News about Intel potentially leaving the discrete GPU market behind seems to be fizzling out as more compelling proof of their forthcoming Arc Celestial “Xe3” and the more advanced Battlemage “G31” chips have surfaced online.
Intel has recently showcased its upcoming Battlemage B-Series, which includes the Arc B580 and Arc B570 graphics cards aimed at the mainstream market segment. With a price point below $250, these GPUs are set to take on both current and future offerings from AMD and NVIDIA head-on.
The first wave of Intel’s Arc Battlemage GPUs is being positioned towards the gaming community, a strategy that aligns with AMD’s roadmap for its forthcoming RDNA 4 “Radeon RX 8000” series. However, there might be an unexpected twist waiting from Intel’s side.
In the shipping logs at NBD.ltd, there’s been another sighting of the Intel BMG-G31 SoC. This suggests that a higher-end model of the B-Series graphics card could be released shortly. The Arc B580 and B570 use the BMG-G21 SoCs, whereas the G31 is expected to feature more Xe2 cores and will likely be part of the B770 SKU lineup. Intel’s Tom Petersen let slip a hint about a more potent Arc B-series card during an interview, which might involve this very chip.
On the Celestial, or Xe3, front, we’re seeing mentions of several “Panther Falls” GPUs—Intel’s internal label for these upcoming graphics cards. This indicates different models under the Arc family, as spotted by @Haze2K1. Intel has wrapped up its work on the Celestial technology, and the team is now accelerating towards Druid “Xe4” development.
The shipping manifest includes numerous Qualification Samples, which feature everything from PCBs to complete boards. Alongside, Tomasz Gawronski has found an Intel Arc Celestial discrete GPU, likely a model with 128 EUs or 16 Xe3 cores. Panther Lake CPUs from Intel will pack up to 12 Xe3 cores, suggesting this discovery is an entry-level discrete variant.
All in all, these revelations should dismiss any recent whispers about the possible halt of Arc development. With the release of their 2nd Gen Arc products and ongoing hints at higher-spec models in the Battlemage GPU lineup, it’s clear that Intel remains committed to its discrete GPU ambitions. We may hear more from Intel about their plans during CES 2025, where models like the B580 and B570 will firmly establish Intel as a strong player in the mainstream GPU arena.
