Intel is making waves in the tech world by introducing support for the anticipated Arc Battlemage “BMG-G31” GPU, signaling that its release could be just around the corner. This development is sparking excitement as tech enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting Intel’s next big move in the GPU market.
Intel’s Battlemage GPU: A Closer Look
For over a year, speculation has been rampant about Intel’s Arc Battlemage GPU, the BMG-G31. This launch was anticipated shortly after the debut of the BMG-G21 GPU, which powered Intel’s Arc B580 and Arc B570 cards. Expectations were high for the Arc B770 to arrive earlier this year, yet 2025 is nearly over without official confirmation from Intel.
Recently, Intel quietly incorporated support for the Arc Battlemage BMG-G31 GPU into the latest version of its VTune Profiler software. Released on December 4, 2025, this update includes compatibility with both the BMG-G31 GPU and the Core Ultra 3 CPUs, codenamed “Panther Lake.” These CPUs are slated for a reveal at CES 2026, prompting speculation that the Arc Battlemage GPU might make a simultaneous debut.
The VTune Profiler’s changelog highlights several new features and improvements:
Enhanced VTune Profiler Features
- Code Annotations Enhancement for ITT API: A new Formatted Metadata API has been introduced, providing more context in timeline tooltips and simplifying performance analysis.
- Finalization Speedup: Achieves up to twice the speed for finalizing workloads with extensive compute tasks and multi-GPU usage.
- New Support: Compatibility with Intel® Arc Battlemage (BMG-G31) and Intel® Core™ Ultra 3 Processors (Panther Lake).
- Bug Fixes and Security: Includes critical updates for bug fixes and security enhancements.
The Future of Intel’s Graphics
According to leaks, the Intel Arc Battlemage BMG-G31 GPU is expected to boast four SKUs, with Device IDs aligning with these rumors. The BMG-G31 is anticipated to feature up to 32 Xe2 cores and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, positioning it as a significant upgrade over the Arc A770. Priced in the $300-$400 range, it aims to compete with NVIDIA’s RTX 5060 and AMD’s RX 9060 series.
Intel had once planned even more ambitious developments for its Arc Battlemage series, but those have since been scrapped. If launched, the BMG-G31 will join Intel’s lineup as they transition their iGPU architecture to the Xe3 design, still under the Arc Battlemage brand. The market eagerly anticipates new GPU releases next year, despite potential delays or cancellations due to ongoing DRAM shortages.
Intel Arc Battlemage Graphics Card “Rumored” Specs:
| Graphics Card Variant | Arc B7XX | Arc B580 | Arc A770 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU Die | Arc BMG-G31 | Arc BMG-G21 | Arc ACM-G10 |
| Process Node | TSMC 5nm | TSMC 5nm | TSMC 6nm |
| Die Size | TBD | 272mm2 | 406mm2 |
| Shading Units (Cores) | 4096 (32 Xe2-Cores) | 2560 (20 Xe2-Cores) | 4096 (32 Xe-Cores) |
| GPU Clock (Graphics) | TBD | 2.67 GHz | 2.10 GHz |
| Memory Capacity | 16 GB GDDR6 | 12 GB GDDR6 | 16 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Speed | 19 Gbps | 19 Gbps | 17.5 Gbps |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 192-bit | 256-bit |
| Bandwidth | 608 GB/s | 456 GB/s | 560 GB/s |
| TGP | TBD | 190W | 225W |
| Price (at launch) | TBD | $249 | $349 |