Intel Won’t Limit Crypto Mining on New Arc GPUs

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) doesn’t plan to include crypto mining limitations in its Arc graphics processing units (GPUs) due to be released in early 2022.

• “As far as like software lockouts and things of that nature, we’re not designing this product or building any features at this point that specifically target miners,” said Roger Chandler, general manager of Intel’s Client Graphics Products and Solutions group, in an interview with Gadgets 360.
• Chandler added that “as far as actions we’re taking to avoid or lock them out, it’s a product that will be in the market and people will be able to buy it. It’s not a priority for us.”
• Arc is Intel’s first full step into the world of discrete gaming graphics cards since 1998. Intel previously focused on integrated GPUs, which are built into the processor and share system memory with the central processing unit (CPU). Discrete cards are separate from the processor with independent memory and power sources, offering higher performance.
• The lack of crypto limitations on Arc puts Intel on the same page as Advanced Micro Devices (Nasdaq: AMD). Rival Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA) has put a hashrate limitation on its flagship GeForce GPUs to keep more products available for gamers. Nvidia did release a separate series of Cryptocurrency Mining Processors (CMPs) specifically for ethereum miners earlier this year, however.