Intel’s gaming-focused Xe-HPG DG2 graphics card has been in the works for a while now, with numerous leaks and teases continuing to spin the rumour mill. It now looks like an official reveal and release could be just around the corner, after Intel announced that the DG2 is now in the hands of AIB partners.
This means the GPU is now being tested out by the manufacturers that produce third-party variations of the best graphics cards, such as MSI, Asus, Zotac, and more, and is close to the final step before it launches to the public. There’s been lots of speculation on whether the DG2 will release later this year or in early 2022, but this news suggests it’ll arrive sooner rather than later. If we’re lucky, we might even see some third party designs of the new graphics card leak within the next few months.
Designs could vary between the different performance levels of the DG2, however. There are up to six models in development, from a budget version with 96 execution units to a 512 execution unit powerhouse expected to rival Nvidia’s RTX 3070 and AMD’s RX 6000 lineup.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Intel can find a way around the stock issues plaguing both AMD and Nvidia’s current GPU lineups, otherwise a paper launch might be on the cards. If performance is on par with its rivals, there’ll be no shortage of demand from gamers desperate for a new graphics card to fill the void.