Intel’s New Arc B390 iGPU Put To The Test
At CES 2026 Intel quietly showed something that could really shake up everyday gaming laptops. Instead of another high end desktop GPU or monster gaming rig this time the spotlight was on an integrated GPU inside a pretty normal looking Lenovo laptop.
The chip inside was an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H from the new Panther Lake lineup paired with Intel’s Arc B390 integrated graphics. No discrete GPU at all. Just the iGPU built into the processor.
Integrated graphics have usually meant basic esports at low settings and not much else. Intel claims the Arc B390 can actually beat an Nvidia RTX 4050 laptop GPU by around ten percent on average. That is a bold claim for something living inside a slim notebook CPU.
With less than an hour on the CES show floor the tester ran a quick set of real world game benchmarks to see how far this new iGPU can really go.
Cyberpunk 2077 On Integrated Graphics
Cyberpunk 2077 is still one of the most demanding games around and a great way to expose weak GPUs. The test system was a very plain looking Lenovo laptop so expectations were low at first.
The first run used:
- Resolution 1200p
- High preset
- No upscaling
- No ray tracing
Even under these tough conditions the Arc B390 iGPU delivered an average of 53 frames per second. That number will not blow away desktop gamers but for an integrated GPU at native resolution with no upscaling that is seriously impressive. This is the kind of performance that makes a thin laptop feel like a real gaming machine instead of an emergency backup.
Most people gaming on a GPU less laptop will absolutely use upscaling so the next run enabled Intel’s XeSS upscaling at the Quality setting. With XeSS turned on Cyberpunk jumped to an average of 74 frames per second at the same 1200p High settings.
Mid 70s fps at that image quality is smooth and easily playable. For a default looking notebook that you could imagine using for work or school that kind of gaming experience is a big deal.
Then it was time to push the iGPU much harder. The settings were cranked to the Ray Tracing Ultra preset with frame generation enabled and XeSS set to Auto. That is the kind of preset normally reserved for dedicated GPUs.
The result was around 70 frames per second with frame generation providing a two times boost. The base frame rate underneath would be lower which means latency would go up during real gameplay but the key takeaway is this. An integrated GPU can now technically push full ray tracing in Cyberpunk at playable frame rates with help from upscaling and frame generation. That would have sounded ridiculous only a few years ago.
Borderlands 4 And Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
Next up was Borderlands 4 a game already known for being heavy on hardware. Even high end cards like the RTX 5090 can struggle depending on the settings.
On the Arc B390 iGPU the test used:
- Resolution 1200p
- High settings
- XeSS Quality
Frame rates hovered between 40 and 45 frames per second. Not perfect but definitely playable for a solo playthrough if you are not obsessed with ultra smooth 60 plus fps. Frame generation exists in the options menu for Borderlands 4 but it would not reliably work with the Intel iGPU during this quick hands on session. Given that frame generation behaved nicely in Cyberpunk the tester chalked this up to the game rather than the hardware.
To round things out the classic benchmark title Shadow of the Tomb Raider was loaded up. It is older now but still visually strong and commonly used to measure GPU performance.
The settings were:
- Resolution 1200p
- High preset
- No upscaling
In this game the Arc B390 really shined. The laptop hit highs in the 100 fps range one percent lows in the mid 30s and an average of 75 frames per second. For an integrated GPU driving a modern looking title at High settings that is a very solid result.
This test also shows what you can expect in slightly lighter or older games. Many popular AAA titles from a few years back as well as a lot of current esports games should run very nicely on this iGPU at 1080p or 1200p with a mix of Medium and High settings.
What This Means For Future Laptops And Handhelds
These quick CES tests are not full lab reviews but the early signs are very encouraging. The Arc B390 packs 12 Xe cores and clearly punches above what we are used to from integrated solutions.
There are a few big implications for gamers.
- Everyday laptops become real gaming options. Slim and light notebooks without discrete GPUs have usually been poor choices for serious games. With performance around or even above an RTX 4050 in some cases that assumption might start to change.
- Better budget gaming devices. If this iGPU makes its way into affordable laptops it could give entry level gamers a much better experience without paying for a dedicated graphics chip.
- Huge potential for handheld PCs. The tester specifically called out curiosity about what this chip could do inside a handheld gaming device. Lower power plus strong integrated graphics could make for some very capable portable PCs.
Of course we still need full benchmarks under controlled conditions to see how Panther Lake and the Arc B390 behave across a wider range of games thermals and long sessions. Latency with heavy frame generation and performance at different resolutions will matter as well.
Still the direction is clear. Integrated graphics are stepping into territory that used to belong firmly to dedicated laptop GPUs. If Intel can deliver this kind of performance across the lineup the next wave of thin laptops and handhelds could be far more gamer friendly out of the box.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/processors/i-did-some-quick-and-dirty-testing-of-the-intel-arc-b390-igpu-in-intels-new-top-end-core-ultra-chips-and-im-pretty-impressed/
