Tag: Intel Arc

  • Pearl Abyss Apologizes and Removes Intel Arc Refund Message

    Pearl Abyss Apologizes and Removes Intel Arc Refund Message

    Key Takeaways

    1. Pearl Abyss apologized and changed its stance on supporting Intel Arc GPUs, committing to improve compatibility and optimization for the game Crimson Desert.

    2. The initial response from Pearl Abyss was dismissive, suggesting Intel Arc users seek refunds, leading to outrage in the gaming community.

    3. Intel expressed disappointment over the lack of support for Arc users and offered to assist Pearl Abyss in resolving the issues.

    4. Pearl Abyss has removed the Intel Arc section from its FAQ and is actively working on updates, with some users now able to launch the game after a recent patch.

    5. Many Intel Arc players still face ongoing issues, such as missing textures and black screens, with no official release date for further patches announced yet.


    Following the recent uproar over Pearl Abyss asking Intel Arc users to refund their copies of Crimson Desert, a wave of frustration swept through the gaming community. In light of the backlash, Pearl Abyss has issued a strong apology and has changed its position regarding Intel Arc GPUs. Surprisingly, gamers have begun reporting that Crimson Desert now “launches” on Intel Arc systems, but the performance improvements and bug fixes are still not up to par.

    Apology and Commitment to Improvement

    Pearl Abyss took to X to apologize and backtrack from its earlier FAQ response. They stated:

    “About Crimson Desert support for Intel Arc: We are actively working on making the game compatible and optimized for Intel Arc GPU systems. Our goal is to deliver a seamless and stable gameplay experience, and we kindly ask for your patience until the support update is ready.”

    The studio also mentioned:

    “We regret any confusion that our FAQ language from earlier might have caused regarding playability on Intel Arc GPUs. Please consider this as our official update on the matter. Thank you.”

    Dismissive Initial Response

    Initially, the FAQ was quite dismissive, with Pearl Abyss telling Intel Arc users that the game does not support Intel’s graphics cards and suggesting that those hoping to play on these GPUs should seek refunds on their respective platforms. This blunt communication felt out of place for such a highly anticipated release, leading to outrage among gamers, particularly those using Intel Arc. Intel even stepped in to clarify the situation and shifted the blame back to Pearl Abyss. They mentioned that they had tried multiple times to engage with Pearl Abyss regarding Intel Arc optimization and support, but with no success.

    Intel expressed its “huge disappointment” that players using Intel graphics hardware were unable to enjoy the world of Pywel at launch. However, they also stated their willingness to assist Pearl Abyss however they could.

    Changes and Ongoing Issues

    In light of these events, Pearl Abyss has removed the section about Intel Arc from its FAQ and is actively working on optimizations and updates for those users. Some Intel Arc GPU players have indicated that the recent patch v1.00.03 allows them to start the game. Nevertheless, many users still experience issues like missing textures, shaders, or even an in-game black screen upon booting the game.

    Pearl Abyss has not yet provided an official release date for a patch that supports Intel Arc GPUs and has asked gamers to be patient as they work on these improvements.

    Source:
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  • Intel Provides Support for Crimson Desert Optimization by Pearl Abyss

    Intel Provides Support for Crimson Desert Optimization by Pearl Abyss

    Key Takeaways

    1. Many PC gamers, especially those with Intel Arc GPUs, are unable to play Crimson Desert due to lack of support for these graphics cards.
    2. Intel has expressed disappointment over Pearl Abyss not collaborating to provide assistance for optimizing the game for Intel graphics hardware.
    3. Pearl Abyss announced Intel Arc GPU incompatibility only after the game’s release, causing confusion and frustration among players.
    4. Intel is committed to providing support for Arc GPUs in Crimson Desert but places some responsibility on Pearl Abyss for the launch issues.
    5. The game’s performance issues extend to basic Nvidia GPUs, like the GT 1030, highlighting broader compatibility problems beyond Intel graphics.


    Crimson Desert has let down a lot of PC gamers, particularly those who have Intel Arc GPUs. This isn’t merely a minor glitch; the issue has turned into a public spat between Pearl Abyss and Intel. Intel asserts that Pearl Abyss disregarded their attempts to provide assistance, leaving them in the dust. On top of that, it seems Crimson Desert struggles to perform even on basic Nvidia GPUs, like the GT 1030.

    Intel’s Official Position

    Intel has made it clear why many gamers using Intel’s Arc Battlemage GPUs are unable to access Crimson Desert: the game simply does not support the Battlemage GPU family at all. In a formal statement to Wccftech, Intel expressed:

    “We know that Crimson Desert doesn’t start on systems with Intel Arc GPUs, and we’re quite disappointed that players with Intel graphics hardware can’t enter the world of Pywel upon launch.”

    They further explained, “For several years, we have tried to connect with Pearl Abyss multiple times to assist in testing, validating, and optimizing support for Intel graphics, providing early hardware drivers and engineering resources over different generations of Intel GPUs and platforms, such as Alchemist, Battlemage, Meteor Lake, and Lunar Lake.”

    Intel’s Commitment to Support

    Intel reiterated its dedication to ensuring that Arc GPUs are supported in Crimson Desert, while also placing some of the accountability back on Pearl Abyss. The chip manufacturer added:

    “For information on why Intel Arc support wasn’t activated at launch, please contact Pearl Abyss directly. Our teams are strongly committed to aiding all studios in delivering the best experience, offering optimization tools, documentation, and direct engineering assistance to make sure their games run smoothly for everyone, including the millions of players using Intel GPUs. We are always ready to support Pearl Abyss in any way we can.”

    To complicate things even further, Pearl Abyss did not announce the incompatibility with Intel GPUs until after the game was released. Later, they updated their official FAQ to state that Intel Arc GPUs are not supported and urged Intel Arc users to seek refunds for Crimson Desert on their platforms.

    Market Impact

    Although Intel’s Arc series currently occupies a small portion of the GPU market, the integrated graphics provided by Meteor Lake, Lunar Lake, and Raptor Lake are found in millions of laptops and desktops. This implies that gamers hoping to experience the game, even on basic Intel integrated graphics, cannot launch it at all, resulting in widespread frustration.

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  • Crimson Desert Launch: Intel Arc Users Face Graphics Error on Steam

    Crimson Desert Launch: Intel Arc Users Face Graphics Error on Steam

    Key Takeaways

    1. Release and Player Response: Crimson Desert was released on March 19 and quickly attracted hundreds of thousands of players on Steam.

    2. Incompatibility with Intel Arc GPUs: Players using Intel’s Arc graphics cards were unable to play the game due to lack of support, leading to disappointment.

    3. Refund Recommendations: Pearl Abyss advised Intel Arc users to seek refunds for the game purchase after confirming the incompatibility.

    4. Communication Issues: The compatibility problem was not disclosed before the game’s launch, leaving players frustrated and unprepared.

    5. Growing Intel Arc Popularity: Despite initial driver issues, Intel’s Arc GPUs have been improving and gaining popularity, yet still lack support for this particular game.


    Crimson Desert was released on March 19 and attracted hundreds of thousands of players on Steam. Yet, players with older graphics processing units (GPUs) faced an unpleasant surprise. Specifically, those using Intel’s Arc graphics cards found themselves unable to play the game since it does not offer support for these GPUs. In a surprising twist, Pearl Abyss, the game’s developer, is even advising Intel Arc users to seek refunds for their purchases.

    Intel Arc’s Growing Popularity

    Intel’s Arc series of dedicated gaming GPUs has been gradually gaining traction since it launched in 2022. Although the initial release faced difficulties due to driver problems, the newer Intel graphics cards, particularly the Arc B580, have been showing improvement. They can provide a decent gaming experience at native 1080p and 1440p resolutions, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, 20 Xe cores, and 20 ray tracing units.

    Incompatibility Issues Persist

    Despite the impressive specs of Intel Arc GPUs, they are not compatible with Crimson Desert. Pearl Abyss confirmed this incompatibility shortly after the game’s release in their official FAQ, stating:

    “No, Crimson Desert currently does not support Intel Arc graphics cards. If you purchased the game expecting Intel Arc support, please refer to the platform’s refund policy for available options. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

    Currently, there is no word from the studio on potential updates or a schedule for when Intel Arc graphics cards might be supported in the future. Attempting to start Crimson Desert with an Intel Arc card simply results in an error message: “The graphics device is currently not supported.”

    Frustration Over Communication

    What adds to the frustration is the fact that Pearl Abyss did not mention this compatibility issue before the game’s launch. They had provided detailed, specification-heavy PC requirements and discussed the game’s optimization efforts, yet the Intel Arc GPU problem was not highlighted.

    Although general PC specifications were disclosed just a week prior to the game’s launch, the Intel-specific FAQ was only updated after the game was already available. This left many players feeling disappointed and caught off guard, as they had anticipated wider hardware compatibility.

    On the Intel Arc subreddit, one user suggested that the lack of information seemed intentional, stating, “The studio seems pretty adamant about wanting their game to perform well on all kinds of hardware configurations. They literally posted configurations and requirements for the ROG Ally. The fact that they’re releasing Crimson Desert on macOS also confirms this. I’m very disappointed, and I was looking forward to playing.”

    Source:
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  • Dynabook Tecra A65-M: Boost Integrated Graphics with Dual-Channel RAM

    Dynabook Tecra A65-M: Boost Integrated Graphics with Dual-Channel RAM

    Key Takeaways

    1. Integrated GPUs have greatly improved, now handling demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 effectively.
    2. Dual-channel RAM is essential for optimal graphics performance, with single-channel setups significantly reducing performance.
    3. The Dynabook Tecra A65-M tested with single-channel memory was nearly 40% slower than similar systems with dual-channel memory.
    4. Users can upgrade the Dynabook to dual-channel RAM by adding a second DDR5 SODIMM module for better performance.
    5. Upgrading to dual-channel memory is highly recommended for PCs relying on integrated graphics to enhance overall GPU performance.


    Integrated GPUs have significantly improved since the early days of Intel UHD Graphics. The latest offerings from Intel Arc and AMD Radeon are now capable of handling demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 at reasonable settings and resolutions. Yet, one thing remains constant: the strong dependence on dual-channel RAM.

    Performance Comparison

    In our latest evaluation of the Dynabook Tecra A65-M, we found that our test model was set up with single-channel memory rather than the typical dual-channel configuration. This choice leads to a notable drop in graphics performance, especially when compared to systems equipped with the same integrated GPU but utilizing a dual-channel setup. The comparison graph below illustrates that the Tecra A65-M can be nearly 40 percent slower than the average PC that uses the same Radeon iGPU, given that most PCs feature dual-channel RAM.

    Upgrading Memory

    Fortunately, the Dynabook device can accommodate up to two separate DDR5 SODIMM modules, allowing users to easily add a second module for a dual-channel setup. We always suggest opting for dual-channel memory when possible on PCs that rely on integrated graphics, as it greatly enhances GPU performance for the price. Without it, performance can be significantly reduced.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, while integrated GPUs have advanced, the memory configuration remains crucial. The Dynabook Tecra A65-M presents an opportunity for users to upgrade their memory for better graphics performance, making it a worthwhile consideration for gamers and general users alike.