The Arc B570 is the better card for nearly every buyer. It is faster than the original 6GB RTX 2060 in most modern games, has 10 GB of VRAM against 6 GB, supports XeSS frame generation, and is sold new with a warranty. The RTX 2060 only makes sense as a very cheap used card for an older PC without Resizable BAR, or for someone who mostly plays older and esports titles where 6 GB is not a constraint.
The RTX 2060 launched in January 2019 at $349 as Turing’s entry ray tracing card. A 12 GB variant with more CUDA cores followed in December 2021, during the GPU shortage. The Arc B570 arrived in January 2025 at $219 as Intel’s lower Battlemage model. Six years separate the original cards, and the gap shows mostly in memory and features.
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Three Cards, One Table
| Spec | RTX 2060 (6 GB) | RTX 2060 12GB | Arc B570 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | Turing | Xe2-HPG |
| Release | 7 January 2019 | 7 December 2021 | 16 January 2025 |
| Launch MSRP | $349 | not listed | $219 |
| Shaders | 1920 | 2176 | 2304 |
| Boost clock | 1680 MHz | 1650 MHz | 2500 MHz |
| Process | 12 nm | 12 nm | 5 nm |
| TDP | 160 W | 184 W | 150 W |
| Memory | 6 GB GDDR6, 192-bit | 12 GB GDDR6, 192-bit | 10 GB GDDR6, 160-bit |
| Bandwidth | 336.0 GB/s | 336.0 GB/s | 380.0 GB/s |
| L2 cache | 3 MB | 3 MB | 9 MB |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |
| Power | 1x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Length | 229 mm, 2-slot | 229 mm, 2-slot | 272 mm, 2-slot |
| Outputs | DVI, HDMI, 2x DP, USB-C | DVI, HDMI, 2x DP, USB-C | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DP 2.1 |
The B570 leads in clock speed, cache, bandwidth and efficiency. Its 9 MB of L2 is three times the 2060’s. Note the display outputs too: the RTX 2060 still has a DVI port, useful for an old monitor, while the B570 offers modern HDMI 2.1a and DisplayPort 2.1 for high-refresh panels.
Frame Rates: How Far Ahead Is the B570?
Published comparisons do not line up neatly. Some benchmark databases show the B570 and RTX 2060 roughly even at 1080p. Others put the B570 around 15% ahead at 1440p, and at least one aggregator claims a far larger gap that looks like an outlier. Launch reviews offer a helpful anchor: GamersNexus and other outlets placed the B570 roughly alongside the Radeon RX 7600 and RTX 3060 class, which has historically sat clearly above the 6GB RTX 2060.
A fair summary is that the B570 typically leads the RTX 2060 6GB by somewhere in the 10 to 30% range in modern games, depending on the title, the resolution and the CPU. The 2060 12GB narrows that gap somewhat with its extra cores and memory.
- 1080p medium to high: both cards are playable in most games. The B570 more often stays above 60 FPS in newer AAA titles, while the 2060 frequently sits in the 40 to 60 FPS range. These figures vary with settings, CPU and patch.
- 1440p: the RTX 2060 6GB struggles in newer games without upscaling and lower textures. The B570 handles 1440p at medium to high with upscaling, and GamersNexus noted that Battlemage scales relatively well at higher resolutions.
The 6 GB problem
Six gigabytes is the RTX 2060’s real limit. Many games released since 2023 recommend 8 GB or more even at 1080p. With 6 GB you will often need medium textures to avoid stutter. Some RT-required games, such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, list higher-VRAM cards in their minimum requirements and are a poor experience on a 6 GB card. The B570’s 10 GB handles 1080p high textures comfortably in most current games.
Ray Tracing, DLSS and XeSS
The 2060 was the cheapest card in the first RTX generation, and ray tracing on it was always marginal. Battlemage’s RT hardware is newer and more capable, so the B570 generally performs better with RT on, though RT at 1080p on either card still means compromises.
On upscaling:
- RTX 2060: DLSS Super Resolution, including NVIDIA’s newer transformer model, is available. That is a big help for a weaker card, and DLSS appears in a very large number of games. DLSS Frame Generation is not supported on Turing.
- Arc B570: XeSS 2, with Super Resolution, Frame Generation and Xe Low Latency in supported games. FSR works on both cards.
DLSS in Performance mode keeps the RTX 2060 relevant longer than its raw speed suggests. Even so, the B570’s extra speed and memory matter more in practice than DLSS’s broader game support.
Platform Checks Before You Buy the B570
The B570 has two requirements that the RTX 2060 does not:
- Resizable BAR: Intel Arc performs much worse without it. Ryzen 3000 and newer platforms and Intel 10th gen and newer platforms usually support it after a BIOS update. Older platforms often do not.
- CPU strength: Hardware Unboxed and others found Battlemage’s driver overhead heavier than NVIDIA’s, so pairing it with an old 4- or 6-core CPU can cost a significant share of performance, and in some games enough to wipe out its lead.
It also uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 link, which drops to PCIe 3.0 x8 on older boards. The effect is usually small, but it grows when a game exceeds VRAM. If your PC is an older Intel 7th to 9th gen or Ryzen 1000 system, the B570’s advantage shrinks, and a used RTX 2060 or a different current card might suit you better.
Power Supply and Case Fit
All three cards use a single 8-pin connector. Here is a PSU estimate using GPU TDP, about 105 W for a mainstream 6-core CPU and about 150 W of headroom:
- RTX 2060: 160 + 105 + 150 = about 415 W
- RTX 2060 12GB: 184 + 105 + 150 = about 440 W
- Arc B570: 150 + 105 + 150 = about 405 W
A quality 450 to 550 W PSU covers any of them. Length is the bigger concern: the RTX 2060’s 229 mm reference size suits almost any case, while the B570’s reference length is 272 mm. Compact cases should be checked against the specific B570 model, since some partners sell shorter versions.
Value Check: New B570 or Used RTX 2060?
Set the RTX 2060 6GB at 100 and the B570 at about 120, the middle of the published range. At launch MSRP:
- RTX 2060: $349 / 100 = $3.49 per performance point
- Arc B570: $219 / 120 = about $1.83 per performance point
Today, the RTX 2060 6GB usually sells for roughly $90 to $140 used, and the 12GB version a little more. At $100, a used 2060 costs about $1.00 per performance point, cheaper than a new B570 per frame. In exchange you get no warranty, an aging cooler, 6 GB of VRAM and no frame generation. For a budget build that will play mainly esports and older games, that trade can work. For a main gaming PC that needs to handle new releases, the B570 is worth the extra money.
Recommendation by Use Case
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| New 1080p build with a modern CPU | Arc B570 |
| Want to try 1440p on a budget | Arc B570 |
| Older PC, no Resizable BAR | RTX 2060 (12GB if available) |
| Esports only, lowest possible spend | Used RTX 2060 |
| Need DVI for an old monitor | RTX 2060 |
| Plan to play new AAA games for several years | Arc B570 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arc B570 better than the RTX 2060?
Yes, for most buyers. The B570 is generally faster in modern games, often by somewhere in the 10 to 30% range depending on the source and title, and its 10 GB of VRAM avoids the 6 GB limit that holds back the original RTX 2060. It does need Resizable BAR and a reasonably modern CPU to perform its best.
Is the RTX 2060 12GB a better match for the B570?
The 12GB RTX 2060 has more CUDA cores and twice the memory of the original, which helps in VRAM-heavy games. It is still generally slower than the B570 and draws more power, with a 184 W TDP. It is a sensible used purchase for an older PC without Resizable BAR.
Can the RTX 2060 still run new games?
It can run many of them at 1080p with medium settings and DLSS. The 6 GB of VRAM is the main problem, and some recent games stutter or ship with higher minimum requirements. Expect to make more compromises with each year’s new releases.
Does the Arc B570 need Resizable BAR?
Yes. Intel Arc cards rely on Resizable BAR for good performance, and without it frame rates and smoothness drop significantly. Enable it in the BIOS, usually listed alongside Above 4G Decoding, before installing the card.
Will a 450 W PSU run either card?
A quality 450 W PSU with an 8-pin PCIe connector can run either card with a mainstream 6-core CPU, since the estimated total is about 405 to 440 W including headroom. For more margin and quieter operation, a 550 W unit is a comfortable choice.
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