It's only been *checks watch* less than a day, and already Intel's Panther Lake is seeing some promising airtime. That's not just from the likes of publications such as yours truly, but also, it seems, from games, as the Arc B390 is now featured on the official Forza Horizon 6 system requirements.
That's a game that's pencilled for a summertime launch (May 19), and as of now, there are only minimum requirements listed. On the GPU front, this means an Nvidia GTX 1650, AMD RX 6500 XT, Intel Arc A380 or Arc B390.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Minimum spec |
|---|---|
Operating System | Windows 10 22H2 (19045) |
Processor | Intel Core i5 8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 |
Memory | 16 GB RAM |
Graphics | Nvidia GTX 1650, AMD RX 6500 XT, Intel Arc A380, or Intel Arc B390 |
DirectX | Version 12 |
Storage | SSD required |
Note that the B390 is an integrated GPU. The other entries on that list are discrete graphics cards. In other words, if we needed even more confirmation that Panther Lake is capable of bringing the fight to the discrete market, here it is.
Intel's new Panther Lake mobile platform has kicked up quite the beneficent storm, offering what seems like a solitary ray of sunshine through the fog of 2026's prices and broader lack of exciting launches.
Our Andy's Intel Core Ultra X9 388H testing speaks for itself on this front, but I'll reiterate the main thrust: The 12 Xe3-core Arc B390 iGPU is leaps ahead of its main Strix Point competition, and it isn't massively far behind the RTX 4050 mobile, a still pretty modern discrete GPU. And battery life is, of course, fantastic.
Intel Arc B390 1080p gaming benchmarks
No upscaling
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Intel Arc B390 (Asus Zenbook Duo) | 64 Avg FPS, 52 1% Low FPS |
| Radeon 890M (Asus Zephyrus G16) | 41 Avg FPS, 35 1% Low FPS |
| Intel Arc 140V (Asus Zenbook S 14) | 33 Avg FPS, 27 1% Low FPS |
| RTX 4050 Mobile (75 W, Acer Nitro V 15) | 81 Avg FPS, 56 1% Low FPS |
It's also worth taking a step back from the comparative stuff and reflecting on the simple fact that we're now seeing integrated graphics listed as a requirement for what's sure to be a very good-looking upcoming AAA game. If you've played Forza Horizon 5, you'll know that while it's not particularly tough to run, it's no simple indie side-scroller either.
The game is set for launch on 19 May, and in addition to the B390 requirement, it will also require an Intel Core i5 8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or better, as well as an SSD and 16 GB of your finest overpriced RAM. An Intel PTL chip featuring B390 iGPU will, of course, suffice too.
1. Best overall:
Razer Blade 16 (2025)
2. Best budget:
Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 10
3. Best 14-inch:
Razer Blade 14 (2025)
4. Best mid-range:
MSI Vector 16 HX AI
5. Best high-performance:
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10
6. Best 18-inch:
Alienware 18 Area-51
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