Intel States Its GPU Products Will Continue Despite New NVIDIA Collaboration
Following the announcement of a major collaboration with NVIDIA, Intel has reassured the market that it will continue to offer its own GPU products. The new multi-year agreement involves developing next-generation x86 chips that will integrate NVIDIA's RTX GPUs for consumer PCs and AI accelerators for enterprise solutions.
Future of Intel's GPU Division
Intel's own GPU families, Arc product series designed for consumers, Gaudi, and "Shores" series for AI, were put on the spotlight. If in the future Intel products would use NVIDIA GPU chiplets, it would put Intel's graphics division in limbo.
An Intel spokesperson made a clearer statement:
"We're not discussing specific roadmaps at this time, but the collaboration is complementary to Intel's roadmap, and Intel will continue to have GPU product offerings," making it clear that Intel's current GPU roadmap continues.
Intel's upcoming Panther Lake CPUs are meant to utilize Intel's Xe3 "Celestial" architecture, unlikely coupled with NVIDIA technology integration. Future CPUs such as the rumored Nova Lake, however, could become the first to benefit from the new partnership.
Potential for High-Performance SoCs
Such mere promise opens several avenues where powerful new System-on-Chips (SoCs) could come into being. It might create a possibility where a blissful future halo-class chip like rumored Nova Lake-AX may instead have an NVIDIA RTX GPU instead of a massive Xe-based iGPU. That reminds us of what Intel used to call their Kaby Lake-G processors where there was a joined package of an Intel CPU with an AMD Radeon RX Vega GPU.
Kaby Lake-G had a rough path; yet, with today's modern packaging technologies like Intel's own Foveros interconnect, it seems totally a different game altogether in integrating more successfully and effectively the chiplets from Intel and NVIDIA.
What Happens to Arc Discrete Graphics
Intel also confirms that the Arc discrete graphics card product line would be still intact. It would be illogical to use NVIDIA GPUs for their discrete cards since both companies compete against each other in this segment. Intel will keep developing its discrete solutions to compete with NVIDIA and AMD. Rumors still circulate about a larger "Battlemage" GPU (BMG-G31) although nothing has been officially announced.
Intel-NVIDIA Partnership Details
The partnership would be a very strategic one-there are really major points to take note of:
- NVIDIA's stake: NVIDIA makes a $5 billion investment in Intel's common stock.
- Chips for consumers and AI: The partnership will cover offerings for consumer goods (with the integration of RTX GPUs) and data center solutions (joining Intel CPUs with NVIDIA AI accelerators).
- x86 Ecosystem: The deal, in fact, really embeds NVIDIA in that x86 ecosystem for its PC and AI platforms as opposed to their alternative Arm-based schemes.
- Future Foundry: The agreement mentions making use of Intel's "process technology, manufacturing and advanced packaging capabilities," hinting at a potential bright future wherein NVIDIA could acquire Intel Foundry's 14A or 18A nodes-though the last remains open to speculation and depends on internal product success within Intel.
This collaboration places a strong position behind Intel while offering very concrete funding and confidence from shareholders. While expected product announcements would be made at future events like CES, confirmation that Intel's independent GPU endeavors will continue alongside this new partnership offers clarity on the direction of the company into the future.
