Intel Arc iGPU Matches Xbox Series S Performance in Alan Wake 2

We recently covered Intel’s potential Arc branding changes based on memory configuration. While those labels do not affect real-world performance, they raised a bigger question: can Intel Arc devices realistically compete with home consoles? New benchmarks suggest the answer depends heavily on context.

According to VideoCardz, Intel’s Panther Lake integrated GPU can match or slightly exceed Xbox Series S performance in Alan Wake 2, based on a single test scene.

Panther Lake vs Xbox Series S performance comparison

The test ran on a Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 powered by an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H with Arc B390 graphics. With a 30 W power limit, the laptop averaged 29.54 frames per second, around seven percent higher than the Xbox Series S result in the same scene.

Digital Foundry selected the 30 W cap to reflect typical handheld PC power envelopes in the 25–35 W range. The comparison is not perfectly matched, since the console and PC use different settings. Xbox Series S outputs at 1440p using FSR 2 upscaling from an internal 720p and applies additional reductions to foliage and shadow quality.

When testers removed the 30 fps cap and disabled v-sync, the Panther Lake system averaged 32.77 fps. Increasing power toward roughly 45 W did not result in a meaningful performance uplift on the tested chassis. Digital Foundry noted that while the gain over Series S is modest, the laptop delivered smoother frame pacing and more consistent performance than the console in that scene.

PlayStation 5 comparison shows a clear gap

A second test using PlayStation 5-equivalent settings highlighted the limits of Panther Lake graphics. In that run, the PS5 averaged 55.25 fps, while the Intel laptop reached just 28.91 fps. That result gives Sony’s console roughly a 92 percent performance advantage.

These results remain limited to a single title, and Alan Wake 2 is known to behave unpredictably on mobile integrated GPUs, which makes broad conclusions difficult.

Arc B390 against older discrete GPUs

Separate testing from PC Games Hardware compared the Arc B390 with older discrete graphics cards. Arc B390 outperformed the GTX 1060 and Radeon RX 580, while trailing the RTX 2060 and Radeon RX 6600. Average power draw measured about 26.8 W, with short peaks near 31 W.

In ray tracing workloads, Arc B390 avoided last place and sometimes appeared steadier than the RX 6600, partly due to access to system memory rather than a fixed 8 GB VRAM pool. It kept pace with the RX 6600 in Doom: The Dark Ages and Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, but memory-related issues surfaced in F1 25.

Panther Lake integrated graphics look competitive at very low power levels and show meaningful progress for Intel’s mobile GPU strategy. Availability and pricing remain major concerns, though. For many players, the Xbox Series S still represents the simplest and most cost-effective gaming option.

Those who prefer portability may want to consider devices like the ROG Xbox Ally, especially while discounts remain available. In other Intel GPU news, recent rumors claim the company may cancel the Arc B770 altogether, citing rising VRAM pricing as a key factor.