Intel has introduced the latest version 2.3.0 of its Open Image Denoise open-source library of high-performance, high-quality denoising filters for images rendered with ray tracing. The updated library improves quality and adds support for Intel's next-generation Arc Battlemage graphics processing architecture as well as upcoming processors codenamed Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake.
The core of the Intel Open Image Denoise library consists of efficient deep learning-based denoising filters, designed to manage a wide range of samples per pixel (spp), from 1 spp to nearly fully converged. The library operates on a wide range of machines, from laptops to workstations and compute nodes in HPC systems, but it needs to support the hardware it operates on, which is why Intel is now adding support for its upcoming products.
The list of products that the Open Image Denoise version 2.3.0 supports includes the upcoming discrete Arc Battlemage graphics processors that are expected to arrive sometime in the second half of the year as well as Intel's Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake CPUs that will come with Arc Xe integrated graphics (presumably based on the Xe2 microarchitecture).
Intel reportedly plans to launch its second-generation Arc Battlemage graphics processors this fall, targeting the holiday sales surge that begins around Black Friday, so expect the release by November at the latest. This timing allows Intel to capitalize on the critical holiday shopping season, especially in the U.S. The launch aims to give Intel's add-in-board partners enough time to ramp up production and ship products to retailers worldwide. The initial launch could occur earlier, though specific details are not yet finalized.
Intel is reportedly developing two new Battlemage GPUs: Battlemage-G10 and Battlemage-G21, with the G10 targeting the midrange market and the G21 catering to entry-level systems. The Battlemage-G21 is currently in the pre-qualification stage, which involves testing functionality, reliability, and performance. Successful pre-qualification could lead to mass production, but there is no guarantee. The state of Battlemage-G10 is unclear, though previous launches suggest it could be further out.
The addition of Battlemage support to Intel's own software largely indicates that the development of Battlemage is proceeding on track.
