Recent murmurs about Intel ditching the discrete GPU scene are beginning to quiet down as new evidence of their upcoming Arc Celestial "Xe3" and high-performance Battlemage "G31" chips surfaces online.
Intel’s Strong Commitment to Xe3 & Xe4 GPUs Showcased by Early Peeks at Arc Celestial "Xe3" & Battlemage "G31" Discrete Graphics Cards
Intel recently lifted the veil on its next Battlemage B-Series, introducing the Arc B580 and Arc B570 graphics cards. These are tailored for the budget-conscious gamer, priced under $250, and designed to go toe-to-toe with current and future AMD and NVIDIA offerings.
The strategy is simple: win over the gaming crowd with the Arc Battlemage first. This aligns with AMD’s approach, as they’re gearing up for the RDNA 4 "Radeon RX 8000" release. However, Intel seems to have an ace up its sleeve.
A significant shipment from Malaysia, believed to be the Battlemage G31, popped up in shipping documents on NBD.ltd. This development hints at the possibility of a more powerful B-Series GPU in the works for the coming months.
The Arc B580 and B570 models feature BMG-G21 SoCs, while the G31 SoC, rumored to power SKUs like the B770, will utilize more Xe2 cores. Intel’s Tom Petersen has previously dropped hints about a beefier Arc B-series graphics card, suggesting that this G31 chip could be a key player in those products.
Switching gears to Intel’s Celestial or Xe3 discrete line, shipping logs are now showing various "Panther Falls" GPUs, Intel’s internal code for Celestial SKUs. Notable industry insider @Haze2K1 confirmed spotting several from the Arc series. Intel appears to have completed work on the Celestial range, while their engineers are now accelerating towards crafting the Druid "Xe4" series.
With more QS (Qualification Samples) in the form of PCBs and complete boards being sighted, another Arc Celestial discrete GPU appeared in Tomasz Gawronski’s findings. This model looks to include 128 EU or 16 Xe3 cores. Given that Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs will house Arc Xe3 GPUs with up to 12 cores, this chip could cater to entry-level users.
All these developments strongly counter the rumors of Intel canceling the Arc line. With the recent release of their 2nd Gen Arc products and clear indications of ongoing development for future generations—and even potential high-end launches within the Battlemage family—Intel is gearing up for exciting times. Expect the company to spill more details at CES 2025, as GPUs like the B580 and B570 are set to solidify Intel’s position as a formidable competitor in the mainstream sector.
Intel ARC Gaming GPU Lineup Overview
| GPU Family | Intel Xe-HPG | Intel Xe-HPG | Intel Xe2-HPG | Intel Xe3-HPG | Intel Xe Next | Intel Xe Next Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU Products | ARC Alchemist GPUs | ARC Alchemist+ GPUs | ARC Battlemage GPUs | ARC Celestial GPUs | ARC Druid GPUs | ARC E*** GPUs |
| GPU Segment | Mainstream Gaming (Discrete) | Mainstream Gaming (Discrete) | Mainstream / High-End Gaming (Discrete) | Mainstream / High-End Gaming (Discrete) | Mainstream / High-End Gaming (Discrete) | Mainstream / High-End Gaming (Discrete) |
| GPU Gen | Gen 12 | Gen 12 | Gen 13? | Gen 14? | Gen 15? | Gen 16? |
| CPU iGPU | Xe-LPG (Meteor Lake) | Xe-LPG+ (Arrow Lake) | Xe2-LPG (Lunar Lake) | Xe3-LPG (Panther Lake) | TBA | TBA |
| Process Node | TSMC 6nm | TSMC 6nm | TSMC 4nm? (3nm Lunar Lake Tile) | TSMC 3nm? | TBA | TBA |
| Specs / Design | 512 EUs / 1 Tile / 1 GPU | 512 EUs / 1 Tile / 1 GPU | 1024 EUs / 1 Tile / 1 GPU | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Memory Subsystem | GDDR6 | GDDR6 | GDDR6(X)? | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Launch | 2022 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025? | 2026? | 2026+ |
In summary, Intel is not stepping back but rather stepping up its game in the discrete GPU battle, showing off new and exciting hardware that will appeal to different sectors of the gaming community. Keep an eye on their updates, as they look to be a key player in upcoming graphics card innovations.
