Intel Arc Xe3 Celestial GPU enters pre-validation, Battlemage B770 tipped to launch at Computex 2025

[DragonSlayer101]

Rumor mill: Despite rumors that Intel has canceled its Xe3 "Celestial" GPUs, the lineup is still expected to launch later this year. Recent reports indicate that the Celestial family is currently in the pre-silicon validation phase, while a new Battlemage card could debut at Computex 2025 later this month.

As part of the pre-silicon validation stage, the graphics architecture is tested with OEMs and BIOS vendors using software emulators, allowing engineers to identify issues before fabricating actual silicon.

The images appear to be taken from the LinkedIn profiles of several Intel engineers working on discrete Celestial GPUs. One engineer reportedly worked on "Celestial discrete GPU Pcode IP model development," while another claimed to have "developed low-level system software and device drivers in C++ for Intel's Nova Lake and Xeon6 (Diamond Rapids) CPUs and Celestial discrete GPU."

The first developer's profile also mentioned work on "pre-silicon HW modeling for power management IP in Intel Xe3 architecture for discrete GPU Celestial team (C/C++)," suggesting that software models either already have power management features implemented or are currently being fine-tuned ahead of tapeout – the final step before the GPU design is sent for manufacturing.

They cooking Intel Arc Celestial #IntelArc pic.twitter.com/A7s219tM1u

– Haze (@Haze2K1) May 2, 2025

The profiles also suggest that the GPU design – including the Xe cores, XMX matrix engines, and ray tracing units – has been completed, allowing Intel's board partners to virtually test the models and resolve any remaining issues.

Intel Fellow Tom Petersen previously dismissed rumors about the cancellation of the company's fledgling discrete graphics business. Speaking on The Full Nerd podcast last December, Petersen confirmed that the Xe3 hardware was already "baked," with the software team focused on refinement while the hardware team had moved on to Xe4 "Druid."

While Celestial GPUs are still in development, Intel doesn't appear to have abandoned Battlemage. According to Japanese media outlet Gazlog, the company is preparing to release a new discrete GPU based on BMG-G31 silicon, targeting the premium segment. The report, which cites shipping manifest data, suggests the card could be the long-rumored Arc B770.

Although Intel has yet to officially confirm a new Battlemage card, rumors indicate that the B770 may be unveiled at Computex 2025 later this month. The GPU is expected to feature G31 silicon with up to 32 Xe cores and 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM on a 256-bit memory bus. If accurate, this would position the B770 to compete with Nvidia's RTX 4070 Ti Super and RTX 4080.

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Intel Arc Xe3 Celestial GPU enters pre-validation, Battlemage B770 tipped to launch at Computex 2025

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Why would their third gen tech be labeled the "B" 770? Shouldn't it be "C"770?

Intel, dont screw your names up again!

 

[unoficialoficial]

If Celestial isn't a chip built in a node with less than 2nm, featuring at least 50 billion transistors and packing at least 160 GB of HBM2 VRAM (with 256 GB for the upper model), a 512-bit bus, and a ton of bandwidth, all for under 2000$(with taxes, the hardware it self is only about 500$), it won't attract much interest.

You can't cut through something with a softer tool; you need something harder.

Gamers will likely stick with Nvidia's 60 and 70 series, and a ~100$ price drop in the 500-700 range won't make much of a difference for a product they buy every few years. The real opportunity lies with AI consumers, that's where the entrance point is. Cuda works incredibly efficiently everywhere, you can't challenge that only by be cheaper.
All I'm saying is that they should make a strong card capable of carrying Intel’s logo. Is that really so difficult?

 

[yRaz]

Why would their third gen tech be labeled the "B" 770? Shouldn't it be "C"770?

Intel, dont screw your names up again!

Well it's supposed to be based in the battle mage architecture, not Xe3 so that would make it a "B" card.

Naming doesn't make sense anymore so I just double, triple and quadruple check that what part I'm buying is what I actually want.

 

[GeforcerFX]

Why would their third gen tech be labeled the "B" 770? Shouldn't it be "C"770?

Intel, dont screw your names up again!

B770 is the "big" battlemage chip so it's still 2nd gen just the upper mid tier option for the battlemage GPUs.

Good time to launch some more competition for the 9060/ 5060 if they can do it at the end of may. Might help keep pricing more in check on those cards.

 

[Kashim]

If Celestial isn't a chip built in a node with less than 2nm, featuring at least 50 billion transistors and packing at least 160 GB of HBM2 VRAM (with 256 GB for the upper model), a 512-bit bus, and a ton of bandwidth, all for under 2000$(with taxes, the hardware it self is only about 500$), it won't attract much interest.

Somebody's been smoking too much of something...

In what reality is the hardware you described costs $500 to manufacture? Not in this one, that's for sure. The 256GB of HBM2 alone probably costs $500.

 

[unoficialoficial]

Somebody's been smoking too much of something...

In what reality is the hardware you described costs $500 to manufacture? Not in this one, that's for sure. The 256GB of HBM2 alone probably costs $500.

They have their own fabs, so they should explore ways to circumvent the HBM2 patents (which cover a specific method but not the slightly different methods) or secure licenses for some of them. This would allow them to manufacture their own HBM2e memory at a cost closer to that of GDDR6X, around 1-2$ per GB (instead of the 10-30 it costs on the free market). This is the strategic advantage of having fabs: If they don't grasp the opportunities it opens, what's the point of incurring such significant expenses to maintain and improve their fabs? They should aim for competitive advantages. Nvidia without even having any fabs and still has secured exclusivity to GDDR7.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Have they figured out how to manufacture more than 10 cards a month yet?

Because the B580 has been out of stock for like 6 months now.

 

[DukeJukem]

Have they figured out how to manufacture more than 10 cards a month yet?

Because the B580 has been out of stock for like 6 months now.

they haven't been out of stock you just have to manually search for it on newegg or amazon instead of using their broken filtering system https://www.newegg.com/onix-odyssey...814987002?Item=N82E16814987002&SoldByNewegg=1

bundles have also been in stock the entire time as far as a remember

 

[ScottSoapbox]

they haven't been out of stock you just have to manually search for it on newegg or amazon instead of using their broken filtering system https://www.newegg.com/onix-odyssey...814987002?Item=N82E16814987002&SoldByNewegg=1

bundles have also been in stock the entire time as far as a remember

LOL. Your link is out of stock and 32% over MSRP.

My point is not that you couldn't find them anywhere at any price, but they haven't been widely available at close to MSRP since launch. If they were, they would have sold so many cards - enough to easily show well on the Steam survey as there was no competition for months.

They could have gotten a real foothold in GPU market instead of being an * on GPU charts. But Intel is struggling with their flagship CPUs at this point so I doubt much effort is going into GPUs these days.