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Full Version: Intel Unveils Xe DG1 Mobile Graphics in Discrete Graphics Card for Developers
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Intel pulls back the covers on its Xe DG1 processors in a discrete graphics card for developers.

Intel revealed its first details of the DG1 discrete graphics here at CES 2020, but chose to peel the covers back slowly on its fledgling project with a few details sprinkled in a pre-brief, and then an onstage demo of a discrete laptop graphics chip inside of a Tiger Lake-powered notebook. Today the company pulled the covers back further as it revealed the new DG1 development kit and its DG1 mobile graphics in a standard graphics card form factor that the company seeds to independent software vendors (ISV) to help them optimize for its new graphics architecture. It also demoed the card running Warframe at 1080p.

Intel says the new Gen12 architecture is a major step forward that is four times faster than the current Gen9.5 graphics architecture inside its current-gen processors, and given that this is a scalable design, that could prove to be impressive when ported over to larger chips.

Intel is adamant that this current card is simply a vehicle to speed testing of its mobile GPU, but the Xe architecture will eventually arrive in some form as a discrete graphics card. It certainly looks an awful lot like an actual discrete graphics card, and even comes with addressable RGB lighting that Intel had set to its favorite shade of blue. When asked why Intel would go to this much trouble to create such an elaborate design for a development card, the company said it wants to show off its first discrete graphics unit in style and get feedback from the community.

While Intel's first reveal of the new discrete mobile graphics unit was disappointing for some, particularly because it didn't come in the form of a graphics card for desktop PCs, it foreshadows Intel's imminent assault on the stomping grounds of AMD and Nvidia. It takes time to build out a full stack, and these are just the first steps on Intel's long journey to deliver a new end-to-end family of graphics solutions that spans from integrated graphics up to gaming cards and the data center.

From Intel's prior disclosures, we know that the Xe architecture will span across three segments: Xe-LP for low-power chips like the DG1 that will land in ultra-mobile products, Xe-HP for high performance variants, and Xe-HPC for chips destined for the high performance computing market.

The development card, which houses Intel's DG1 graphics chip, is surprisingly heavy given that this is an Xe-LP model and likely consumes less than 25W, though Intel won't confirm any hard power details. The underlying DG1 test chip obviously doesn't consume more than 75W, which is evidenced by the lack of a PCIe auxiliary power connector (like an eight-pin), meaning this card pulls all of its power from the PCIe slot. The PCIe interface is x16-capable, but we aren't sure if it uses all 16 lanes, or if it has PCIe 3.0 or 4.0.

Here we see one HDMI port and three DisplayPort outputs, which implies the chip can support a minimum of four screens. The hefty outer shroud, which appears to be metallic, covers a thinner heatsink inside that runs the length of the card and is cooled by the fan.

Intel didn't show the actual DG1 silicon, or provide any technical details, like architectural design points, die size, or transistor counts. Intel also didn't verify the process node, though it is largely thought to be 10nm+. We also don't know what type of memory, or how much, feeds the graphics processor.

Here we see the metal backplate that covers the rear of the card. Intel emblazoned the backplate with Xe branding and "Software Development Vehicle."

We also see exhaust ports on the rear I/O bracket, but air can also flow through the front edge of the card via its slotted grill.

Intel currently samples the graphics card to ISVs via its developer kit, which is pretty much a standard Coffee Lake-based computer that comes in a small chassis with glass panels on either side. While Intel demoed DG1 in a Tiger Lake system at its press conference, the company said the GPU works with other processors as well. With the graphics card under power, we can see a row of LEDs that line the rear of the shroud near the I/O plate, and we're told these LEDs are addressable. Naturally, Intel had them set to a shade of blue.
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