Rumors about Intel stepping away from the discrete GPU market are starting to vanish as fresh evidence of the upcoming Arc Celestial "Xe3" and higher-tier Battlemage "G31" chips has surfaced online.
Intel’s Commitment to Xe3 & Xe4 GPU Development Unveiled with First Looks at Arc Celestial "Xe3" & Battlemage "G31" Discrete GPUs
Intel has recently introduced the new Battlemage B-Series, spotlighting the Arc B580 and Arc B570 graphics cards. Targeting the mainstream market with a price point under $250, these graphics cards are set to rival current and future solutions from AMD and NVIDIA.
Intel is focusing on attracting a wide range of gamers with its Arc Battlemage series, much like AMD intends to do with their upcoming RDNA 4 "Radeon RX 8000" lineup. However, Intel might have a few surprises to unveil.
As recent updates from shipping manifests at NBD.ltd indicate, the Intel BMG-G31 SoC has been spotted again, hinting at potential availability of a more robust B-Series graphics card soon.
The Arc B580 and B570 GPUs are equipped with BMG-G21 SoCs, while the G31 SoC reportedly contains more Xe2 cores and might power models like the B770. Intel’s Tom Petersen has mentioned the possibility of a more powerful Arc B-series GPU, which suggests this chip might be used in those future discrete graphics products.
Moving on to Intel’s Celestial or Xe3 discrete offerings, various "Panther Falls" GPUs have appeared on shipping manifests—"Panther Falls" being an internal codename for Celestial SKUs, all part of the Arc lineup. These updates signal that work on Celestial is essentially done, with engineers now directing their efforts toward the Druid "Xe4" products.
The shipping lists also show various qualification samples, including PCBs and complete boards. A fresh sighting by Tomasz Gawronski of an Intel Arc Celestial discrete GPU suggests it might be a 128 EU or 16 Xe3 model. Given that Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake CPUs will host Arc Xe3 GPUs with up to 12 Xe3 cores, this could represent a beginner-level discrete option.
In my view, these developments decisively debunk recent whispers of Arc’s discontinuation. Intel has just rolled out its second-gen Arc products and is clearly forging ahead with both next-gen and future-gen offerings while hinting at potential high-end releases within the Battlemage GPU line. Stay tuned for more updates from Intel, likely at CES 2025, with GPUs like the B580 and B570 setting the stage for Intel as a formidable competitor in the mainstream market.
Intel ARC Gaming GPU Lineup
Intel’s gaming lineup stretches across various levels, from mainstream to high-end, covering different generations and using leading-edge process nodes. The range of products includes:
- GPU Family: From Intel Xe-HPG to Xe Next Next
- GPU Products: Covering ARC Alchemist, Battlemage, Celestial, Druid, and beyond
- Segment: Focusing on mainstream and high-end gaming
- Generations: Spanning Gen 12 through potential Gen 16
- Process Nodes: From TSMC 6nm to speculative future nodes
- Specification Highlights: Details such as 512 EUs per tile and GDDR6 memory
Watch this space as Intel continues to evolve its discrete GPU capabilities and market presence.
