In a recent announcement, Intel has reaffirmed its plans to launch the next generation of Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" discrete GPUs in 2024. These highly anticipated graphics cards are set to cater to the demanding needs of both gaming enthusiasts and professional users.

Intel made its entry into the discrete GPU market more than a year ago with the release of the Arc series based on the Xe "Alchemist" core architecture. Starting with the Arc A380, Intel gradually introduced higher-tier products such as the A770, A750, and the recently launched A750. Throughout this period, the company has been actively addressing performance issues and bugs associated with the architecture, drivers, and software ecosystem, thereby improving user experience.

Expanding the capabilities of its Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" CPUs, Intel has also integrated the Arc Xe "Alchemist" architecture as an iGPU, allowing for competitive performance against AMD's RDNA 3 iGPUs. The company is committed to further refining this solution through driver updates over time. However, in 2024, Intel plans to take a significant leap forward with the introduction of the Xe2 "Battlemage" architecture.

During a recent Client PC roadmap presentation at a launch event in Japan, Intel revealed its plans for the future of its discrete GPU lineup. The roadmap highlights the release of the Xe2 "Battlemage" discrete GPUs, set to be featured in the next iteration of the Arc Gaming & Pro lineup for desktop and mobility PCs.

Intel's roadmap for 2023 and beyond indicates a clear emphasis on discrete GPU solutions, with the Pro A60, A60M, and A580 being listed as the latest additions to the Arc portfolio. Notably, the roadmap does not include the Alchemist Arc iGPU for Core Ultra GPUs, as it falls under a different category as a non-discrete graphics chip.

Raja Koduri, Intel's Senior Vice President, introduced a distinct terminology for Intel's iGPUs, referring to the GPU tile as tGPU or Tiled GPU. The Xe architecture serves as the first generation of this tiled GPU solution. Looking ahead to 2024, Intel plans to introduce an updated version of the Arc Xe "Alchemist" iGPU, known as Xe-LPG+, within the 2nd Generation Core Ultra lineup codenamed Arrow Lake, which is expected to launch in the second half of 2024. Furthermore, Intel is slated to release Xe2 Battlemage for its Lunar Lake platform, followed by Xe3 Celestial for future client chips.

Moving back to discrete graphics, the recently unveiled roadmap strongly confirms the arrival of the Battlemage Xe2 GPUs in 2024. This highly anticipated release is expected to offer various exciting features, including Intel's first frame-generation technology support, such as ExtraSS. Intel has also demonstrated its commitment to providing a robust software platform by increasing support for next-gen GPUs within the Xe Kernel drivers for Linux 6.8.

Based on previous reports, the Battlemage GPUs have addressed architectural choices that were deemed unnecessary for the Alchemist series. The initial BMG-G10 GPUs (Xe2-HPG) have already been spotted in labs, indicating progress in their development. If all goes well, Intel is likely to share more information about the Battlemage GPUs in the coming months or perhaps even during their forthcoming CES 2024 keynote.

With the launch of the next-gen Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" discrete GPUs in 2024, Intel aims to further solidify its position in the competitive discrete graphics market, delivering innovative technologies and enhanced performance for both gamers and professional users alike.