Intel Launches Arc Pro B50 GPU: A Compact Powerhouse for AI and Professional Workloads

Intel Arc Pro B50 Review

This year at COMPUTEX, Intel unveiled its latest offering in the GPU segment. The Intel® Arc™ Pro B50 is a compact video card designed for professional workstations and local inference use. Positioned as a direct competitor to NVIDIA's RTX™ A1000, it is exciting to see competition in the entry-level workstation graphics space. Like the rest of the Battlemage line, the Arc Pro B50 is based on Intel's X2 architecture. It offers architectural improvements over the 3-year-old Arc Pro A50. The second-gen X cores promise major efficiency improvements and offer SIMD16 execution (1st-gen X cores supported only SIMD8). This also means new, second-gen Ray Tracing Units (RTUs) and XMX engines (specialized matrix engines, similar in purpose to NVIDIA's Tensor cores). As was the case with the consumer-oriented Arc B580 we reviewed late last year, the B50 has dual media engines. Each has an encoder and decoder for up to two 8K 10-bit workloads. In terms of codec support, Intel's media engine has acceleration for HEVC 8, 10, and 12-bit (decode only) 4:2:0, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0, as well as AV1, among other codecs. The 10-bit 4:2:2 support is unique in the entry-level space but probably not too notable for most use cases. Below, we have listed the most relevant GPU specifications from Intel and NVIDIA: Specification-wise, the Arc Pro B50's most impressive feature is its large VRAM buffer. We have previously complained about the restrictive memory capacity on lower-end GPUs, so we appreciate Intel's decision to fit the B50 with a full 16 GB. That is over two-and-a-half times the 6 GB found on the prior-gen A50. This elevates the B50 from a card limited to the most basic of tasks to one capable of handling small local AI models, complex CAD, and lots of multitasking. It will also help with some gaming on the side, though power restrictions may hamper that overall experience. Otherwise, Intel has essentially doubled the A50: the B50 has twice the number of X cores and ray tracing units. Alongside improved XMX engines and slightly elevated boost clocks, this results in more than double the peak TOPs. One change from the initial announcement is the price. Unfortunately, Intel could not maintain the $300 price tag announced at COMPUTEX, instead starting the SEP at $350. It is understandable given the VRAM price costs in the channel and tariffs, and it is still cheaper than an NVIDIA RTX A1000, but in the low-end segment, every dollar hurts. Nevertheless, Intel still maintains a price advantage over the A1000, with more VRAM to boot. Our testing was performed on an AMD Ryzen™ 9 9950X3D socketed in an ASUS ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi motherboard. The 9950X3D has fantastic all-around performance in every workflow we have tested. This makes it an ideal platform to test GPUs, as it removes as many bottlenecks as possible. For our testing, we used the latest available GPU drivers. Our software packages are pretty typical for our GPU reviews, including most of the PugetBench benchmarks for Adobe applications and industry standard benchmarks such as Blender, V-Ray, Octane, and MLPerf. Excitingly, we were also able to include some CAD benchmarks for the first time in a number of years. Photoshop We don't usually feature Photoshop on our GPU reviews, but at the entry-level price point, we thought it would be interesting to see if it had any effect on performance. Looking at the Overall Score (chart #1), we found that the Intel Arc Pro B50 was 7% faster than the NVIDIA RTX A1000 and 11% faster than the A50. This is a solid performance improvement, even if we don't expect anyone to base their GPU purchasing decisions on Photoshop results alone. Out of curiosity, we also took a score geomean of the tests that we have typically found to utilize the GPU (chart #2). Looking only at these, the B50 has a 33% performance advantage over the A1000 and a 41% increase over the A50. Premiere Pro The next application we tested was Adobe Premiere Pro. Non-linear editors are typically a bit heavy for this class of video card, but we were interested to see if they could be effective and, especially, to see the performance of the media engines. Starting with the Overall Score (chart #1), we found that the B50 outperforms the other two GPUs. It was 19% faster than the A1000 and 42% faster than the A1000. The media engines should have been apparent in the LongGOP score (chart #2). However, we didn't see much to distinguish the B50 there at first: it was only 10% faster than the A1000 and 27% faster than the A50. Digging into the individual tests, we found that the B50 completed the 4:2:2 10-bit encoding tests 33% faster than the A1000. In Intraframe workloads (chart #3) the B50 was 23% faster than the A1000 and 53% faster than the A50, while with RAW codecs (chart #4) it was only 12% and 17% faster than those, respectively. Finally, the area we expected to see the most differentiation was, of course, the GPU tests (chart #5). The Intel Arc Pro B50 performed very well in those, showing a 38% performance advantage over the A1000 and 93% generational improvement over the A50. After Effects In After Effects, the overall score (chart #1) difference was relatively small. The B50 was only 4% faster than the A1000; this is typically within the margin of error. There were better generational improvements over the A50, amounting to about 30%. However, this was due to two factors pulling against each other. In 2D workflows (chart #2), the B50 was 10% faster than the A1000 and 32% faster than the A50. In 3D workflows (chart #3), the B50 scored equivalently to the A1000. It did manage a 44% generational improvement over the A50, though. 3D work in After Effects has historically been a strong area for NVIDIA, so it was impressive to see Intel match its competitor's card. Blender Like 3D workflows in After Effects, GPU rendering has traditionally been an area of NVIDIA dominance. However, with the latest version of Blender, the Arc Pro B50 managed to outperform the A1000 by 20%. This was an impressive result made possible by a 135% improvement generationally. Alongside the 16 GB of VRAM, we think this positions the B50 as a serious rendering option in the entry-level workstation space. MLPerf Next, we tested these GPUs in MLPerf by MLCommons. Unfortunately, we were not able to collect data for the A50 in time, though we hope to update the article with that shortly. Starting with the All Models results for time to first token (chart #1), we found that the B50 took half as much time as the A1000. Similarly, in the second-token forward generation (chart #2), it managed 68% more tokens per second. Revit It has been a number of years since we have tested with Autodesk Revit using the RFO benchmark. We tested each of the GPUs using the Full_Standard preset at 4K resolution. In in the future, we will likely include the Graphics_Expanded preset as well, as that may present a fuller picture of pure-GPU performance in Revit. We pulled out the two major subscores from the results. In Model Creation (chart #1), the GPUs were essentially identical. Model creation is primarily CPU-bound, so we were unsurprised. Graphics (chart #2) uses the GPU much more, though it still has a healthy amount of CPU and I/O bound tasks. Here we found that the B50 was 20% slower than the A1000, but 11% faster than the A50. This isn't a great result, but any of these GPUs is likely sufficient for a lot of Revit work, provided the CPU it is paired with is up to snuff. Inventor The other Autodesk software we tested was Inventor, using the InvMark benchmark by the Cadac Group and Tech3D. We are still exploring which subscores to highlight for different categories of components, but we settled on the overall InvMark Score (chart #1) and the Graphics score (chart #2) for this article. For the former, we found that the B50 was 16% slower than the A1000 and 11% faster than the A50. This is a fine generational improvement, but only barely impressive compared to the NVIDIA option when price is factored in. Looking at the graphics subscore, the difference is far more stark. The NVIDIA RTX A1000 was more than four times as fast as the B50. Additionally, we saw essentially no gen-on-gen uplift. Even with the B50 being cheaper than the A1000, it does not currently appear to be a real competitor in Inventor. SOLIDWORKS Our final piece of software was SOLIDWORKS, using SPECapc's benchmark. We've reported all of the GPU subscores, but are only focusing on the composite score (chart #1). In SOLIDWORKS, the B50 performs well, with a 33% performance advantage over the A1000 and 66% gain over the A50. Though there is some variance among the subscores (charts #2-7), like the identical GPU drawing scores for the B50 and A1000, these performance deltas hold relatively constant. How Does the Intel Arc Pro B50 Perform in Professional Applications? The Intel Arc Pro B50 is an impressive little GPU. We found it to perform very well across a wide variety of benchmarks, especially when compared to the more expensive RTX A1000. Additionally, it comes equipped with 16 GB of VRAM, ensuring it has enough of a frame buffer to take on any task its computing capabilities can handle. We can't say the same of its competition. In media and entertainment workflows, the Arc Pro B50 offered modest performance improvements over the NVIDIA card. The B50 was 7% faster than the A1000 in Photoshop, 10% faster in Premiere Pro, and 4% faster in After Effects. However, in each of these applications, it had an area where it was at least 30% faster than the A1000. In Blender, the B50 outperformed the A1000 by 20%, marking a 135% generational improvement over the A50. This is particularly impressive, as rendering is usually an area of strength for NVIDIA. The B50 also managed to perform very well in MLPerf, with half the time to first token and 68% more tokens per second compared to the A1000. However, it did less well in the CAD and BIM benchmarks. The B50 fell behind the A1000 by 20% in Revit graphics tests and 16% in Inventor. In the Inventor graphics score, the A1000 was four times faster. This wasn't always the case, though. In SOLIDWORKS, the B50 outperformed the A1000 by 33%. Overall, we were very impressed with the B50. It is a compact GPU with a low power draw that operates nearly silently. It also offers great value with its combination of price, performance, and specifications. There are definitely still some areas where the NVIDIA CUDA advantage will outshine it, but we think that it is a compelling option for entry-level professional workstations.

Intel Arc Pro B50 GPU Launched at $349 for Compact Workstations

Intel has officially expanded its professional GPU portfolio with the launch of the Arc Pro B50, designed specifically for small-form-factor workstations. The card is based on the Battlemage BMG-G21 GPU, configured with 16 Xe2 cores. It comes paired with 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM clocked at 14 Gbps on a 128-bit memory bus, producing 224 GB/s of effective bandwidth. This configuration ensures that the GPU cores are properly fed while maintaining a low overall power draw. Intel has kept the total board power at 70 W, enabling the card to run entirely from the PCIe slot without external connectors. With a PCIe Gen 5 x8 interface, the Pro B50 balances efficiency and bandwidth for professional workloads. One of the key features of the Arc Pro B50 is its suitability for AI workloads and specialized professional applications. Intel claims performance of up to 170 TOPS in INT8 compute, which is significant for local AI inference tasks, machine learning workloads, and data preprocessing. Beyond AI, the GPU is optimized for CAD, engineering, architectural visualization, and design software, where stability is just as important as raw throughput. To meet these needs, Intel supplies a certified workstation driver stack, ensuring predictable performance across industry-standard applications. The physical design reflects its target environment: the card uses a low-profile dual-slot form factor, making it ideal for dense workstation cases that prioritize both space savings and airflow efficiency. Display connectivity is handled via four mini DisplayPort outputs, which support multi-monitor setups critical for professional users who often work with complex datasets or design layouts. By providing flexibility in display configuration while maintaining a small footprint, Intel positions the Arc Pro B50 as a versatile tool for both AI and visual workflows. The emphasis is not on competing with high-end workstation GPUs in sheer raw power, but on striking a balance between price, efficiency, and reliability in scenarios where compact workstations are used. With an MSRP of $349, Intel has aimed for the Arc Pro B50 to be an accessible entry into the workstation GPU segment. The card will be distributed both as a standalone retail product and through OEM workstation systems. At launch, early reviews from outlets such as HardwareLuxx, Phoronix, and Igor's LAB indicate that the card delivers consistent results within its targeted workloads, rather than focusing on gaming performance. As Intel continues to invest in both consumer and professional graphics solutions, the Arc Pro B50 demonstrates a focus on specialized, compact, and power-efficient GPU offerings that broaden its reach in the professional computing market.

Intel Arc Pro B50 GPU launches, $349 for compact AI performance with 16GB of VRAM

TL;DR: The Intel Arc Pro B50 GPU, based on Battlemage architecture, offers a powerful, affordable workstation solution with 16GB GDDR6 memory, DisplayPort 2.1, and hardware AV1 decoding. It outperforms AMD Radeon Pro W7500 and NVIDIA RTX A1000 in AI and creative workloads, delivering strong performance at a competitive price. The new Intel Arc Pro B50 GPU is available now, with the AI and workstation-focused graphics card delivering a viable alternative to AMD's Radeon Pro W7500 and NVIDIA's RTX A1000. Based on the 'Battlemage' architecture, it also supports DisplayPort 2.1, multiple displays, and hardware AV1 decoding for editors, with 16GB of GDDR6 memory for $349 - assuming the card is sold at close to MSRP pricing. Based on the Battlemage BMG-G21 GPU, the hardware consists of 16 Xe2 Cores, four fewer than the gaming-focused Intel Arc B580. However, with a maximum boost clock speed of 2600 MHz and a power rating of only 70W, it's being positioned as an affordable workstation GPU that can be paired with additional Intel Arc Pro B50 GPUs or easily slot into a compact case. Additionally, compared to the Intel Arc B580 12GB gaming GPU, its 16GB of GDDR6 memory is supported by a slower 128-bit interface, resulting in a total memory bandwidth of 224 GB/s. With the launch of the Intel Arc Pro B50, our friends over at Igor's Lab have posted an in-depth review of Intel's new affordable workstation option, pitting it against AMD's Radeon Pro W7500 and NVIDIA's RTX A1000, and the results are impressive. Reviewed in its dual-slot, low-profile form, which features double the VRAM capacity of AMD's and NVIDIA's entry-level alternatives, the Intel Arc Pro B50 proves to be a winner, with various UL Procyon AI benchmarks showing it comes out comfortably ahead. This aligns with Intel's own performance data, which showcases that the Intel Arc Pro B50 offers 1.7 times the Inference performance of the RTX A1000 while costing significantly less. The Intel Arc Pro B50 will be available as a standalone GPU, in addition to being part of OEM workstation systems. In addition to AI, the Intel Arc Pro B50 also outperforms its competitors in Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro benchmarks, which is impressive. For a full breakdown of the card's specs and performance, be sure to check out Igor's Lab's full review.