It seems the launch of Intel's Arc B580 "Battlemage" GPU has hit a snag, with at least one retailer shipping the Sparkle TITAN OC variant ahead of the official December 13th release date.
Sparkle has announced five different Arc B580/B570 cards, two of which are slated for release this week. The company has opted for its signature blue color scheme, a bold choice for a GPU design.
One Reddit user, "tzawad," appears to have received their Sparkle TITAN OC B580 early, shipped from a retailer in Poland. While exciting for the gamer, the lack of available drivers poses a significant hurdle.
This early shipment provides the first close-up look at the Sparkle card, which includes features like a unique VGA support stand and a "B" embossing on the backplate for "Battlemage."
The premature shipment may have been due to a retailer error, possibly confusing the A580 with the B580.
Another Reddit user, "Wirehead-be," also reported receiving an ASRock Arc B580 Challenger early, suggesting multiple retailers have disregarded the embargo.
Intel is expected to release the first public drivers for the B580 soon.