Intel might be preparing three DG2 GPUs after all, SOC3 with 256EUs appears

Intel DG2 GPU with 256 Execution Cores?

Intel might have just confirmed that there is a third variant of the DG2 GPU, codenamed SOC3. 

In the recent patches to Intel’s Graphics System Controller Firmware Update Library (IGSCU FU) for Linux, there is an entry with a third DG2 GPU, supposedly featuring 256 Execution Units (so 2048 FP32 cores  or 16 Xe Cores). This has change been noticed by KOMACHI.

Intel DG2 SOC3, Source: Intel/Github

Although it is referred to as SOC3, it is listed between SOC1 and SOC2, possibly because it is launching later. However, this likely not the first time we are hearing about this variant. In September 2020, a PCB diagram featuring supposedly DG2-384EU graphics processor has been leaked. This was even before Intel published official renders of the SOC/SOC2 chips, so things like die sizes were unknown.

With everything we know already, it appears that this supposed 384EU GPU is actually the SOC3 with 256 cores mentioned by Intel. The die size should be just about the half of the SOC1 (so around 190-200 mm²).

Intel DG2 GPU Family, Source: Locuza, Igor’sLAB, VideoCardz, Intel

The problem with SOC3 is that nowhere in the recently leaked slides did Intel mention the SOC3. Intel did however list 256EU as mobile SKU3, however it was clearly using the SOC1 GPU.

Intel DG2 Product Family Positioning

With the return of a rumored third variant of the DG2 GPU, one might consider it a perfect fit for the Arc A500 series. With half the cores of SOC1, it would probably at RTX 3060/RX6600 level of performance.

As reported by Phoronix, Intel recently added a new DG2_G12 GPU variant to its i915 graphics drivers. This sub-platform might be the rumored SOC3.

One should remember that there is a chance that the plans for SOC3 have been dropped and Intel IGSCU code simply shows an unused code for a GPU that will probably never be released. However, this leak proves that there are still a lot of mysteries surrounding the Arc Alchemist GPU family, despite its full launch in the next 4 months.

Source: Intel (Github) via @KOMACHI_ENSAKA