Best Intel GPU for local LLMs
Intel Arc cards are some of the cheapest ways to get 12 to 32 GB of VRAM. Here are the 5 Arc GPUs we track, with list prices, estimated tokens per second, which software runs them, and the cheapest NVIDIA and AMD card with the same VRAM.
- Intel GPUs tracked
- 5
- Still sold new
- 3
- VRAM range
- 8–32 GB
Short answer: the Arc Pro B70 (32 GB, $949 list) is the best Intel card for local LLMs and fits 27B–32B models at Q4. The Arc B580 (12 GB, $249) is the budget pick for 8B–14B models. A used A770 16GB is the cheapest way into 16 GB on Intel.
Our picks
Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB
- VRAM
- 32 GB
- Bandwidth
- 608 GB/s
- Run at Q4
- 504 / 656
$949 (list price (MSRP), source)
Cheapest GeForce with 32+ GB: GeForce RTX 5090, $1,999 list.
Intel Arc B580
- VRAM
- 12 GB
- Bandwidth
- 456 GB/s
- Run at Q4
- 350 / 656
$249 (list price (MSRP), source)
Cheapest GeForce with 12+ GB: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB, $329 list.
Intel Arc A770 16GB
- VRAM
- 16 GB
- Bandwidth
- 560 GB/s
- Run at Q4
- 388 / 656
$349 (launch MSRP, discontinued, source)
AmazoneBayIntel Arc B570
- VRAM
- 10 GB
- Bandwidth
- 380 GB/s
- Run at Q4
- 340 / 656
$219 (list price (MSRP), source)
Cheapest GeForce with 10+ GB: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB, $329 list.
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Every Intel GPU we track
| GPU | VRAM | Bandwidth | Board power | Price | $ per GB | Biggest model at Q4 | Models that fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Arc Pro B70 32GBBattlemage (Xe2) | 32 GB | 608 GB/s | 230 W | $949list price (MSRP), source, 2026-10-29 | $30 | IQuest-Coder-V1-40B-Loop-Instruct~28.7 GB at Q4 | 504 / 656 |
| Intel Arc A770 16GBAlchemist (Xe) · discontinued, buy used | 16 GB | 560 GB/s | 225 W | $349launch MSRP, discontinued, source, 2026-10-28 | $22 | Ling-Coder-lite~12.7 GB at Q4 | 388 / 656 |
| Intel Arc B580Battlemage (Xe2) | 12 GB | 456 GB/s | — | $249list price (MSRP), source, 2026-10-22 | $21 | OLMo-2-1124-13B-Instruct~10.6 GB at Q4 | 350 / 656 |
| Intel Arc B570Battlemage (Xe2) | 10 GB | 380 GB/s | 150 W | $219list price (MSRP), source, 2026-10-28 | $22 | HyperCLOVAX-SEED-Omni-8B~8.5 GB at Q4 | 340 / 656 |
| Intel Arc A750Alchemist (Xe) · discontinued, buy used | 8 GB | 512 GB/s | 225 W | $289launch MSRP, discontinued, source, 2026-10-28 | $36 | NVIDIA-Nemotron-Nano-9B-v2~7.2 GB at Q4 | 315 / 656 |
Which popular models run, and how fast
| Intel GPU | Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct ~6.6 GB | Qwen3-8B ~6.7 GB | Qwen3-14B ~11.3 GB | gpt-oss-20b ~15.6 GB | Qwen3-30B-A3B ~22.3 GB | Qwen3.8-27B ~20.4 GB | Qwen3-32B ~23.8 GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB32 GB · 608 GB/s | Fits 75–106 tok/s | Fits 73–104 tok/s | Fits 41–58 tok/s | Fits up to 237 tok/s | Fits up to 284 tok/s | Fits 22–31 tok/s | Fits 18–26 tok/s |
| Intel Arc A770 16GB16 GB · 560 GB/s | Fits 69–98 tok/s | Fits 68–96 tok/s | Fits 38–53 tok/s | Tight up to 218 tok/s | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit |
| Intel Arc B58012 GB · 456 GB/s | Fits 56–80 tok/s | Fits 55–78 tok/s | Tight 31–43 tok/s | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit |
| Intel Arc B57010 GB · 380 GB/s | Fits 47–66 tok/s | Fits 46–65 tok/s | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit |
| Intel Arc A7508 GB · 512 GB/s | Fits 63–89 tok/s | Fits 62–88 tok/s | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit | Won’t fit |
Intel vs NVIDIA vs AMD at the same VRAM
| VRAM | Cheapest Intel | Cheapest NVIDIA | Cheapest AMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ GB | Intel Arc B57010 GB · 380 GB/s · $219 list | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · 360 GB/s · $329 list | Radeon RX 7600 XT16 GB · 288 GB/s · $329 list |
| 12+ GB | Intel Arc B58012 GB · 456 GB/s · $249 list | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · 360 GB/s · $329 list | Radeon RX 7600 XT16 GB · 288 GB/s · $329 list |
| 32+ GB | Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB32 GB · 608 GB/s · $949 list | GeForce RTX 509032 GB · 1792 GB/s · $1,999 list | None we track |
Before you buy Intel
- Start with Vulkan. LM Studio and Ollama work with just the GPU driver. Try llama.cpp's SYCL build (oneAPI) if you need faster prompt processing on long inputs.
- Keep drivers current. Arc performance in llama.cpp has improved a lot with newer drivers and builds; old benchmarks undersell the cards.
- Enable Resizable BAR. Intel recommends it for Arc cards; check your motherboard BIOS.
- Fine-tuning and CUDA-only tools mostly target NVIDIA. If you train models or use bleeding-edge inference kernels, see the best GPU guide.
- Power and fit: check board power and case size in the planner.
Quick answers
- What is the best Intel GPU for local LLMs?
- For the most models, the Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB: 32 GB of VRAM and 608 GB/s for $949 list, enough for 27B–32B-class models at Q4 (Qwen3.8-27B at an estimated 22–31 tok/s). The cheapest current GeForce with 32 GB is the GeForce RTX 5090 at $1,999 list. On a budget, the Intel Arc B580 (12 GB, $249 list) runs 8B–14B models.
- Do Intel Arc GPUs work for running LLMs?
- Yes. llama.cpp runs on Arc through its Vulkan backend (what LM Studio and Ollama use) and its SYCL backend (Intel's oneAPI path, which lists the Arc A770, A750 and B580 as verified devices). Intel's OpenVINO GenAI and vLLM's Intel GPU (XPU) backend are other options. Expect fewer tools and tutorials than for NVIDIA, and more sensitivity to driver versions.
- Should I use IPEX-LLM?
- Not for new setups. Intel archived the IPEX-LLM repository on January 28, 2026, so it no longer gets updates. Many 2024–2025 guides still point to it. Use llama.cpp (Vulkan or SYCL), LM Studio, Ollama or OpenVINO instead.
- Is the Arc B580 good for local LLMs?
- For the price, yes: 12 GB and 456 GB/s for $249 list, enough for 8B models with room for context (Qwen3-8B at an estimated 55–78 tok/s at Q4). 14B models fit at Q4 too, but only with a short context. The cheapest 12 GB GeForce we track is the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB at $329 list.
- Is a used Arc A770 16GB worth it?
- It has 16 GB and 560 GB/s, more than the B580, so it fits 14B models with more context. It's discontinued (launch MSRP was $349), so you'll be buying used. The older Alchemist chip idles at higher power and gets less tuning in llama.cpp than Battlemage. New, the cheapest 16 GB GeForce we track is the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at $429 list.
- Intel, AMD or NVIDIA for local AI?
- Intel and AMD give more VRAM per dollar; NVIDIA has the widest software support (CUDA, FlashAttention, most fine-tuning tools). For chat and coding in llama.cpp-based apps, all three work. Intel's 32 GB Arc Pro B70 is one of the cheapest ways to get 32 GB on a single new card. See NVIDIA vs AMD vs Mac and the best AMD GPU guide.
Buying guides · Best GPU (all brands) · Best AMD GPU · Best used GPU · Best GPU by budget · Tokens per second