Intel Arc Celestial “Xe3” and Battlemage “G31” GPUs Revealed as Blue Team Commits to Discrete Graphics Market

Intel’s presumed departure from the discrete GPU scene seems to be losing traction, as more credible evidence of their next-gen offerings has surfaced online, namely the Arc Celestial “Xe3” and the high-end Battlemage "G31" chips.

Intel’s Continued Commitment to Xe3 & Xe4 Development Amidst New Arc Celestial and Battlemage GPU Revelations

Intel recently rolled out their next-gen Battlemage B-Series, introducing the Arc B580 and Arc B570 cards aimed squarely at the mainstream market with a price point under $250. These entrants are set to vie with AMD and NVIDIA’s current and upcoming products in the same segment. With the Arc Battlemage lineup, Intel is focusing on broad-spectrum gamers, a path AMD is also pursuing with their soon-to-debut RDNA 4 “Radeon RX 8000” series. Yet, Intel might just have a trick or two up its sleeve.

A keen observer in Malaysia, Tomasz Gawroński, has shared intriguing updates that hint at substantial non-R&D shipments of Battlemage G31 models. The persistent sightings of the Intel BMG-G31 SoC in shipping logs further indicate that more powerful B-Series graphics cards might not be too far off.

The new Arc B580 and B570 graphics cards boast BMG-G21 SoCs, but the forthcoming G31 SoC should pack even more Xe2 cores, potentially powering devices like the B770. Intel’s own Tom Petersen suggested, albeit indirectly, the possibility of more powerful additions to the Arc B-series, likely incorporating this evolving chip architecture.

Meanwhile, Intel’s Celestial, or Xe3 discrete GPU offerings, are coming into sharper focus. Shipping documentation reveals multiple “Panther Falls” SKUs, an internal moniker used within Intel for Celestial products. All mentioned products are part of the Arc family, confirming Intel’s advancement towards Druid “Xe4” development having wrapped up its Celestial endeavors.

Intel’s growth plans extend beyond just Battlemage and Celestial. The sighting of another Arc Celestial GPU by Tomasz Gawroński, possibly a 128 EU or 16 Xe3 unit, hints at entry-level discrete options aligning with Panther Lake CPUs, which are expected to feature up to 12 Xe3 cores.

These insights pretty much counteract the buzz around Intel abandoning its Arc project. With the launch of their 2nd Gen Arc products and active efforts towards future releases, including what might be higher-performance Battlemage GPUs, Intel is certainly keeping its cards close. As we edge closer to CES 2025, more revelations from Intel about their discrete GPU strategies seem imminent, likely reinforcing their competitive stance in the mainstream sector with the B580 and B570 models making significant inroads.

Intel ARC Gaming GPU Lineup Overview

Here’s a breakdown of where Intel’s lineup stands:

With the landscape of discrete GPUs continuing to evolve rapidly, Intel is making strides to secure its foothold and provide the gaming industry with competitive options.