The wait is almost over for Intel’s first desktop Alchemist cards, which will be here in time for summer.
The first desktop Arc Alchemist graphics cards will arrive in time for summer, barring any last minute snags. Intel confirmed as much ahead of an investor meeting scheduled for this evening, saying desktop add-in cards based on Alchemist will ship in the second quarter, followed by professional models for workstations in the third quarter. Laptop variants will arrive any time now (first quarter). While we still do not have a precise release date, this is the most detailed Intel has been with regards to when its first discrete GPUs of the modern era will permeate the market. Intel’s fiscal quarters pretty much coincide with calendar quarters, so a Q2 launch could fall anywhere from the beginning of April to the end of June. Summer officially begins on June 21. Intel is entering the discrete GPU market at a time when graphic cards are immensely hot commodities. Even budget cards command prices well above MSRP by marketplace sellers and at outlets like eBay and Craigslist.
