The latest reports indicate that Intel's flagship model, the Arc B770, is expected to make its debut at Computex 2025 in Taipei. Equipped with a BMG-G31 chip, this GPU will feature between 24 and 32 Xe2 cores, a 256-bit memory bus, and 16GB of GDDR6 memory. This positions it as a strong contender against NVIDIA's RTX 5060 series and AMD's RX 9060 series, potentially revitalizing the mainstream gaming sector.

Intel has maintained a cautious approach in the desktop GPU market but continues to invest heavily in its development. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Intel introduced its mid-range Battlemage lineup, which includes the Arc B580 and Arc B570. These models have found traction in the entry-level market due to their solid performance and competitive pricing. The Arc B580 offers performance approximately 10% higher than the NVIDIA RTX 4060 at 1440p resolution, while the Arc B570 provides comparable performance with a lower power consumption of 150W and 10GB of GDDR6 memory. These models highlight the impressive advancements in performance and power efficiency afforded by the Battlemage architecture, especially the 70% per-core performance improvement of the Xe2 cores over the previous Alchemist generation.

The BMG-G31 chip in the Arc B770 utilizes TSMC's 5nm process, offering a more advanced platform than Alchemist's 6nm process with better clock speeds and power efficiency. The Arc B770 is speculated to boast 32 Xe2 cores, equivalent to 8,192 stream processors, along with 16GB of GDDR6 memory and a 256-bit memory bus, achieving a memory bandwidth of up to 560GB/s or more. This configuration could potentially position it near NVIDIA's RTX 4070 or AMD's RX 9070 in terms of theoretical performance, making it suitable for high-frame-rate 1440p gaming and some 4K applications. Additionally, the Battlemage architecture enhances ray tracing capabilities by doubling the triangular intersection computing power of each ray-tracing unit and offers 16KB of dedicated BVH cache—twice that of Alchemist—narrowing the gap with NVIDIA and AMD in this technology.

Recent shipping records for the BMG-G31 chip reveal that it has reached Intel's Vietnam factory for production, the same facility responsible for assembling limited edition Arc series GPUs. Industry analysts speculate that Intel might release the Arc B770 retail version in the second quarter of 2025, with an expected price range of $350 to $450. This positions it as a direct competitor to the NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti and AMD RX 9060 XT, striving to attract users with its price-to-performance ratio. Given Intel's current market reputation, pricing will play a crucial role in gaining user interest.

Another notable feature of the Battlemage architecture is the XeSS 2 super resolution technology. Compared to its predecessor, XeSS 2 introduces frame generation and low latency mode. Tests have demonstrated that XeSS 2 can increase 1440p frame rates by up to 3.9x in games such as F1 24. Furthermore, the Arc B770's XMX AI engine is set to bolster AI-related workload processing, potentially making it a strong contender in productivity markets like data centers and edge computing. Intel is also planning to launch a 24GB version of the Battlemage GPU in 2025, targeting AI and professional applications.

Driver stability has historically been a weak point for the Arc series. Although Intel has made improvements in compatibility and performance through frequent driver updates since the Battlemage release, catching up to NVIDIA and AMD's mature ecosystems will take time. The competitive landscape is becoming fiercer, with the NVIDIA RTX 5060 series now available, offering better power efficiency with its Blackwell architecture and DLSS 3.5 support. Meanwhile, AMD's RDNA 4 architecture is expected to feature a 16GB video memory option on the RX 9060 and RX 9070 models with more attractive pricing. For the Arc B770 to make an impact, Intel must ensure a balanced approach in performance, pricing, and driver optimization.

Computex Taipei 2025 will serve as a crucial platform for Intel to showcase the Arc B770. It is anticipated that Intel will disclose more technical details at the event, potentially including benchmark data and partner-customized models. Concurrently, Intel is progressing with its Xe3 architecture (code-named Celestial), which aims to pair with Panther Lake processors for low-power integrated graphics, reflecting Intel's steadfast commitment to the GPU market.

The Arc B770's release plan indicates Intel's ongoing engagement with fully discrete graphics cards, even amidst speculation that Intel might shift focus to the next-generation C series. The hardware community often experiences rapid changes and rumors, but for consumers, the introduction of new products is a welcome development—fuelling curiosity and fostering healthy competition among leading manufacturers to offer more reasonable prices. The GPU market competition in 2025 promises to be even more intense, making it intriguing to observe whether the Arc B770 will emerge as a market disruptor.