The next generation of Intel GPU, named Intel Battlemage, would be made by TSMC on a 4nm process and is expected to release in 2024.
A year ago, Intel announced its first graphics cards in the Intel Arc series. It named that series as Intel Arc Alchemist. While originally it was announced in March, it was released only in October with mediocre reviews.
Most reviewers found that these cards, which include Intel Arc A770, A750 and A380, performed poorly compared to the graphics cards by Nvidia and AMD. They also mentioned how these cards were released a couple or more years later than they should have been. Another thing which was found was that these cards had a lot of problems in running games released years ago.
What Intel did, however, is to massively upgrade its drivers to improve the performance of these graphics cards. Not only that, due to lack of sufficient sales, Intel has also cut the prices of these cards multiple times.
Since then, Intel’s graphics division has seen a lot of changes. This includes structural changes in the leadership department.
There were rumors that Intel might cancel its Arc graphics cards altogether. But thanks to some rational people in Intel, that was not done. Now, more information is coming about the next-generation of Intel Arc graphics cards.
Intel Battlemage Graphics Cards
Taiwan based publication Commercial Times has reported (translation) that Intel’s next-gen Arc Battlemage graphics cards (Xe2-HPG) are going to be made by world’s largest semiconductor maker TSMC. It mentions that while Intel does make its own advanced chips, it is sticking with TSMC to produce the chips for its graphics cards.
While Intel Arc Alchemist was made on a 6nm process by TSMC, Intel’s Arc Battlemage will be made on a 4nm process by them.
The article mentions that the production of these cards are going according to the originally intended speed and Intel’s second-generation, that is Battlemage cards, are all set to start production in first half of 2024. The release of the Intel Arc Battlemage graphics cards is expected to start in the second half of the same year, in 2024.
Intel Celestial Graphics Cards
The above article also talked about the third generation of Intel Arc graphics cards. Named Intel Arc Celestial (Xe3-HPG), it is expected to release in the second half of 2026.
It mentions that Intel Arc Celestial graphics cards will be based on a TSMC’s 3nm N3X process. TSMC will start its production in first half of 2026 and the release is going to happen in the second half of the same year, in 2026.
Conclusion
There’s one thing for sure. More competition is required in the consumer gaming graphics cards. With Intel entering the scene made us all hopeful that the Nvidia and AMD monopoly would be challenged. But Intel Arc Alchemist, while priced competitively now, has been a disappointment.
Here’s hoping that Intel could do better with its next-generation of graphics cards.
These intended timelines could always have delays, though. Intel is known to do that.
