lucadelladora – Intel Panther Lake represents a major shift in Intel’s mobile strategy, promising significant gains in power efficiency and integrated graphics performance. Early gaming benchmarks now offer the first concrete look at how the new Arc B390 iGPU performs against key rivals. For years, AMD has led this segment in both efficiency and graphics capability. Initial testing suggests Intel may finally be closing that gap. The results are especially relevant for gaming handhelds and thin laptops without dedicated GPUs.
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Intel Panther Lake and Arc B390 Show Major Gains in Efficiency and Graphics
Intel designed Panther Lake to address long-standing weaknesses in mobile efficiency and graphics performance. The new platform combines a redesigned CPU architecture with a hybrid core layout. Configurations include up to four performance cores and twelve efficiency cores. This design targets sustained performance at lower power levels. Such characteristics are critical for handheld devices and ultraportable laptops.
A major highlight of Panther Lake is the new Arc B390 integrated GPU. The iGPU features twelve Xe2 cores and represents a generational leap over previous Intel graphics. Early benchmarks show substantial performance improvements over older Intel solutions. Compared to the Arc 140T, the Arc B390 delivers close to 80 percent higher performance in some games. This gain reflects both architectural changes and higher execution efficiency.
Intel positions Arc B390 as a competitor to AMD’s latest integrated graphics. In testing scenarios, the Arc B390 outperformed the AMD Radeon 890M by more than 80 percent in certain titles. This result marks a significant reversal of the traditional performance hierarchy. AMD has historically dominated this segment with strong iGPU solutions. Panther Lake appears to challenge that advantage directly.
The platform also targets devices without dedicated graphics cards. Many thin and light laptops rely entirely on integrated GPUs. Improved iGPU performance can expand gaming and creative use cases. Intel’s strategy aims to reduce dependence on entry-level discrete GPUs. This could simplify designs and improve battery life across product categories.
Gaming Benchmarks Compare Arc B390 Against AMD and Nvidia Solutions
At CES 2026, hands-on gaming tests were conducted on a Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i. The system was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H processor and the Arc B390 iGPU. These tests allowed direct comparison with leading alternatives. The focus was on real-world gaming performance rather than synthetic benchmarks.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Arc B390 delivered performance nearly identical to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU. This result is notable given that the RTX 4050 is a dedicated graphics card. The iGPU achieved this level of performance without the additional power and cost of discrete graphics. However, results varied by game.
In Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4050 remained about 20 percent faster. This highlights that dedicated GPUs still maintain an advantage in the most demanding scenarios. Even so, the Arc B390 remained fully playable at high settings. Compared to AMD’s high-end integrated solution, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with Radeon 8060S was sometimes twice as fast. That AMD chipset, however, is larger, more expensive, and less power efficient.
As with most integrated graphics, performance depends heavily on system configuration. Power limits play a major role in determining sustained GPU clocks. Memory speed is also critical, since system RAM acts as VRAM. Faster RAM can significantly boost frame rates. These variables mean real-world results will differ between devices.
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Initial impressions from testing remain positive. Both Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3 ran smoothly at 1080p using ultra settings. Frame rates typically ranged from 44 to 50 frames per second without upscaling. With XeSS set to Quality mode and Frame Generation enabled, performance exceeded 160 frames per second in some cases. These results suggest strong headroom.
Overall, Panther Lake and Arc B390 mark Intel’s most serious challenge yet to AMD’s mobile graphics dominance. The gains in efficiency and performance are substantial. While AMD and Nvidia still lead in certain segments, Intel has narrowed the gap considerably. Final judgments will depend on shipping devices and sustained performance. Even so, early benchmarks indicate a promising new era for Intel integrated graphics.
