Intel Arc B770 "Big Battlemage" (BMG-G31): The 2026 Flagship

⚡ Quick Summary (TL;DR)

Target Product Arc B770 (Desktop Flagship)

Core Specs 32 Xe2 Cores / 16GB VRAM

Power Class 300W Enthusiast Segment

Launch Target CES 2026 (Early Jan)

The saga of Intel’s high-end Battlemage GPU has finally reached its conclusion. As of late December 2025, official support for the BMG-G31 die has surfaced in Intel’s VTune Profiler and XPU Manager 1.3.5, confirming that "Big Battlemage" is not only real but ready for its CES 2026 debut. Built on the Xe2-HPG architecture and TSMC’s 5nm (N5) process, this card is Intel's attempt to erase the memory of its rocky Alchemist launch.

Market Reality Check: While initial rumors pointed toward a $349 price point, the current late-2025 global DRAM shortage has pushed GDDR6 prices up significantly. Industry analysts now expect a launch MSRP closer to $449 - $499 to sustain margins.

Specification	Confirmed/Expected Detail	The "So What?" Factor
Architecture	Xe2-HPG (Battlemage)	Native support for PCIe 5.0 and significantly improved RT throughput.
Compute Power	32 Xe2 Cores (4,096 Shaders)	A 60% uplift in core count over the mid-range B580.
Memory Subsystem	16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit Bus	Provides ~608 GB/s bandwidth; outclasses NVIDIA’s 12GB mid-range cards.
Power (TDP)	300W	Suggests Intel is pushing clock speeds to rival RTX 5070 performance.
Killer App	XeSS 3.0 Multi-Frame Gen	Capable of 4x Frame Generation, delivering smooth 4K gameplay via AI.

2026 Competitive Landscape

The B770 enters a crowded field alongside NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 and AMD’s RX 9070. Here is how Intel plans to win:

Vs. RTX 5070: While NVIDIA retains an edge in pure Ray Tracing efficiency, Intel’s 16GB of VRAM provides more longevity for 1440p "Ultra" textures than NVIDIA’s rumored 12GB base models.
Vs. RX 9070: AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture is highly efficient, but Intel’s XeSS 3 "Multi-Frame Gen" currently produces a cleaner image than FSR in motion-heavy titles.

Pro Insight: The 300W TDP is a strategic choice. By pushing the silicon beyond the "efficiency sweet spot," Intel is signaling they are done playing it safe. They are aiming for performance parity first, efficiency second.

Final Verdict

Intel's persistence with the BMG-G31 die proves they are committed to the discrete GPU market. If they can stick to a sub-$500 price point and deliver rock-solid day-one drivers at CES 2026, the Arc B770 will be the "spoiler" that the GPU market desperately needs. For gamers tired of the "VRAM tax" on other platforms, Big Battlemage looks like the strongest alternative in years.