Intel's Iris Xe desktop graphics cards are shipping to OEMs

[midian182]

What just happened? Intel has announced that its Iris Xe discreet graphics cards for desktops are shipping to system builders for use. The company has developed the cards alongside board partners Asus and Colorful, and they will appear in pre-built systems aimed at mainstream users and small- to medium-sized businesses.

Formerly codenamed DG1, the Iris Xe desktop cards aren't aimed at demanding gamers—Intel isn't positioning them as a gaming products. They come with 4GB of LPDDR4X and feature 80 execution units, fewer than the 96 EUs found in the Iris Xe Max GPU used in Tiger Lake laptop CPUs. Intel compares the latter to Nvidia's MX350 to give you an idea of its perceived competition.

The boards come with three display outputs; hardware video decode and encode acceleration, including AV1 decode support; adaptive sync, and display HDR support. They also have some artificial intelligence capabilities thanks to DP4a deep-learning inference acceleration.

While you're not going to be playing Microsoft Flight Simulator using one of these cards, they pave the way for the arrival of the Xe DG2 GPU that reportedly use TSMC's enhanced 7nm process and come with 512 EUs, potentially putting it head-to-head with the latest high-end offerings from Nvidia and AMD.

No word on when OEM systems packing these Iris Xe cards will arrive. They'll likely be here within the next few months, offering an appealing budget alternative to the other systems with entry-level cards.

Meanwhile, the Xe DG2 is set to launch later in the year and is rumored to be priced between $400 and $600.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/88428-intel-iris-xe-desktop-graphics-cards-shipping-oems.html

 

[MarkHughes]

I do like how you can now choose either red, green or blue for your graphics card supplier.

I'm very curious as to how this is going to turn out for Intel and what effect it will have on the others.

 

[Irata]

And only compatible with 9th and 10th gen Intel CPU as it appears and there also only on a limited chipset range.

https://videocardz.com/newz/iris-xe...iscrete-gpu-will-not-work-with-amd-processors

Videocardz headline is a bit misleading as usual.

 

[koblongata]

Wouldn't consider anything can't do efficient raytracing really.. real time raytracing reminds me of the feeling I got when I experienced hardware accelerated 3D graphics for the first time with 3dfx Voodoo.

 

[rmcrys]

Maybe in a few years it would be competitive, but right now those Xe graphics are just a Nvidia MX350 kind of... as Nvidia, AMD and apple won't be sleeping in the next years and Intel still doesn't cut to go 7nm, there is no threat. Most companies will be: 1) using just the igp 2) using dGPU and for that they need a lot more performance than Intel kann offer.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Maybe in a few years it would be competitive, but right now those Xe graphics are just a Nvidia MX350 kind of... as Nvidia, AMD and apple won't be sleeping in the next years and Intel still doesn't cut to go 7nm, there is no threat. Most companies will be: 1) using just the igp 2) using dGPU and for that they need a lot more performance than Intel kann offer.

lol What?!

 

[Irata]

At their very low power requirements, these would actually perfect to upgrade older / office type PC to have the latest codec support, multi-monitor use, plus perhaps support some light gaming.

Sadly, these card‘s can‘t be used for that purpose due to only working with select (pretty recent) chipsets.

 

[pcnthuziast]

This is going to flop hard.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

If Intel sticks with it and keeps improving these GPU, they'd have a really good CPU, GPU, SSD combination that would work great for Small Form Factor PC models - just in time for an uncertain future of distance learning and home presentation.

Most people really aren't looking for "gaming PGU power". they just need a GPU that can handle multi monitor extended-desktop setups and still have enough power to stream a presentation with camera/mic enabled.

If Intel could somehow match the power of the 3000 series Nvidia cards, they could see some serious sales.

 

[rmcrys]

If Intel could somehow match the power of the 3000 series Nvidia cards, they could see some serious sales.

Not for the next a lot of years unless a revolution happens in Intel.

The best bet would be that Intel wants and will be competing with the low range dGPU market and at same time earn money to improve the iGPUs and drivers.

 

[Dimitrios]

Hmmmmm I might have to eat my own words.

 

[Darth Shiv]

If Intel sticks with it and keeps improving these GPU, they'd have a really good CPU, GPU, SSD combination that would work great for Small Form Factor PC models - just in time for an uncertain future of distance learning and home presentation.

Most people really aren't looking for "gaming PGU power". they just need a GPU that can handle multi monitor extended-desktop setups and still have enough power to stream a presentation with camera/mic enabled.

If Intel could somehow match the power of the 3000 series Nvidia cards, they could see some serious sales.

But then they'd have to deliver on drivers let alone performance. They have failed doing that for 20+ years. Who is betting on Intel here? I think I'll stick with the ones who have delivered on graphics.

Literally the only reason Intel even put half-assed effort into iGPU is because Apple flogged them for their pathetic offering.

 

[Shadowboxer]

This is going to flop hard.

What? This is an article about how they are already shipping. They’ve already been sold mate! I bet Intel have made a tidy little profit on this.

Hopefully they can develop some stronger parts and give Nvidia some competition. At the moment Nvidia can do what they want, they effectively have a monopoly.

 

[paul1122]

Remember the i740 AGP. Starfighter! I do, worst video card I've EVER owned.

 

[theruck]

Potentially putting it head-to-head with the latest high-end offerings from Nvidia and AMD.

...and then you woke up realizing it was all just a dream

 

[punctualturn]

And only compatible with 9th and 10th gen Intel CPU as it appears and there also only on a limited chipset range.

https://videocardz.com/newz/iris-xe...iscrete-gpu-will-not-work-with-amd-processors

Videocardz headline is a bit misleading as usual.

Better yet, they simply wont work on AMD systems.

Time to bring out the lawyers!

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-dg1-compatibility

 

[Irata]

Remember the i740 AGP. Starfighter! I do, worst video card I've EVER owned.

You actually bought one ? I almost did (would have been a Gateway AMD K6-2 plus Intel GPU System) after articles claimed it would be the fastest but then I saw the first gaming benchmarks and was happy I didn‘t.

 

[neeyik]

Better yet, they simply wont work on AMD systems.

Time to bring out the lawyers!

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-dg1-compatibility

And in other news, Intel's Z590 motherboard chipsets won't work on AMD systems either.

Silliness aside, the point is that that one can't go out and directly buy these graphics cards, just as one can't buy Z590 chips (or any other PCHs, for that matter). They're both sold directly to OEMs for specific Intel systems.

 

[Irata]

And in other news, Intel's Z590 motherboard chipsets won't work on AMD systems either.

Silliness aside, the point is that that one can't go out and directly buy these graphics cards, just as one can't buy Z590 chips (or any other PCHs, for that matter). They're both sold directly to OEMs for specific Intel systems.

Are you sure that‘s an appropriate comparison ?

After all, you can‘t buy a TU 104 GPU either but you can buy a graphics card that contains one.

As for OEM only products - if you want to, there are enough vendors who will happily sell you one, like e.g. Ryzen 4000 series desktop APU.

That said, it doesn‘t seem that Intel‘s graphics card will work on a Z590 board either, same as Z490.

I still think that‘s sad as this would be the perfect upgrade to keep older office type PC - Intel or AMD based - relevant. Priced below $100 that should be without competition.

 

[neeyik]

I was making a very silly comparison, but the point I was indicating is that, despite being made by Asus and Colorful, these were never designed to go into anything other than Intel OEM systems - specifically those that house CPUs that don't have Xe GPUs. Thus complaining that they're not going to work in AMD setups is akin to complaining that one can't buy a Z590 motherboard and stick a Ryzen processor in it.

Sure, it's disappointing that it's only going to be configured to work with 9th and 10th gen Core systems using B460, H410, B365, or H310C PCHs -- if one had an older office-based machine, it would provide a handy upgrade. However, I suspect Intel are expecting most of these to either already have a suitable discrete graphics card, or the owners have already upgraded them.

The only surprising thing for me is that it's being configured for 9th gen products. How many system OEMs are still building new PCs with the likes of i3-9400 CPUs?

 

[punctualturn]

these were never designed to go into anything other than Intel OEM systems

And you really dont see the issue at hand from your own comment?

Are you aware that this sets a very dangerous precedent?

Or is ok, simply because its an OEM product only?

This is as bad as how no reviewer ever mention the number one reason why Nvidia releases proprietary tech, to keep you locked in.

I remember when Apple released a nice external DVD burner that only worked with Macs.

How does actions like this help the customers?

 

[neeyik]

And you really dont see the issue at hand from your own comment?

Are you aware that this sets a very dangerous precedent?

Or is ok, simply because its an OEM product only?

This is as bad as how no reviewer ever mention the number one reason why Nvidia releases proprietary tech, to keep you locked in.

I remember when Apple released a nice external DVD burner that only worked with Macs.

How does actions like this help the customers?

If there was only Intel making GPUs, then yes, it would be an issue. But given that one can purchase AMD & Nvidia-based graphics cards, that will be broadly the same as the DG1, then no consumer is being restricted.

This is no different to AMD selling the likes of the Ryzen 5 4600 to specific OEM partners only - one might be disappointed that it's not available for general retail or even general OEM, but it's not as if AMD are only selling that product.

 

[Irata]

I remember when Apple released a nice external DVD burner that only worked with Macs.

How does actions like this help the customers?

Tell me about it - purchased a nice looking Harman Kardon USB speaker set (the see though one) at a flea market only to discover that it will only work with Apple PC and only with older Mac OS versions - they stopped working with newer OS versions.

So I absolutely hate proprietary crap.

 

[Gezzer]

But then they'd have to deliver on drivers let alone performance. They have failed doing that for 20+ years. Who is betting on Intel here? I think I'll stick with the ones who have delivered on graphics.

Literally the only reason Intel even put half-assed effort into iGPU is because Apple flogged them for their pathetic offering.

That's the thing. Hardware is only half the equation. Nvidia has a bigger following than AMD less due to hardware and more due to drivers, be it a perception of inferiority or reality. Intel hasn't had to support a gaming GPU in a very long time, and when they did they didn't do a good job of it. I really doubt they'll be able to this time either. At least not before a lot of learning pains have been overcome.

 

[punctualturn]

Nvidia has a bigger following than AMD less due to hardware and more due to drivers,

At this point, no.

They are there because their marketing team and the paid reviews in YouTube have convinced everyone that they are the absolute fastest GPUs and that RT and DLSS is already supported on all games, hence why you must have one.

It doesnt help that people these days have this weird sense of needing to be loyal and blindly worship brands and corporations.