There is no doubt that chip stock Intel (INTC) had a winner on its hands back when the Battlemage graphics processing unit (GPU) rolled out. And perhaps not surprisingly, Intel may be planning a follow-up version that comes with even more power.
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The new report from Quantum Bits says that Intel’s Arc series graphics cards—the ones built on the Battlemage architecture that already did so well—will soon get a substantial power boost. Specifically, their capacity will be doubled, with a 24 gigabyte model set to come to the “productivity market,” which actually does dovetail with some earlier reports.
This is being chalked up to “insider information,” as opposed to any kind of official report, so take it with the grain of salt you find most appropriate. Still, knowing that the Battlemage will soon be followed up with the Alchemist, the Celestial and the Druid does suggest that Intel already has plans to ramp up the line. Further, knowing that the Battlemage did solid business upon its release suggests that follow-up versions would be perfectly reasonable.
But That’s Not All
Moreover, word from WCCFTech noted that the Ultra 200 non-K processors will soon go on sale in China. Pre-orders on these chips are now live, and a full retail launch is set to go up just two weeks later. Non-K models will be involved, and, reports note, some F models will also be in play. This is likely in response to recent moves to ban the sale of some processors in China.
Finally, the market is not responding well to Intel’s work so far. One report noted that investors are growing increasingly concerned about Intel’s long-term strategy, as well as the lack of progress made overall in trying to stage a comeback. But with some having a positive outlook on 2025—assuming Intel manages to get its finances under control—there may yet be some hope for a recovery. Though near-term recovery does not look anywhere near so appealing.
Is Intel a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on INTC stock based on one Buy, 21 Holds and five Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 57.76% loss in its share price over the past year, the average INTC price target of $24.53 per share implies 23.11% upside potential.
