The Intel Arc Xe2 Battlemage gaming GPU lineup is expected to launch sometime in Q4 2024 and is now rumored to use TSMC’s N4 process. A new report from DigiTimes states that Intel has opted for the N4 node with its flagship GPU. While the first generation of Intel Arc dGPUs primarily targeted the budget-friendly graphics card segment the Intel Arc Xe2 Battlemage discreet graphics card series has long been rumored to compete favorably with current-gen top-tier offerings from AMD and NVIDIA.
The N4 node should provide improvements with its increased transistor count and lower power needs compared to that of the N6 node used with current Intel Arc GPUs. The Alchemist GPUs debuted with the N6 node and as driver support matured it regularly saw significant performance increases, it was largely constrained by its GPU limitations. It has been reported that N4 will allow Intel to double its Xe cores for the flagship offering further increasing its performance potential. According to rumors, Battlemage could potentially launch before Black Friday 2024.
From Alchemist to Celestial
Battlemage has already begun to appear on Intel’s Lunar Lake package, which we have details from Computex 2024 here. Even though at least one Battlemage dGPU is said to use TSMC’s N4 process, TechPowerUp reports that Intel’s Core Ultra 200V Lunar Lake processor utilizes TSMC’s N3 process. It’s still too early to tell, but this more advanced process might be used for Battlemage’s successor, the Intel Arc Celestial series.
Regardless, Q4 2024, and possibly Q1 2025, is looking to be an exciting time for new graphics card launches as Intel and NVIDIA are expected to reveal their new lineups in that timeframe. If Battlemage is indeed as powerful as being hinted at, then AMD could find itself in a tough fight for the mid-to-high-end segment with its RNDA 4 GPU. This is due to one rumor claiming Team Red is not planning to aim too high with its next-gen which, if true, would place it in near direct competition with Battlemage.