Intel confirms some specifications for DG2 graphics cards – up to 512 EU and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory
Intel has published several documents on its repository site regarding the upcoming discrete graphics cards, codenamed DG2. Unfortunately, these files are not freely available. They can only be accessed by a party that has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Intel. For example, these include system integrators or laptop manufacturers.
It is not entirely clear why these documents can even be found using the site’s open search engine, as even their descriptions reveal some details about future Intel GPUs. First, Intel confirms in them that the DG2 series of chips will be presented in three main variants: with 512 EU, 384 EU and 128 EU. EU or Execution Units are execution units similar to NVIDIA streaming multiprocessors. If the early rumors turned out to be true, each EU-unit contains 8 shader cores. Thus, a 512 EU graphics chip contains up to 4096 graphics cores. According to the documents, the DG2-512EU will have the BGA2660 version, and the DG2-128EU version will receive the BGA1379 version.
The information also indicates that there will be five GPU options available for laptops. Details about them in the descriptions of the documents are not indicated – they are only marked as SKU1– SKU5.
The site also provides information on various configurations of video memory. So, the flagship model with 512 EU will receive 16 GB of video memory. The declared TGP level will be 150 W, which is similar to the mobile GeForce RTX 3080. In addition, there will be models with 8, 6 and 4 GB of video memory.
The documents also confirm that the graphics cards will use GDDR6 memory with an effective speed of 14 to 18 GHz. The manufacturer has previously confirmed that the Xe-HPG architecture, which will be used in DG2 video cards, supports GDDR6 memory, but Intel did not report its maximum operating speed. On the other hand, the presence of this indicator does not guarantee that the memory subsystem of the final product will work exactly at speeds up to 18 Gbit / s.
One of the documents indicates that the DG2 GPUs will be available as expansion cards. In other words, some versions of video cards will not be soldered directly to the motherboard of the same laptops, but will be presented as separate desktop video cards. True, what models are in question in this case is not specified.
Intel also says in docs that the DG2 GPUs will debut alongside the announcement of the 11th generation Tiger Lake-H processors, which are expected to be released in the second quarter of this year.
In addition, the company is going to use the DG2-512EU version along with its Alder Lake-P processors, the 12th generation Intel Core chips that will replace Tiger Lake-H.
