New speculations have surfaced on Notebookcheck suggesting that Intel plans to continue working on standalone desktop GPUs even after the upcoming launch of its Arc Battlemage series. Leaker JayKihn has confirmed on X that Intel is actively progressing with future GPU lines, specifically the Arc Celestial and Arc Druid, contrary to previous rumors hinting at a potential cancellation if Battlemage does not meet expectations. Sources indicate that Intel remains dedicated to its GPU roadmap. With the B580 model leading the Arc Battlemage series, Intel is aiming at the budget market, directly competing with NVIDIA's RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti. The expected price range for Intel Arc Battlemage graphics cards is around $250 for the 12 GB variant. While the performance may not be groundbreaking, it could still attract buyers on a limited budget.
Reports suggest that Intel has scrapped plans to release discrete laptop Battlemage cards, raising questions about the fate of Arc Druid and Arc Celestial. Although details on these upcoming GPUs are scarce, the confirmation of their development is promising for the PC graphics card industry. It is anticipated that Arc Celestial models will debut in 2025 or early 2026, possibly aligning with the launch of Intel's Panther Lake CPUs. These GPUs are expected to leverage the new Xe3 graphics architecture, with Arc B580 utilizing Intel's Xe2-HPG architecture. However, given Intel's recent obstacles, the success of these next-gen GPUs remains uncertain, with the performance of Arc Battlemage likely influencing the future of Intel's GPU endeavors.
