According to a new podcast, Intel is not backing down in the discreet GPU sector and its next Xe3 architecture is moving along. It could easily be understood how some might have doubts regarding the future of Intel given its numerous challenges, and changes in recent times, in particular with its CPU division, but Intel Fellow Tom Petersen has been making rounds speaking about the chip manufacturer’s current, and future graphics cards while also reassuring that Intel is not backing out of the dGPU market. During a new podcast with The Full Nerd, some details regarding the successor to Battlemage were shared.
The Special Edition: Battlemage Deep Dive episode may have primarily focused on the just announced Xe2-based architecture Arc B-series launch, B570 at $219 and B580 at $249, but there’s already interest in what will come after. Tom leads into Intel’s future plans while discussing the configuration choices made for its graphics cards such as the B580 featuring 12 GB of VRAM on a 192-bit bus and then the B570 with its 160-bit 10 GB memory. He explains that Intel’s engineers chose these configurations based on the needs for gaming at 1440p but also that their engineers are not just looking at what to do next, but far after.
Per Tom Petersen (transcription via YouTube):
- “Well, the way the way I look at it is, you know, our architects are way ahead of us and they are already working on not the next thing, but the next thing after the next thing.”
At this point, Petersen gets asked if he’s referring to Celestial and Druid, Battlemage’s successors, and this is where the current state of the Xe3 architecture comes into the picture. The hardware side of Xe3 is essentially done and now Intel’s software teams are at work with the next development phase while their hardware teams have already begun working on what comes after Celestial which is the Xe4-based architecture, Druid.
- “Xe3, which is the one after Xe2 that’s pretty much baked, right? And so the software teams have a lot of work to do on Xe3.”
- “The hardware teams are off on to the next thing, right? That they they are. That’s our cadence that we need to keep going.”
Celestial Druid
Tom discusses at great length the processes Intel has committed to in developing its Arc Graphics dGPU cards and also repeatedly shares its aim, for now, to focus on budget gaming products. However, it has been reported (via VideoCardz) that as its processes mature, in particular with Celestial Druid, that series will compete in the “Ultra Enthusiast” segment. Meanwhile, Intel’s Limited Edition Arc B580 graphics cards, and custom AIB versions, which are poised to battle it out with NVIDIA’s and AMD’s budget cards will first launch on December 13. Custom B570 cards will launch later in January in order to give Intel’s partners additional time to fill supply channels, according to Petersen.
Per Intel (via Battlemage launch announcement):
“About Availability: The Intel Arc B580 Limited Edition graphics card and models from add-in board partners Acer, ASRock, GUNNIR, ONIX Technology, MAXSUN and Sparkle will be available starting Dec. 13 from $249.”
“Intel Arc B570 graphics cards from the same add-in board partners will be available starting Jan. 16, 2025, from $219.”