Intel Continues to Invest in Desktop GPUs: New Battlemage Models Appear in Shipping Records

Intel’s resolve to gain a foothold in the discrete GPU market shows no signs of wavering, as recent shipping manifests have disclosed ongoing development on their Battlemage lineup and an intriguing new SKU that has piqued interest.

Last year, Intel caught many off-guard by unveiling two Battlemage GPUs: the Arc B580 and B570. These GPUs grabbed significant attention, mainly because NVIDIA and AMD hadn’t yet released their next-gen solutions. Fast forward to the end of the second quarter, and Intel has remained mum on its plans for the desktop GPU arena, leading some to speculate that they might have lost interest. But the latest shipping manifests tell a different story.

These shipping documents have introduced us to the “BMG-G31,” an advanced silicon compared to current Battlemage models. Rumor has it that a version of this die boasts between 24 to 32 Xe2 cores, paired with a 256-bit memory bus and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. Despite some online gossip suggesting Intel might have scrapped the BMG-G31 for consumer markets, these manifests list it as an “R&D purpose” entry. This likely indicates that Intel’s focus with this model leans towards AI and professional uses.

There’s more intrigue with the mention of another variant in the shipping manifest: the BMG “C32.” The naming certainly raises eyebrows, merging Battlemage and Celestial initials. Yet insiders, like @mikdt, suggest it fits into the Battlemage family as a reworked version of the “BMG-G31.” This hints that Intel is possibly crafting several Battlemage iterations. The pressing question, however, is whether they are meant for the desktop segment.

How Intel plans to navigate its discrete GPU lineup will undoubtedly be fascinating to watch, especially with the ongoing development of their Xe3 “Celestial” architecture intended for Panther Lake SoCs. Under the leadership of Intel’s new CEO, the company has shifted its focus more towards AI. This indicates that Team Blue will likely aim to launch GPUs capable of handling AI-focused applications.