The ongoing confusion regarding Intel’s graphics technology seems to have cleared up, but not entirely. Intel has confirmed that the Xe3 iGPU in its Panther Lake chip is officially not attributed to the Celestial architecture everyone has been anticipating, but is rather a progression on the Xe2 architecture, termed as Xe2 ‘Plus Plus’. This revelation comes amidst Intel’s surprising collaboration with Nvidia, leaving many questions about how these developments will unfold.

What’s New?

Intel’s Tom Petersen elaborated in a recent podcast that the Xe3 has distinct differences from the previously rumored Celestial architecture. He described Xe3 as an evolutionary upgrade rather than an entirely new architecture. Petersen noted:

‘Ah, no, it’s actually not. It’s similar to Xe2.’

This collaboration plays into the broader strategy for Intel, hinting that while the Xe series is evolving, it may not be aimed at gaming enthusiasts as previously thought. Instead, insights suggest these chips may fit somewhere in a lower-end marketplace, particularly as the integration of Nvidia’s technology becomes more pronounced in Intel’s future roadmap.

With the current ambiguity surrounding future releases and what impacts this partnership may bring, the industry awaits further clarity on Intel’s strategy moving forward.