Intel's first generation of dedicated graphics cards failed miserably, even though it was known from the start that they weren't going to compete in the gaming ecosystem with AMD Yes Nvidia. However, it now appears that the situation is starting to reverse, as it has been learned that the new Intel Arc B580 They sell like candy at the door of a school.
And we are happy. Not because we are in any way pro-Intel, but because, as we say again and again, competition is good for us, the consumers, and the fact that there is a third competitor that challenges the duopoly that 'AMD and NVIDIA have maintained for years, this can only mean better products and better prices for us. Well, at least that's what the theory says.
Intel Arc B580s are sold out as stock is replenished
The second generation of dedicated graphics cards from Intel has just seen the light of day very recently, and has already become a hit with critics but also with enthusiasts and practically everyone. This is undeniable, especially if we compare these graphics with those of NVIDIA and AMD, which have excellent value for money, undoubtedly their strong point, and as we mentioned a moment ago this brings a Very good point about competition in the market.
Specifically, the Intel Arc B580, which has a base recommended retail price of $249, is the one that takes the lead. This graphics card competes in the mid-range, offering better performance than NVIDIA's RTX 4060 and AMD's RX 7600 but at a lower price. So much so that many retailers are reporting that they are out of stock of these graphics cards as soon as they receive more from Intel, and the company in blue has had to come forward saying that they are working hard to put more of GPUs on the shelves. stores:
“Demand for Arc B580 graphics cards is very high and many retailers sold out of their initial inventory within days of launch. “We hope to replenish stock on a weekly basis and are working hard with our partners to ensure more consistent availability. » said Mark Anthony Ramirez, an Intel spokesman.
The success of the Arc B580 is like a breath of fresh air for Intel, given the difficult times the company is going through. Just a few months ago, Intel was quite disappointed with the stability issues of its Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors, then came the “resignation” of its CEO, followed by massive layoffs to help it recover from the losses of more than 1,600 million dollars in August. of this year.
Let Intel not rest on its laurels
But the fact is that, even if this were not the case, because this success will surely help the company raise its head even a little, it is very good news because it will force AMD and NVIDIA to pull itself together, at least in the gaming segment, the mid-range which, after all, is the one that sells the most. Let's see if it's true and we stop seeing mid-range graphics at 400-500 dollars, which are prohibitive prices when you want to build a modest PC.
In any case, being able to have these mid-range graphics cards (which are really great for gaming in Full HD resolution) at reasonable prices (remember, $249) is also good for users. To give an example, the NVIDIA RTX 4060 released at $299 and the AMD RX 7600 at $269, and both only come with 8GB of VRAM, while the Intel Arc B580 has 12GB, also of GDDR6 (and even the lower model, the B570 which costs $210 has 10 GB). Additionally, Intel has worked hard to fine-tune its graphics drivers, leaving the initial issues with the first generation far behind.
However, we also hope this doesn't mean Intel is resting on its laurels. They need to keep pushing and pushing, especially since NVIDIA and AMD are expected to showcase their new generations of graphics at next year's CES, and that's only 3 weeks away…
