Intel Continues to Invest in Desktop GPUs; New Battlemage Models Spotted in Shipping Records

Intel is showing no signs of slowing down in its quest to become a major player in the discrete GPU space. Recent shipping manifests have hinted at new developments in their Battlemage lineup alongside an enigmatic product that’s catching attention in the industry circles.

Intel’s Revival of the Battlemage "BMG-G31" Variant: A Push Toward AI and Professional Tasks?

Last year, Intel caught us off guard by unveiling two Battlemage GPUs, the Arc B580 and B570. Their emergence was met with considerable buzz, particularly as NVIDIA and AMD hadn’t yet launched their own next-gen solutions. Fast forward to the tail end of Q2, and Intel has been rather tight-lipped about any forthcoming plans for their desktop GPUs. This silence had many believing that Intel, or Team Blue as they’re known, might be stepping back from the race. But fresh insights from shipping manifests are shaking up that assumption.

Over on Twitter, a post has been attracting attention Haze tweeted, sparking curiosity across the tech community.

Interestingly, these manifests have shed light on the "BMG-G31." This chip seems more advanced than existing Battlemage SKUs. It’s anticipated to integrate features like 24-32 Xe2 cores, a 256-bit memory bus, and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. However, rumors about the cancellation of BMG-G31 have been making rounds on the internet, suggesting Intel might not bring this to the consumer market. More so, the labeling of BMG-G31 for "R&D purposes" hints strongly at a focus on AI and professional workloads rather than consumer gaming.

Image Credits: @GawroskiT

Adding to the intrigue, another manifest references a puzzling variant named BMG "C32." Its name is a bit of a head-scratcher since it mixes Battlemage and Celestial initials. However, it’s suggested that this too belongs within the Battlemage series and is possibly a "reworked" version of the "BMG-G31," as noted by tech enthusiast @mikdt. This points to Intel exploring several Battlemage models, though it remains to be seen if these are aimed at the desktop arena.

It’s going to be fascinating watching Intel’s strategy unfold regarding their discrete GPU line, especially with the ongoing development around the Xe3 "Celestial" architecture set to enhance Panther Lake SoCs. Under the guidance of Intel’s new CEO, the company’s focus has veered towards AI, leading to speculations that the next GPUs might primarily cater to AI-optimized environments.