It appears that Intel is readying to further up VRAM capacities this generation, as Quantum Bits (via Harukaze) alleges that Intel plans to launch a 24GB Battlemage GPU next year. This report is further backed by a few shipping manifests thanks to Tomasz Gawroński at X, suggesting the use of a clamshell design on the BMG-G21 die to accommodate, mathematically, twelve 16Gb GDDR6 modules. Since the report claims this GPU is targeted at professionals, it is likely designated for Intel's Pro series or the Flex series. Take this leak with a grain of salt as it's not uncommon for GPU makers to ship several cards for testing, many of which never see the light of day.
Intel formally unveiled Battlemage for the mainstream segment this month with the Arc B580 and soon-to-launch Arc B570. Of these GPUs, the B580 has seen a great reception; so much so that demand is consistently outpacing supply with Intel now promising weekly restocks to keep up the inventory. Rumors suggest that Intel has prepared at least three Battlemage dies; BMG-G31, BMG-G21, and BMG-G10. BMG-G21 powers the Arc B580 and offers a 192-bit interface alongside 20 Xe2 cores.
Quantum Bits claims, through insider information, that in 2025, Intel plans to launch a professional GPU with 24GB of VRAM. The term "professional" suggests that this GPU is not intended for the mainstream market; likely a successor to the Alchemist-based Flex or Pro series. The GPU's targeted consumer base includes data centers, edge computing, scientific research, and individual development.
Shipping records indicate that Intel has been dispatching a BMG-G21-based GPU employing memory in a clamshell configuration for testing. This specific model alludes to what Quantum Bits suggests since BMG-G21 sports a 192-bit interface, which allows for 12GB of memory or 24GB in clamshell mode.
For context, the Arc Pro A60, Intel's current flagship in the Arc Pro family, boasts 12GB of VRAM. Video memory capacity plays a huge role in training AI models and inference in LLMs. The competition currently sits at a whopping 48GB; see AMD's Radeon W7000 GPUs and Nvidia's Ada Lovelace workstation cards. Then again, BMG-G21 trades blows with the RTX 4060; not the RTX 4090 or the RTX 6000 Ada. A more realistic contender would be the RTX 2000 Ada with 16GB or the Radeon Pro W7600 with 8GB of memory.
Intel is expected to offer more details next month, but the suggested 2025 timeframe makes it hard to pinpoint the exact release window.
