An Intel gaming GPU? It may sound like blasphemy, but the new Arc line of chips proves otherwise. In fact, we’re seriously impressed with Intel’s gaming graphics cards, calling them “the right GPU at the right time” with their excellent 1440p performance, competitive ray tracing, and relatively reasonable price. They even – dare we say – work quite well with AMD Ryzen processors.
But there’s a little catch: you’ll need to make sure the resizable bar is enabled if you want to get the best performance. In fact, Intel has bluntly stated that Arc GPUs must use Resizable BAR (which Intel shortens to ReBAR) for proper game optimization. If you’re a new Arc GPU owner, here’s how to use ReBAR.
What is the resizable bar?
Resizable BAR means resizable base address registers. This is an optimization technology that allows processors to access the VRAM memory of graphics cards more efficiently. This in turn leads to performance improvements for certain types of games, as it reduces CPU bottlenecks. It’s available as a resizable bar on the latest Nvidia cards, as Smart Access Memory for newer AMD GPUs, and now as a ReBAR for Intel’s Arc line.
We have a more comprehensive guide on what ReBAR is and how it actually works, but the bottom line is that it can make certain games, especially memory-intensive games, run better on your rig. This can be especially noticeable on loading screens, when changing scenes, and in similar situations.
Along with Intel’s suggested use of ReBAR, our reviewers of the Arc boards also found enough performance improvements to consider the setting essential.
How to Enable ReBAR on Intel Arc GPUs
Step 1: Verify that you have a supported processor. Only certain processors can actually use the Resizable BAR features. The good news is that many chips from recent years are compatible with it. This includes most 10th Gen or newer Intel chips, as well as most Ryzen 3000 (excluding 3000G), 5000, and 7000 chips. Check compatibility for your specific processor if you’re unsure .
Note that motherboards will need a PCI Express 3.0 or newer x16 slot for ReBAR. This isn’t much of a problem if you already have a compatible CPU, but you might want to check your connections if you have a particularly unique setup.
2nd step: If you haven’t already, install the Intel Arc GPU and download the necessary drivers. Intel’s control software may give you notifications about resizable bar support at this time, which can be a helpful confirmation of your status. Once you are sure that the GPU is working properly, restart your PC and press the button Wipe off at startup to enter BIOS/UEFI.
The Wipe off key will usually take you to UEFI, but sometimes it’s the Esc key or function key like F1. Check your PC model if nothing seems to work. Windows 10 and 11 also have a Advanced start option in Update and security which you can use to boot directly into UEFI if needed.
Step 3: Note that you need to be in the UEFI version of your settings, not the BIOS emulation modes. This means that you may need to disable settings such as CSM (Compatibility Support Module) or Legacy Mode. Anything that makes UEFI look like old BIOS settings should be disabled. You may also need to enable a UEFI boot mode if it is not already enabled. Do it now if necessary.
Step 4: This is where things start to vary a lot depending on what components you are using. Different system manufacturers will use different wordings for the same thing and bury options in different menus. This may mean researching or checking your motherboard manual. Ultimately, however, you are looking for these two important parameters:
First, turn on Above 4G decoding if available. You should see an option to Enableenable or switch to Auto mode, one of which should do. If you don’t see an option for decoding above 4G, continue to the next step. If you do, enable it, reboot, and return to UEFI before continuing.
Step 5: Now look for a parameter called Resize bar support. It could also be called Intelligent access memory on Ryzen machines, or sometimes Intelligent access memory. Activate it. Our example shows what it looks like on an Asus motherboard, but yours may be different depending on your motherboard and UEFI version.
Step 6: Now reboot from UEFI. If you open the Intel Arc Control app, it will usually confirm that ReBAR is working, and you shouldn’t need to adjust any additional settings this time. In Control parametersyou can go to System Information and look General informations to confirm that the resizable bar is supported and enabled. Just make sure your ARC GPU is getting all available updates and keep playing!
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