Intel Xe-HPG will be officially christened Intel Arc, DG2 Arc codenamed Alchemist to offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-based super sampling

It is well-known by now that Intel is working on its own GPU architecture for gaming and content creation. The upcoming Xe-HPG DG2 GPU has so far been speculated to be competitive against the likes of at least mid-range Nvidia Ampere and AMD Navi 2x cards. Now, Intel is officially naming the Xe-HPG family as Intel Arc.

According to Intel, Arc spans hardware, software, and services. Arc will also encompass several GPU generations. The first generation, known as DG2, will be codenamed Alchemist. Alchemist is set to officially be available in Q1 2022. Intel also revealed the codenames of successive Arc generations viz. Battlemage, Celestial, and Druid. 

Intel's VP and GM of Client Graphics Products and Solutions, Roger Chandler, said,

Today marks a key moment in the graphics journey we started just a few years ago. The launch of the Intel Arc brand and the reveal of future hardware generations signifies Intel’s deep and continued commitment to gamers and creators everywhere. We have teams doing incredible work to ensure we deliver first-class and frictionless experiences when these products are available early next year."

The company also confirmed that Arc Alchemist will feature hardware accelerated ray tracing, AI-based super sampling, and full DirectX 12 Ultimate support. Intel's graphics chief Raja Koduri had previously stated that Intel's own supersampler, probably called XeSS, can achieve "better quality and performance" but said that the company will try to "align with open approaches to make ISV's job easier" when asked about compatibility of DG2 with AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution feature.

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