Intel Arc multi-GPU support is almost ready, but not seen at SIGGRAPH

UPDATE: Intel reached out to us to clarify some details, saying "Intel showed a Blender Cycles rendering demo at SIGGRAPH with Intel Arc graphics. Multi-GPU rendering support for Intel Arc and Intel Arc Pro graphics cards through oneAPI is supported starting in Blender 3.3. Intel Arc graphics does not support multi-GPU for gaming."

We learned something quite interesting at SIGGRAPH 2022 today: Intel is finalizing their oneAPi software for multi-GPU support. It turns out that it was only due to the inability to find the right chassis that prevented Intel from showing off a multi-GPU solution on the show floor this week.

Support for a multi-GPU solution could allow Intel to narrow the gap somewhat against NVIDIA and AMD on their entry-level cards for Arc discrete GPUs that are set to debut shortly, as we just reported.

Many outside of Intel have questioned the long-term viability of Intel's discrete graphics solution when compared to current offerings by AMD and NVIDIA.

Additional clarification on if the multi-GPU demonstration was hindered by the lack of availability of a second installed graphics card or an actual multi-GPU card was dispelled due to a card floating around in a market-ready box that is ready to go out to the press for reviews.

What was made clear, though, is that software support for an Intel multi-GPU solution is here and almost made its debut at SIGGRAPH 2022. The source we spoke with at Intel was referring to the consumer version of the discrete Arc GPU line, but adding support for the Arc Pro line should not be that far behind.