Intel’s New iGPU Stumbles in Early Benchmark
A fresh leak from a Furmark 2 benchmark run has given us an early look at Intel’s upcoming B370 Xe3 integrated GPU, and the first impressions are not exactly exciting. In this particular test, the new chip actually trails behind Intel’s current generation integrated graphics.
According to the benchmark shared on X, the B370 Xe3 iGPU was compared directly against Intel’s outgoing Arc 140V Xe2 integrated GPU. Instead of showing a generational jump, the older Arc 140V came out ahead by around 14 percent in Furmark 2.
For anyone hoping the B370 Xe3 would bring a solid performance bump for budget gaming laptops or compact desktops, this early result is a reminder that not every new chip automatically means higher frame rates.
What This Means For Integrated Graphics Performance
Integrated GPUs or iGPUs are built directly into the processor and are a big deal for casual gamers, esports players on a budget, and small form factor PCs. Any time a new generation is announced, people look for changes in three main areas:
- Raw performance for gaming and 3D workloads
- Power efficiency and thermals
- Feature support such as modern APIs and media encode or decode
In this Furmark 2 benchmark, the B370 Xe3 loses to the older Arc 140V Xe2 by roughly 14 percent. That is not a tiny margin, especially for a synthetic test that focuses heavily on GPU load.
There are a few important points to keep in mind when looking at this kind of early leak:
- Furmark 2 is a stress test, not a full picture of gaming performance. Real games might behave differently depending on drivers and optimizations.
- Pre release hardware often runs on early drivers and beta firmware, which can heavily affect scores.
- Final retail chips sometimes ship with higher clocks or better power tuning than early engineering samples.
Still, when a brand new iGPU loses to the model it is supposed to replace, it raises questions about what Intel is targeting with this generation. It is possible that Intel is aiming more for efficiency, battery life and thermals rather than raw performance at any cost.
Should Gamers Be Concerned?
If you are planning a gaming setup, this result matters mostly if you were counting on Intel’s next generation integrated graphics to deliver a big step up in frame rates compared to existing Arc Xe2 based iGPUs.
Right now, based on this single Furmark 2 leak:
- The B370 Xe3 does not look like an upgrade in pure GPU power compared to the Arc 140V Xe2.
- A 14 percent deficit suggests that current Xe2 systems might still be the better choice for light gaming if this result holds across real games.
- We still need game benchmarks, power consumption numbers and final driver tests before making a final judgment.
For desktop and laptop gamers who use dedicated GPUs like GeForce RTX or Radeon cards, this change in iGPU performance is less critical, since the integrated graphics is usually disabled or used only for display and video acceleration. The bigger impact will be on entry level systems and thin and light devices that rely entirely on the CPU’s integrated graphics for gaming.
It will be worth watching how Intel positions the B370 Xe3 when it officially launches. If it offers better power efficiency, cooler operation and stronger media capabilities, it could still be a solid choice for streaming, content consumption and light gaming, even if the raw benchmark score looks weaker than the previous generation.
For now, though, this Furmark 2 leak sets expectations fairly low for anyone hoping that Intel’s upcoming iGPU would be a clear performance win over the Arc 140V Xe2. Until we see a wider set of benchmarks and official details, it is smart to treat this as an interesting early data point rather than a final verdict.
Original article and image: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/intel-arc-b370-xe3-igpu-appears-on-furmark-2-panther-lake-graphics-fall-14-percent-behind-last-gen-xe2-arc-140v
