So a while back, we heard about chip stock Intel (INTC) and its push into the graphics processing unit (GPU) market, where Intel was at best an afterthought. But after discovering that the Battlemage GPU was actually doing fairly well, that opened up opportunities for the Celestial and the Druid to come out later on. However, there are new reports that say Intel may not be done with the Battlemage just yet, as a new model has been spotted on Vietnamese shipping manifests. That revelation put some real life in Intel shares, which shot up nearly 3.5% in Friday afternoon’s trading.
The new reports reflect the Battlemage G31 GPU, which had been thought to be out of the picture, canceled by Intel brass. However, it seems to be cropping up in shipping manifests, as supplies of the G31 are actually seen going back and forth across various Intel labs. While some rumors suggested that Intel might be abandoning the field, other reports suggested that the Arc B580 was delivering sound performance at a budget price of $249.
While none of the shipping manifests listed actual GPUs, several references were made to equipment that was “designed for” the GPUs in question, the reports noted. And those shipments were actually made back in March, so it is unclear just where the process is about six to eight weeks later.
The Rise of “Turbo Cells”
And while Intel is working on new processors of all sorts, Intel is also working on the processors that are yet to come. Reports note that the 18A process, and the 14A process that will follow it, will both feature a new wrinkle that should significantly help improve processor speeds: “turbo cells.”
What is a turbo cell? Reports note that it is a “boosted cell technology” that allows for greater speeds when used in conjunction with RibbonFET 2 processes. Intel noted that turbo cells would “…allow…designers to optimize a mix of more performant cells and more power-efficient cells within a design block, enabling a tailored balance between power, performance and area for target applications.”
Is Intel a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on INTC stock based on one Buy, 26 Holds and four Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 32.36% loss in its share price over the past year, the average INTC price target of $21.29 per share implies 3.15% upside potential.
