectiveness of the card and makes the other choices in its tier more appealing with what they have to offer, particularly from Nvidia. While it does have a slight edge over the other B580s I’ve tested, I’d recommend waiting till this is on sale to purchase. When it is, it’s well worth snapping up.
