Intel's first discrete Arc desktop GPU is coming in the second quarter of 2022

Intel has given an update on the timeline for its long-awaited foray into the discrete graphics game: Arc GPUs for laptops are set to ship soon in Q1 2022 (where they'll be available alongside Intel's new 12th Gen Elder Lake HK). Will slot neatly onto the machines with the .-series CPUs that it launched at CES 2022). Arc desktop GPUs will still have a bit of a wait ahead of them: Intel says they won't arrive sometime in Q2, while workstation graphics cards won't hit until Q3.

Intel has quietly announced a new, upcoming service for its Arc GPUs — "Project Endgame," which will allow customers to access Intel's graphics cards for an "always accessible, low-latency computing experience." The exact mechanisms here aren't entirely clear, but it looks like Intel will allow customers to rent GPUs in the cloud, or even a full front-end gaming service like Nvidia's GeForce Now subscription.

There are almost no details on Project Endgame yet, including what kind of GPU access it will give customers, how much it will cost, or whether it will even be a gaming-focused product. But Intel is saying it will arrive sometime later this year, so we'll find out more soon. The fact that Intel is planning some sort of cloud streaming service is also the latest sign of confidence the company has in its discrete GPU.

Additionally, Intel announced that it has begun architecture work on its third-generation Arc GPUs, codenamed "Celestial". (For reference, Alchemist is the first generation of GPUs slated to arrive this year, while a second generation of hardware, "BattleMage," is already in the works). Most notably, though, the third-gen Celestial GPUs are said to offer "a product that will address the ultra-enthusiast segment"—meaning Intel if taking on graphics cards like Nvidia's flagship 3090 Ti or can set its sights. AMD's RX 6900 XT.

That said, it's probably worth the tempering expectations: After all, Intel hasn't released its first-generation GPUs just yet, and it's likely some time before its 'third-generation graphics cards' are ready for the market. will be first.