Intel's Mysterious Battlemage G31 GPU Gets Spotted In Shipping Manifest
Rumors of a bigger Battlemage GPU's demise may have been greatly exaggerated. Tech sleuth Haze spotted something interesting in the public shipping database over at NBD DATA: multiple entries for things like "SOCKET STIFFENER (STF), DESIGNED FOR BATTLEMAGE-G31." The listings are dated late March and were destined for Intel Vietnam, which handles processor assembly and Intel's own "Limited Edition" graphics cards.
This is a big deal because BMG-G31, the larger "Battlemage" GPU, was widely believed to be canceled. Back in early March, leaker Jaykihn gave affirmative confirmation that Intel had axed the BMG-G31 GPU back in Q3 2024. Given Jaykihn's typically solid track record, most folks assumed that meant the higher-end "Big Battlemage" was a no-go. But now, these new listings are throwing some serious doubt on that narrative.
Our biggest complaint about the B580 was that it's too good. It's the fastest Battlemage card Intel has officially released, and that's a little disappointing, because the B580 is quite excellent for what it is, with solid performance and efficiency. We wanted an Arc B780 or something in that vein—something bigger, beefier, and capable of pushing the Battlemage architecture even further.
That's where the G31 comes in. BMG-G21 powers the current B580 and B570 cards, but leaks going back to before Intel even announced the B580 suggested that there was also a larger, more powerful G31 GPU in the works. When Jaykihn claimed G31 was canceled, hopes for a higher-tier Arc B7xx card pretty much vanished overnight, but if Intel really pulled the plug on G31 in Q3 2024, what are these new components doing en route to its own manufacturing facilities six months later? Either Intel changed its mind, or G31 was never actually dead.
To add to the intrigue, Haze's findings line up with earlier whispers from leaker OneRaichu, who also spotted suspicious shipping activity related to Battlemage parts. OneRaichu has previously speculated that Intel might be prepping Arc B7xx GPUs after all.
There's also a rumor floating about that Intel may be working on a 24GB "Developer Edition" variant of the B580. That kind of memory configuration would be overkill for gaming, but it could be a game-changer for AI tinkering and software development. In the context that Intel just open-sourced its AI Playground tool, a 24GB GPU under $500 would be catnip for devs.
Still, it's worth remembering that none of this is confirmed. For its part, Chipzilla has been completely and utterly silent about anything to do with GPUs beyond the Arc B580 and Arc B570. There's been no official word about BMG-G31, an Arc B7xx series, or even cards carrying the upcoming Celestial architecture.
Bottom line? Something's happening, because it always is. Whether that something is a resurrection of Big Battlemage, an experimental run, or just leftover parts making their way through the system—we can't say yet. If G31 really is alive, it could be just what Arc needs to take things to the next level.
