Intel has been actively developing dedicated graphics cards to challenge AMD and NVIDIA’s duopoly. A video of the latest ‘Engineering Sample’ of alleged Intel’s top-end discrete graphics card, the Intel Xe-HPG DG2, has leaked online.
The first generation of graphics chips from Intel might not have packed impressive specifications. However, the second generation of Intel GPU is supposedly a powerhouse that will take on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT.
Intel Xe-HPG DG2 High-End Gaming Graphics Card leaks online with specifications and features:
A detailed video revealing the Intel Xe-HPG DG2 High-End Gaming Graphics Card has leaked. The leaker also details the specifications and expected performance numbers of the top-end discrete GPU.
Intel has based the Xe HPG DG2 GPUs on the Gen 12 graphics architecture. This means the graphics card’s final iteration will feature brand new shading techniques.
Reports indicate Intel discrete graphics cards will fully support ray tracing. Additionally, Intel is offering XeSS (Xe Super Sampling). This will be an alternative to NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution.
The video shows Intel’s top-end graphics card will need two slots and ample cooling. The card features an 8+6 pin connector configuration.
According to the leaker, the Intel Xe-HPG DG2 will have a TDP profile of about 275W. This is certainly on the higher side. But, top-end GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD feature similar profiles.
Intel might just up the TDP profile to up to 300W using a dual 8-pin connector configuration. This could allow Intel to push Clock Speeds even higher for an Over-Clocked (OC) Edition of Intel Xe-HPG DG2.
Speaking of clock speeds, the leaker claims this particular edition of Intel Xe-HPG DG2 GPU features a speed of 2.2GHz. This is a respectable figure, but it is not clear if these are the Base or Boost Clock speeds.
Coming to the number of Cores, amount of memory, and bandwidth, the Intel Xe-HPG DG2 should have ample grunt. Previous reports indicate Intel’s high-end gaming GPU should have 4096 cores with a 256-bit bus interface.
As for the amount of RAM, Intel would obviously offer multiple variants to cater to different price points. There could be a top-end card with up to 16 GB GDDR6 RAM and a lower-end variant with about 8GG memory.
When could buyers expect to purchase Intel’s high-end gaming-centric graphics card and for how much:
The Intel Xe-HPG DG2 high-end gaming graphics card visible in the video is clearly a very early-stage ‘Engineering Sample’. While the video does indicate Intel’s GPU is well on its way, there’s a lot of ground to cover before commercial availability.
The leaked graphics card has a rudimentary heatsink and off-the-shelf fans. This means Intel has yet to finetune and customize the cooling mechanism.
Intel Xe-HPG (DG2) 512EU graphics card engineering sample pictured https://t.co/S7PC7abWoa
— VideoCardz.com (@VideoCardz) April 8, 2021
Given the current circumstances, and chip shortage, Intel might just push full-scale production to early 2022. Simply put, gamers could expect to buy variants of Intel Xe-HPG DG2 gaming graphics cards next year.
As for prices, previous reports indicate Intel is aiming at the $300-400 “sweet spot”. However, top-end, prosumer graphics cards from Intel would obviously cost more.