Intel details staggered release schedule for long-anticipated Arc GPUs

Image: Intel

In a new post, Intel has provided more information about the release of the Arc GPUs. The company plans to use a staggered approach when it comes to its desktop graphics cards. The hope is that the laptop chips will be available to other manufacturers and markets soon.

Intel is working with other laptop manufacturers to get their laptops with the more powerful Arc 5 and Arc 7.

Q2 is the rough release window on the desktop side of things. The entry-level A3 will be made available to Chinese system builders and original equipment manufacturers initially, so it won't be available as an off-the-shelf component to slot into a self-built machine.

The company announced in February that it would come to notebooks in Q1, desktops in Q2, and workstation machines in Q3. There are a couple of reasons for this staggered approach. First, by starting with systems builders, it can focus on making its graphics card work with a few other components, rather than the whole thing being thrown at it. The Chinese market has strong demand for these kinds of entry-level GPUs, and it's physically closer to the factories making the components for the boards at a time when transportation costs have skyrocketed.

Reasoning aside, the result is that home PC builders in the US and EU aren't likely to get their hands on Intel's new desktop graphics cards until at least the end of the summer. With a new series of graphics cards from Nvidia expected later this year, that could mean Intel will face stiff competition at launch.