Please note that this post is tagged as a rumor .
Rumor: Battlemage on TSMC 4nm
According to a report from DigiTimes, Intel has reportedly chosen TSMC’s 4nm node for its next-generation Arc graphics.
The original report is paywalled, but other media have confirmed that the GPU mentioned in the article title “Intel unveils new 4nm flagship GPU made by TSMC” is Battlemage. This is Intel’s next-generation Xe2-HPG graphics architecture for discrete desktop and mobile GPUs.
Worth noting that DigiTimes news isn’t the only report on TSMC 4nm node being used for Battlemage. Taiwanese site Ctee has already reported in April that Intel is considering using 4nm note for Battlemage and 3nm for Celestial (Xe3 architecture).
Currently, Intel’s Arc Alchemist GPUs, which feature up to 32 Xe-Cores, are also manufactured by TSMC. The Battlemage GPU will continue with 32 cores but will utilize the updated Xe2 core. The shift to a smaller 4nm node may allow Intel to significantly increase complexity, boost clock speeds, and enable more advanced logic. Enhanced ray tracing acceleration, a key feature of the Battlemage upgrade according to rumors , is also expected.
Intel Arc GPU Architectures
- Xe-HPG dGPU (Alchemist): TSMC N6
- Xe-LPG iGPU (Meteor Lake): TSMC N5
- Xe2-HPG dGPU (Battlemage): TSMC 4nm (Rumor) ⬅️
- Xe2-LPG iGPU (Lunar Lake): TSMC N3
- Xe3-HPG dGPU (Celestial): TSMC 3nm (Rumor)
Recently, Intel has not provided new updates on Battlemage. However, the company introduced its Xe2 architecture as part of the upcoming Lunar Lake platform. This platform will use the TSMC N3 node for its integrated graphics tile, featuring the Xe2-LPG, a low-power variant for laptops.
Rumors suggest that Intel will introduce at least two graphics processors: the BMG-21 and BMG-31, with 20 and 32 Xe2 cores respectively. This new architecture is expected to be released in 2025 at the earliest. Other GPU vendors are also slated to launch their high-end and mid-range solutions in 2025, while NVIDIA is expected to introduce enthusiast-class GPUs in 2024.
| Intel ARC Graphics Roadmap | ||
|---|---|---|
| VideoCardz | Intel ARC “Alchemist” | Intel ARC “Battlemage” |
| Architecture | Xᵉ HPG | Xᵉ² HPG |
| Fabrication Node | TSMC N6 | TSMC 4nm 🆕 |
| Release Date | 2022 | 2025 |
| GPUs | ACM-G10 (32 Xe-Cores) | BMG-G31 (32 Xe2-Cores) |
ACM-G12 (16 Xe-Cores) | BMG-G10 (28 Xe2-Cores) | |
ACM-G11 (8 Xe-Cores) | BMG-G21 (20 Xe2-Cores) | |
| PCIe | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0 |
Source: DigiTimes (paywall) via TechPowerUP