Recently, code snippets related to the Xe4 architecture have appeared in Git repositories, indirectly confirming that development work on Intel’s 15th-generation GPU architecture is steadily progressing. As a crucial part of Intel’s GPU roadmap, Druid Xe4 is reportedly set to debut in late 2025 or early 2026.
Intel’s Rapid GPU Evolution #
Intel’s GPU product line has been developing rapidly in recent years. Since the launch of the Arc Alchemist series discrete graphics cards based on the Xe HPG architecture in 2022, Intel has clearly planned three subsequent generations of GPU architectures: Battlemage (Xe² HPG), Celestial (Xe³ HPG), and Druid (based on Xe Next architecture). The Battlemage series was officially released in December 2024, including the Arc B580 and B570 products, which utilize TSMC’s 4nm process and offer improved performance and energy efficiency compared to their predecessors. Celestial is expected to make its debut in the second half of 2025, first appearing as integrated graphics in Panther Lake mobile processors, while Druid, as the fourth generation of discrete GPUs, is likely to be a significant product.
The leaked code reveals that the Xe4 architecture is named Gen 15, continuing Intel’s naming logic: the original Xe was Gen 12, Battlemage is Gen 13, and Celestial is Gen 14. Although the code does not reveal specific technical details, given Intel’s consistent R&D pace, Xe4 is expected to achieve significant breakthroughs in architectural design. Industry speculation suggests that, as common sense would dictate, Xe4 will feature improvements in ray tracing performance, AI acceleration capabilities, and support for more efficient power management.
Current Focus: Xe3 and Beyond #
Currently, Intel is focused on the implementation of the Xe3 architecture. The Xe3 GPU design is largely complete and has entered the pre-tapeout validation phase, with OEM manufacturers already beginning firmware testing based on virtual GPUs. Xe3 will first be integrated into Panther Lake processors, offering variants with 4 or 12 Xe Cores to cover a range of application scenarios from low power to high performance. The discrete graphics card version of Celestial is also under development and is expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026, likely positioned above the B580.
The development of Druid Xe4 is in an earlier stage, with initial results not expected until late 2025 at the earliest. Considering that Intel typically validates technologies through integrated graphics before launching discrete graphics cards, it is highly likely that the discrete version of Druid will be released concurrently with the full Panther Lake product line in 2026. This timeline aligns with Intel’s long-term roadmap, which involves releasing a new architecture annually between 2022 and 2025, sequentially: Alchemist, Battlemage, Celestial, and Druid.
Market Resurgence and Technical Speculations #
Korean market data indicates that Intel and AMD’s market share rebounded in 2024 due to a shortage of NVIDIA GPUs. Intel’s Arc series, with its high cost-performance ratio and DirectX 12 support, has attracted some gamers and budget-conscious consumers. Additionally, Intel’s XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) technology now supports over 200 games, boosting frame rates by up to 4x through AI super-resolution technology, further enhancing its market competitiveness.
In terms of technical specifications, although the details of Druid Xe4 are not yet public, one can infer from the progress of Battlemage. The Battlemage B580 is equipped with 28 Xe2 cores, 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM, supports a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, has a TDP of 190W, and offers performance close to NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 Ti. As a subsequent architecture, Xe4 may further enhance core count, VRAM bandwidth, and manufacturing process, potentially utilizing a 3nm or more advanced process to achieve higher power efficiency and computing density. Furthermore, Intel’s presence in the data center GPU arena provides technical accumulation for Druid. For instance, the Arctic Sound-M data center GPU supports cloud gaming, media processing, and AI visual inference, demonstrating Intel’s flexibility in multi-purpose GPU design.
Industry Trends and Future Outlook #
From an industry trend perspective, the GPU market is experiencing explosive growth. Intel is lowering the barrier to heterogeneous computing development through its open-source oneAPI programming model, enhancing the appeal of its GPU ecosystem. This strategy is likely to continue with Druid Xe4, providing developers with a unified programming interface to better unleash hardware potential.
Compared to NVIDIA and AMD, Intel entered the GPU market later, but through a clear roadmap and rapid iteration pace, it is steadily narrowing the gap. In the future, the performance of Druid Xe4 will directly impact Intel’s competitiveness in the high-end gaming, AI computing, and data center markets. The development progress of Intel’s Druid Xe4 injects new anticipation into the industry. As the fourth generation of discrete GPUs, combined with Intel’s existing achievements in the GPU market and industry trends, Druid is expected to be a crucial chess piece for Intel to challenge the high-end graphics processing market, offering users more choices.