Intel Arc Celestial “Xe3” & Battlemage “G31” GPUs Unveiled: Intel’s Major Push into Discrete Graphics Market

The buzz about Intel potentially dropping out of the discrete GPU arena seems to be simmering down as fresh and substantial evidence of their upcoming Arc Celestial "Xe3" and the high-end Battlemage "G31" chips surface online.

Intel’s Continuous Commitment to Xe3 & Xe4 GPU Development and Initial Glimpses of Arc Celestial "Xe3" & Battlemage "G31" Discrete GPUs

In a recent move, Intel has pulled back the curtain on its next-gen Battlemage B-Series, rolling out the Arc B580 and Arc B570 graphics cards. These cards are targeting the mainstream market, particularly those looking for options under $250, and are set to go head-to-head with offerings from AMD and NVIDIA.

Intel seems laser-focused on capturing the gaming audience with its Arc Battlemage lineup—a strategy that mirrors AMD’s plan for the upcoming RDNA 4 "Radeon RX 8000" series. Intel might have a surprise or two up its sleeve, though.

Huge battlemage G31 non R&D shipment from malaysia🤔 pic.twitter.com/mjUkR4WqS1

— Tomasz Gawroński (@GawroskiT) December 3, 2024

Recently, noticed in NBD.ltd’s shipping documents, the Intel BMG-G31 SoC appeared again, hinting at the possibility of a higher-end B-Series graphics card being available soon.

The Arc B580 and B570 come with BMG-G21 SoCs, while the G31 SoC is rumored to feature a larger number of Xe2 cores, potentially fitting into models like the B770. Intel’s own Tom Petersen suggested more robust Arc B-Series GPUs could be in the pipeline, and the G31 could be a prime candidate for these advanced discrete variants.

Intel’s Tom ‘TAP’ Petersen hinted on The Full Nerd live show that a more powerful Arc B-series dGPU will release later (G31) <- Not his exact words

Team is already working on Xe3 architecture

Graphics driver team has completely restructured how DX9 an DX11 works on Arc

— Haze (@Haze2K1) December 3, 2024

Switching gears to the Xe3 discrete products, Intel’s internal code name "Panther Falls" for the Celestial SKUs has been spotted across several listings, adding substance to the Arc developments. Noteworthy is Intel’s confirmation of having wrapped up work on Celestial, shifting their focus swiftly towards Druid “Xe4” offerings.

Since Intel Arc B-Series GPU will be officially revealed tomorrow just know that C-Series discrete graphics cards are in development as well! #IntelArc

Alchemist = Niagara FallsBattlemage = Churchill FallsCelestial = Panther FallsFred = Arc pic.twitter.com/TMIC9v2MmA

— Haze (@Haze2K1) December 3, 2024

@GawroskiT Here you go 👑🪽 pic.twitter.com/sy5iC1X2w1

— Haze (@Haze2K1) December 3, 2024

Samples of various QS or Qualification Samples are currently listed, including everything from PCBs to entire boards. One particular Intel Arc Celestial discrete GPU model, a 128 EU or 16 Xe3, has been unearthed by Tomasz Gawronski. Given Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs are expected to house Arc Xe3 GPUs with up to 12 cores, this could represent a beginner-level discrete option.

With all these advancements, it’s becoming clear that the rumors about Intel axing its Arc initiative are unfounded. The second generation of Arc products has just been launched, and the firm is actively showcasing development efforts for subsequent generations, alongside teasing more formidable Battlemage GPUs. We should see more details on Intel’s discrete GPU strategy at CES 2025 while models like the B580 and B570 strengthen Intel’s presence in the mainstream gaming market.

Intel ARC Gaming GPU Lineup