Discrete Intel Arc Celestial GPUs complete pre-silicon validation, offering a glimmer of optimism for their imminent release.
Celestial Steps Closer: Intel's Arc Xe3-based GPU Line Gets Pre-Silicon Validation
Things are heating up in the world of GPUs as Intel's upcoming discrete Arc Xe3-based GPU line, codenamed Celestial, takes a significant step towards full-scale production with the commencement of pre-silicon validation. But with recent shakeups within Intel, the Company's commitment to discrete GPUs remains shrouded in uncertainty.
According to a LinkedIn post brought to light by the well-known leaker Haze2K1, discovered by TechPowerUp, Celestial GPUs have entered the pre-silicon validation phase. This means that the architecture and fundamental hardware components of the card have been designed, but the actual silicon chip used in it has yet to be produced.
During a podcast in December 2024, Intel's Tom Petersen hinted that the Xe3 architecture, which powers Celestial, is "pretty much baked." He added that the software team has a lot of work to do with Xe3, but the hardware team has largely moved on to work on what comes next—Xe4 Druid project.
If the pre-silicon evaluation goes well and testing on the card begins, TechPowerUp predicts this could lead to "volume production by the end of this year or in early 2026." However, Haze2K1 later clarified that the information they reported was "actually from months ago," casting doubt on the further development of discrete Celestial GPUs.
During a roundtable with Jim Johnson, Intel's SVP of the Client Computing Group, in January, Johnson seemed optimistic about the launch of Celestial, following the release of Intel's Battlemage. He stated that internal conversations revolved around whether Celestial would arrive as a discrete or integrated solution first, not as an either/or scenario.
However, the landscape has changed significantly since speaking with Johnson. Lip-Bu Tan took over as Intel CEO in March, and well-known leakers suggested that the high-end Battlemage card may have been scrapped. In addition, former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger stated in November that there was "less need" for discrete graphics. Although Gelsinger is no longer with the company, these comments have undoubtedly raised concerns among those anticipating Intel GPUs, particularly since many were impressed by the budget Arc B580 card.
Pre-silicon validation is certainly a positive sign for Celestial, but the news being several months old and recent changes within Intel mean that the development may have progressed differently. The success of Celestial, like other GPUs, depends on more than just hardware—it also relies on a robust software stack. This is an area where Intel has room for improvement as it continues to catch up with both Team Green and Team Red.
Intel's next CPUs, codenamed Panther Lake, are rumored to be launching later in the year. The integrated GPU is said to be Celestial, meaning that we will see Celestial in some form relatively soon. Let's hope for more commitments to the discrete market from Intel for the sake of competitive diversity, although the Company's focus on mobile CPUs to combat Apple, Arm, and AMD may take center stage.
James BentleyJames, a more recent addition to the brave new world of PC gaming, is frequently found marveling at graphics cards, cases, and motherboards from a distance. After completing a degree in law and media in 2019, they decided to bin that last few years of education, construct their PC, and start writing about gaming instead. In the time since, they've covered the latest gadgets, doohickeys, and whatchamacallits, and enjoyed every moment of it. Who needs writing case briefs?
- The Celestial GPUs, Intel's upcoming cards based on the Xe3 architecture, have entered the pre-silicon validation phase according to TechPowerUp's recent findings.
- The software team still has work to do on Xe3, but Intel's Tom Petersen suggested in a December 2024 podcast that the Xe3 architecture is "pretty much baked."
- If testing on the card begins and the pre-silicon evaluation goes well, TechPowerUp predicts volume production of Celestial GPUs could occur by the end of 2025 or in early 2026.
- Haze2K1, a well-known leaker, later cast doubt on further development of discrete Celestial GPUs as the information they reported was "actually from months ago."
- The landscape has changed since Intel's SVP, Jim Johnson, seemed optimistic about the Celestial launch in January, with Lip-Bu Tan replacing Pat Gelsinger as Intel CEO in March and suggested reports that the high-end Battlemage card may have been scrapped.
- The success of Celestial relies not only on hardware but also on a robust software stack, an area where Intel has room for improvement as it catches up with both Team Green and Team Red in the world of artificial intelligence and technology.
- James Bentley, a PC gaming enthusiast and writer, hopes for more commitments to the discrete market from Intel for the sake of competitive diversity, although the company's focus on mobile CPUs to combat Apple, Arm, and AMD may take center stage, with the next CPUs, Panther Lake, rumored to be launching later in 2025.
