A new review examines the performance of Intel's Arc B390 graphics in the Panther Lake Core Ultra X7 358H processor under Linux. Initial tests revealed challenges with default settings, but adjustments yielded competitive results against prior generations. The Xe3-based GPU supports advanced display features and benefits from recent Linux kernel and Mesa updates.
Intel's latest Panther Lake processors integrate the Arc B390 graphics, featuring 12 Xe cores and a maximum frequency of 2.5GHz. This GPU supports eDP 1.5, DisplayPort 2.1, and HDMI 2.1 outputs, enabling resolutions up to 8K at 60Hz across four displays. The review, conducted on an MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ laptop with the Core Ultra X7 358H, highlights the Xe3 architecture's potential on Linux.
Testing utilized Linux 6.19 and the development version of Mesa 26.0, where OpenGL and Vulkan acceleration functioned properly. Support requires Linux 6.18 or later with Mesa 25.3 or newer, though the latest versions are recommended for optimal performance. A recent linux-firmware package is essential for the Intel GuC firmware. On this MSI model, WiFi and audio operate correctly under Linux 6.19.
Early benchmarks showed limited improvements over the Lunar Lake's Xe2 graphics, prompting investigation into power settings. The laptop's default balanced mode caps power at 15W minimum and 30W maximum, lower than Intel's recommendations and differing from Windows by up to 15W in PL1 state. This configuration, unusual for an Intel Evo-certified device, hindered out-of-the-box performance.
To address this, tests switched to performance mode, applied a Thermald workaround, and enabled Intel's Low Power Mode Daemon (LPMD). These changes revealed competitive Xe3 performance compared to balanced modes on other systems.
Comparisons included the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 in an ASUS Zenbook S16, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Lunar Lake in a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G13, and Core Ultra 7 155H Meteor Lake in an Acer Swift 14. A performance-optimized run on the MSI Prestige 14 aligned results more closely with peers. No data from AMD's Ryzen AI Max Strix Halo was available due to hardware constraints.
The review notes that early adopters of Panther Lake laptops, particularly the MSI model, may encounter suboptimal default performance and advises checking power profiles for better results.
