Intel's New Arc Battlemage Gaming GPUs Could Launch as Early as Next Month

Reports have indicated that Intel intends to release its second generation of desktop graphics cards by late 2024, with no signs of major delays. While information on specs, performance, and pricing is still limited, these new GPUs might launch weeks before AMD and Nvidia's next offerings. Could this mark Intel's final push into the desktop GPU market before they pull back once more?

Trusted leaker Golden Pig Upgrade recently revealed that Intel’s upcoming Arc battlemage desktop graphics cards will launch in December. Some is revealed about the company’s deliberated market segment, but the tipster described Battlemage’s performance as “wonderful”.

Battlemage will succeed Arc Alchemist, Intel’s first desiccated GPU series, which launched in 2022. The most powerful Alchemist model, the Arc A770, was almost comparable to Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3060, so Battlemage is likely to focus on mid-range and entry-level cards.Earlier reports revealed three Battlemage GPUs: the BMG-G10, BMG-21, and BMG-31. The BMG-G10, the most powerful of the trio, is not expected to be released for consumer use, indicating that Intel is not targeting the enthusiast market currently dominated by GPUs like the RTX 4090 or the upcoming RTX 5090.

Meanwhile, the BMG-31 seems to be an entry-level or mobile-oriented GPU, sporting the same number of Xe graphics cores as the A770. In September, an unknown Battlemage card powered by the BMG-G21 chip, featuring 12GB of VRAM and a 2,850 MHz boost clock, an unprecedented speed for any graphics card was spotted on Geekbench.

A mainstream-focused planning would mirror AMd’s plans for its upcoming RDNA 4 lineup, likely branded as the Radeon RX 8000 series.

AMD's next-generation GPUs are also not expected to rival Nvidia's upcoming flagship RTX 5090, which is rumored to come with 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM and a 600W TDP. Both GPU lineups are expected to be unveiled at CES 2025 in late January, with launches planned for the first quarter of the year.     

Earlier reports on Battlemage suggested that Intel planned to start shipping the cards before Black Friday in late November. While the company may miss that target by a small margin, a December release would still tap into holiday shopping momentum, giving Intel a much-needed advantage over AMD and Nvidia.

Alchemist faced significant shipping delays in 2022, which left it trailing behind competitors in terms of performance. These delays, along with initial driver issues (now largely resolved), hindered Intel's GPU market share, which has since dwindled almost to nothing.

Recently, CEO Pat Gelsinger stated that Intel would scale back its investment in discrete graphics due to declining demand, hinting that the next generation of Intel GPUs, Arc Celestial, could be downsized or even canceled.