Early benchmarks show Intel's next-gen Battlemage GPU could deliver 2X performance increase

Intel Battlemage is the codename for the second-generation Intel Arc graphics, which is on track for release later this year. Since first launching Arc, Intel has spent the majority of its time updating drivers, improving legacy game performance, optimizing software, and even improving its AI-based XeSS upscaling. Thus, the company is in a great position to release a real mid-range competitor.

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It has also added the first generation of Arc graphics to its mobile Meteor Lake processors, boosting the company's integrated graphics capabilities. In this realm of new tile-based chips, we're getting one of our first tastes of what Battlemage could bring to the table. And it's good news for handheld makers.

Intel's upcoming Lunar Lake CPU architecture for mobile will include Battlemage graphics or Xe2-LPG. And so far, the second generation of Arc sees the 17W Battlemage GPU outperforming the 35W integrated Radeon 780M found in the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip in handhelds like the ROG Ally from ASUS.

Granted, we are talking about database benchmark software SiSoft Sandra, which probably doesn't translate to other synthetic benchmarks or in-game performance. The Intel Core Ultra 200V 'Lunar Lake' chip was found inside an HP Spectre X360 laptop, and the low power performance is pretty impressive.

If this scales across various workloads, tests, and even different power settings, then Battlemage could be a potential game changer for entry-level and mainstream graphics. Videocardz, who reported the SiSoft results, notes that this HP laptop was running a cutdown 7 Xe-Cores version of the full 8 Xe-Cores GPU - and still able to deliver impressive results.

How this will translate to desktop Battlemage remains to be seen. Still, if Battlemage can scale across different power ratings and specs, it would present a giant generational leap over current Arc GPUs - and lead to a situation where Intel's 2X performance claims for Battlemage come true.