Watch out Nvidia and AMD, Intel Arc is coming for you

Spotter out Nvidia and AMD, Intel Arc is coming for you

(Image credit: Intel/Nvidia)

Before this week Intel dropped some big news that its high-operation graphics (HPG) based on its Xe architecture will sit nether the brand name of "Arc" and will get in early next year in the course of discreet graphics cards codenamed Alchemist.

Aslope this announcement, Intel released a video showing off modern games running at what appear to exist high graphics settings on a pre-production Alchemist card. With features like super sampling and ray tracing touted for the Alchemist graphics cards, if I were Nvidia and AMD, I'd be sitting up and pay a lot of attention.

Bethesda will end rereleasing Skyrim when you stop buying it
iPhone 13 Pro — 5 reasons I'll probably await for iPhone 14
Plus: The global chip shortage may exist coming to an terminate — here'due south why

AMD and Nvidia, particularly the latter, have dominated the gaming graphics arena for some time. But if this video and Intel's claims agree upward come up the first quarter of 2022, we could encounter a third contender enter the world of powerful gaming GPUs. Peculiarly as Intel isn't but looking at raw performance but besides seems to be considering advanced graphics rendering features.

The latest GeForce RTX xxx-series cards from Nvidia offering tech similar DLSS 2.0 (deep learning supersampling), which can dramatically ameliorate frame rates without noticeably compromising on graphics, likewise as dedicated ray-tracing hardware. While AMD's cards are arguably less AI-centric, Team Red still has FidelityFX Super Resolution as a form of super sampling tech that doesn't demand AI hardware.

Then Intel will need to bring something to the table if it'southward to compete with the two major players. Given Alchemist is set to support the aforementioned existent-time ray tracing, too as back up for DirectX12 Ultimate, variable-rate shading and AI supersampling, it looks like Intel is set up to fight.

That's skillful news as more competition in the gaming GPU arena means AMD and Nvidia volition need to chase performance and graphics innovations, particularly if both are to go along team blue at bay. And that could yield better graphics cards at competitive prices; which could mean more affordable additions to our best gaming PCs in the near future.

Ultraportables with proper gaming power

Dell XPS 13 OLED review — (Image credit: Futurity)

Speaking of innovation, there's a good take chances (based purely on my ane speculation) that Intel's Xe HPG tech could filter down into other Xe GPUs, such currently plant integrated in the Intel Tiger Lake laptop-grade fries.

While Xe graphics have seen laptops with Tiger Lake chips outperform predecessors, information technology's not similar the Dell XPS 13 is going to become a place on our all-time gaming laptop list. Only if more powerful HPG features could filter down to laptop-form Xe graphics, and then we could see futurity ultraportable laptops sport some solid gaming grunt.

Sure in that location are already slim and calorie-free laptops with gaming power, like the Razer Bract fourteen, laptops similar these are still gaming-centric and relatively power-hungry devices. Merely by being involved in both the CPU and GPU side, Intel could find a way to get more performance out of its integrated fries, much like AMD has with some of its newer Ryzen accelerated processing units (APUs) that blend processor and graphics power together on one chip.

So nosotros could then potentially meet ultraportables that could handle some modern gaming at decent setting and frame rates without compromising on bulk, power, heat or design. And I'm all for a machine that's easy to carry on a commute yet could even so let me practice a little flake of gaming at lunch and away from a power source.

Could Intel help fix graphics card shortages?

Nvidia RTX 3080 vs RTX 2080 Ti — (Image credit: Nvidia)

Some other potential perk of Intel entering the gaming graphics space is that information technology could help overcome the great graphics cards shortage that's making it stupidly difficult when it comes to finding Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 restocks, or any other new graphics menu at the moment.

While Nvidia and AMD are at the mercy of semiconductor shortages, Intel runs its on chip foundries, so arguably has more control over fleck production and could thus go around some shortages. So when the Alchemist cards arrive, opportune timing would give Intel an reward when the latest GeForce and Radeon cards are nonetheless in short supply, giving PC gamers another GPU choice.

Furthermore, if the Alchemist graphics cards are easier to purchase than their Nvidia and AMD counterparts, then Intel could steal GeForce and Radeon fans. In turn, that could encourage Squad Light-green and Squad Red to actually work on getting more than cards into the marketplace and thus finally overcome a shortage that's been going on for nigh a year.

And that could make it a lot easier for people looking to build a new PC in 2022. That's speculation, of course, but Intel is painting a positive picture for its graphics and PC gaming prowess in the coming new year's day.

More: Xbox Game Pass may have hurt Outriders sales

Roland Moore-Colyer is U.1000. Editor at Tom's Guide with a focus on news, features and stance manufactures. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he's too got an interest in cars. When non at his desk Roland tin can be found wandering around London, frequently with a look of curiosity on his face.