We might have to wait a while before gamers can get their hands on Intel’s initial offering of Arc discrete graphics cards for desktop PCs. But when they arrive, they might be a lot more plentiful and varied than we thought. The latest all-in-one Intel graphics driver lists a whopping seven different models of Arc desktop GPU, most of which haven’t been officially documented before.
The list of supported hardware in the 30.0.101.1732 beta driver was spotted by WCCFTech after oft-reliable leaker Momomo_US broke it down on Twitter. Alongside existing Xe, UHD, and mobile graphics, we can see eight distinct desktop GPU models listed:
- Arc Pro A50
- Arc Pro A40
- Arc A770
- Arc A750
- Arc A580
- Arc A380
- Arc A310
We already knew Intel was planning split releases in 3/5/7 series, a la the naming scheme for the Core series of CPUs. The “Arc Pro” series is a bit of a surprise, perhaps intended for workstation desktops, a la Nvidia’s Quadro cards. We know that low-end desktop cards (the A310 and A380, presumably) will launch first in prebuilt PCs in China this summer, with more expensive cards coming to wider markets later this year.
The list includes five mobile Arc GPUs, the A350M, A370M, A550M, A730M, and A770M, which have already been documented. The A370M has already been released in a few laptops, competing at approximately the same graphical power as Nvidia’s RTX 3050 laptop cards.
It’s worth pointing out that just because a GPU is listed in driver software, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be manufactured and sold. But given the confirmation we’ve already seen for the three tiers of consumer graphics cards Intel is preparing, this seems like a fairly safe rough guide for releases this year. (Or possibly early 2023, if supply chain issues are especially nasty.) More complete rumored specifications are floating out there, indicating additional models like an Arc A780.
Leaks point towards Intel aiming to compete with the GeForce RTX 3070 on the top of its high-end offerings, all the way down to budget cards like the Radeon RX 6400 on the low end. Of course, availability, price, and technical capability will determine how competitive Intel’s first generation of Arc cards really are.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.