Intel Remains Committed to Desktop GPUs as New Battlemage Models Appear in Shipping Manifests

Intel is back in the spotlight, hinting at big moves in the discrete GPU arena. Recent leaks from shipping documents have spotlighted development on the upcoming Battlemage and a rather enigmatic SKU, reinforcing Intel’s commitment to this competitive market.

After turning heads last year with the introduction of Battlemage GPUs, specifically the Arc B580 and B570, Intel seemed poised to challenge the giants, NVIDIA and AMD, who hadn’t yet launched their latest offerings. With the second quarter wrapping up, the absence of new updates from Intel sparked rumors that they might be cooling off desktop GPU pursuits. But, newly surfaced shipping manifests suggest otherwise.

Twitter doesn’t miss a beat, and a recent tweet from user @Haze2K1 has started stirring discussions. While cryptic, these manifests have unveiled the “BMG-G31,” a design featuring more advanced silicon than current Battlemage models. There’s talk of it packing hefty specifications, boasting 24-32 Xe2 cores, a 256-bit memory bus, and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. Yet, whispers of its cancellation have circulated, with insights suggesting that it’s geared more toward AI and professional tasks, not the average consumer market.

Shipping details also hint at another intriguing variant, the BMG “C32.” At first glance, its naming is perplexing, blending Battlemage with Celestial references. However, insider @mikdt proposes this as an iteration of the “BMG-G31,” indicating Intel’s busy schedule crafting several Battlemage versions. The burning question remains: are these destined for retail shelves or more specialized applications?

Intel’s strategy will be fascinating to watch as it evolves its discrete GPU series, particularly with the development of the Xe3 “Celestial” architecture, a next step for Panther Lake SoCs. Under new leadership, Intel’s focus appears to be shifting towards AI-driven innovation. It seems likely that Team Blue will channel efforts into GPUs optimized for AI tasks, aligning with the industry trend.