Plenty of rumours surround the Intel Xe graphics card, the first Chipzilla take on discrete graphics since 2010's ill-fated Larrabee, and now DigiTimes claims the architecture will get an H2 2020 release.
Such a release timeline means the discrete graphics cards is set for a Computex 2020 launch event, at least according to Taiwanese industry sources. DigiTimes adds the Xe cards will be built using a 10nm process and, interestingly enough, not designed solely for the gaming. Instead, DigiTimes claims "Intel is set to combine the new GPUs with its CPUs to create a competitive platform in a bid to pursuit business opportunities from data centre, AI and machine learning applications."
Further cementing the possibility of a 2020 Xe graphics launch is no other than the license plate of Intel chief architect Raja Koduri. The man has a history of vanity number plates relating directly to products he is working for since his days at AMD. For instance, back in September 2016 Koduri got himself a "Radeon" number plate, and following his leaving AMD for Chipzilla his number plate read "MIGA." People assumed the acronym meant "Make Intel Great Again," but Koduri later took to Twitter to explain it stands for "Machines, media, intelligence, imaging, graphics, architecture - all my favourite topics..."
But back to the Xe graphics cards. The number plate on Koduri's Tesla now reads "ThinkXe," together with the legends with "JUN" and "2020." Many believe this hints at the launch date, and it does line up with the DigiTimes report of a Computex 2020 reveal. Looking further to the future, DigiTimes says Xe products will adopt a 7nm process in 2021, and will be packaged using Foeveros 3D technology.
Go Intel to Unveil Discrete 10nm GPU by Mid-2020 (DigiTimes, subscription required)
