There’s been a lot of chatter about Intel possibly stepping away from the discrete GPU scene, but those whispers are starting to die out. Recently, we’ve seen some more concrete evidence about Intel’s upcoming Arc Celestial "Xe3" and the higher-tier Battlemage "G31" chips surfacing online.
In their latest announcement, Intel rolled out its new Battlemage B-Series, showcasing the Arc B580 and Arc B570 graphics cards. Priced under $250, these cards are intended for the mainstream market and will be going head-to-head with the current and future offerings from AMD and NVIDIA.
Intel’s strategy to capture the gaming community with the Arc Battlemage lineup parallels AMD’s plan with its soon-to-launch RDNA 4 "Radeon RX 8000" series. However, Intel seems to have an ace up its sleeve, which might catch everyone off guard.
In a tweet by Tomasz Gawroński, a significant shipment of Battlemage G31 units was noted. These are reportedly coming in from Malaysia, hinting that a more powerful B-Series graphics card might be coming our way soon.
The Arc B580 and B570 GPUs use BMG-G21 SoCs, but the G31 SoC allegedly features more Xe2 cores and might power future models like the B770. Intel’s Tom Petersen has alluded to a more robust Arc B-series card potentially coming later, hinting that the G31 chip could be its backbone.
When it comes to Intel’s Celestial or Xe3 discrete products, several "Panther Falls" GPUs—which are internally named for Celestial SKUs—have been listed by shipping outlets, as pointed out by @Haze2K1. Intel has officially wrapped up work on its Celestial project and is already full steam ahead on Druid "Xe4".
Given these sightings and confirmations, it seems unlikely that Intel is pulling the plug on its Arc lineup. The company is gearing up for its second wave of Arc releases and teasing new, more powerful options within the Battlemage series. It’s safe to say we can expect Intel to further outline its discrete GPU trajectory at CES 2025. Meanwhile, the B580 and B570 are set to establish Intel as a formidable player in the mainstream market.
Here’s how Intel’s GPU lineup stacks up at the moment:
- Intel Xe-HPG (Gen 12): Includes ARC Alchemist GPUs, targeting mainstream gaming with discrete graphics.
- Intel Xe2-HPG (Gen 13?): Encompasses ARC Battlemage GPUs, moving towards high-end gaming.
- Intel Xe3-HPG (Gen 14?): Showcases the upcoming ARC Celestial line, expected for release in 2025.
- Future Generations: There’s already buzz about Gen 15 and Gen 16, anticipating high-end discrete gaming solutions.
This roadmap not only highlights Intel’s commitment to staying in the game but also promises exciting times ahead for gamers watching the GPU space closely.
