The rumor mill is churning with whispers of Intel’s next-generation Battlemage graphics cards, and recent developments suggest they might arrive sooner than anticipated. A shipping manifest recently surfaced online, revealing the existence of “BMG B580” retail boxes. While it’s not the GPU itself, this discovery fuels speculation about an impending launch. This, combined with other recent leaks, points towards a potential release of Intel’s latest graphics cards in the near future.
The shipping manifest, initially discovered by josefk972 on X (formerly Twitter), dates back to September 18th. It specifically mentions BMG B580, widely believed to be the successor to the budget-friendly Intel Arc A580. Importantly, the manifest indicates the shipment of retail boxes, not the graphics cards themselves.
Intel Arc Battlemage announcement poster.
While the shipping manifest offers limited information about the B580’s technical specifications, the box dimensions provide some clues. Measuring 192mm x 89mm x 381mm, the packaging suggests a compact design, reinforcing the expectation of a budget-friendly, dual-slot card with two fans. Concrete details about the card’s performance remain elusive, but rumors indicate a potential reduction in the highest-end Battlemage model. Current speculation suggests the B580 could feature between 20 and 32 Xe cores. A recent benchmark leak showcased an unnamed Intel GPU with 20 Xe cores, 12GB of VRAM, and a 2,850MHz boost clock. While the B580 may not match these exact specifications, particularly in terms of VRAM and clock speed, the benchmark offers a potential glimpse into the performance range.
Intel has remained relatively quiet about Battlemage throughout the year, but leaks are increasing in frequency. A Japanese website, Gazlog, recently reported a potential Battlemage system-on-a-chip event scheduled for next month. This prediction aligns with earlier rumors hinting at a possible Black Friday launch, which now seems unlikely. However, a December release remains a strong possibility.
A December launch would place Intel ahead of both Nvidia’s RTX 50-series and AMD’s RDNA 4, both anticipated to be unveiled during CES 2025 in January. If Intel successfully launches Battlemage this year, it would be a significant win for the company, establishing a competitive edge in the graphics card market. The increasing number of leaks, coupled with the shipping manifest, strongly suggests that Intel’s Battlemage GPUs are on the horizon. While concrete details remain scarce, the anticipation is building for what Intel has in store for the next generation of graphics cards.
