Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing

Is Intel delaying the release of Arc Alchemist discrete graphics cards?

By

Intel’s first line of discrete gaming graphics cards, dubbed Intel Arc Alchemist, was supposed to be just weeks away — but it now seems that the GPUs may be delayed further.

Intel has removed all mentions of a first-quarter release from its website, leaving only the promise that the cards will be released sometime in 2022.

Intel Arc Alchemist CES 2022 keynote.
Image source: Videocardz Image used with permission by copyright holder

While there has been no mention of an exact release date of Arc Alchemist graphics cards, Intel’s website previously mentioned the first quarter of this year. This would point to an imminent launch. However, after not saying much on the subject during its CES 2022 keynote, Intel has now removed references to the first quarter from all of its Arc websites. This was first spotted by Videocardz.

Recommended Videos

This could mean that the GPU launch is being quietly delayed. During CES 2022, Intel focused largely on its plans for processors, but didn’t elaborate on the Arc lineup all that much.

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!
Privacy Policy

The message is all the more confusing since Intel did speak about a first-quarter release on more than one occasion, including the recent CES keynote. However, it could be that this only applies to the laptop versions of Intel Arc. There has been no definite statement as to when the desktop versions are due to arrive.

Rumors suggest that the desktop Arc cards might be launching in the second quarter of 2022. However, with these deliberate steps that Intel has taken to scrap any mention of the first quarter from its website, it’s not impossible that the entire lineup may be delayed. At the very least, things don’t sound good for the desktop line of cards, and it’s possible that even the mobility versions won’t start shipping within the initial time frame.

A render of an Intel Arc Alchemist graphics card.
Image credit: Wccftech Image used with permission by copyright holder

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about possible delays in regard to Intel Arc Alchemist. A report leaked at the end of December 2021 pointed to a March 2022 release date, already pushing it forward from the initially expected January launch. It also seems that Intel may at first launch just two DG2 gaming graphics cards for desktop users, although it’s possible that Intel’s partners may release alternate versions of the GPUs as well.

Considering that the release date was stealthily removed, it seems unlikely for Intel to speak about this anytime soon. The company’s next big event is Vision on May 10, which might be the time when Intel will announce the definite release date of Arc Alchemist graphics cards.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Monica J. White
Monica J. White
Computing Writer
Monica is a computing writer at Digital Trends, focusing on PC hardware. Since joining the team in 2021, Monica has written…
How Intel could win the GPU war this year
Intel Arc A580 graphics card on a pink background.

Intel faced an uphill climb with Arc Alchemist, and it looks like it might have another fight ahead with its next-gen Battlemage GPUs. The competition is always fierce, and AMD and Nvidia have big plans for the year ahead.

Despite the clouds that loom on the horizon, Intel might still surprise us with Battlemage -- in a good way. Here's where Intel Arc Battlemage is currently at, and why it might have a shot at being one of the best GPUs of the year.
Déjà vu
Prior to the release of Intel Arc Alchemist, one of the main complaints was that the general public was kept in the dark a lot of the time. The release date was pushed back more than once, and the information about the GPUs was fairly scarce compared to the constant hype we've all grown used to with Nvidia and AMD leaks.

Read more
Intel may be throwing away an important opportunity
The backs of the Arc A770 and Arc A750 graphics cards.

However small Intel's presence might be when it comes to discrete graphics cards, it's still chipping away at Arc Battlemage -- but every time we hear of it, the news is strictly bad. This time, a new leak tells us that Intel may not even attempt to release Arc Battlemage for laptops, and even if it does, its partners may still not want to produce the acrds.

The grim update comes from Moore's Law Is Dead, who talked about Arc Battlemage in his latest video. According to the YouTuber's anonymous sources, Intel's next-gen discrete GPUs aren't coming to laptops. References to any mobile GPUs have reportedly been erased from an internal Intel document, indicating that the cards may have been scrapped, as opposed to never having been planned.

Read more
Intel claims up to 268% gaming boost with latest Arc graphics drivers
Two intel Arc graphics cards on a pink background.

Intel has released a new graphics driver update for its Arc lineup of GPUs. It is the company's first major update this year, primarily supporting new game titles like Enshrouded, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Tekken 8, and Palworld. As always, the new Game On drivers (31.0.101.5186) also ensure a substantial performance boost to many existing DirectX11 and DirectX12 games.

As per Intel, gamers can expect a massive increase of up to 268% average fps (frame per second) uplift in Just Cause 4 at 1080p with very high settings and about 160% average fps uplift in Just Cause 3 with similar settings. Popular titles like Tekken 8 (DX12) also witness up to 15% average fps uplift at 4K with ultra settings and up to 8% average fps uplift in The Last of Us Part 1 at 1080p with ultra settings.

Read more