A working prototype of MaxSun's unusual Arc B580 graphics card, featuring two M.2 SSD slots, has been pictured by JustBuy, confirming the card's existence.
Earlier, MaxSun showcased a render of their iCraft B580 model on the day Intel launched Battlemage GPUs. This design included two M.2 SSD slots hidden under a large heatsink, a feature not present in retail samples.
Prototype Details
JustBuy has now unveiled an engineering prototype, showcasing the full PCB and various M.2 SSD configurations. The sockets are compatible with various form factors, including 22100, but it remains to be seen if those will actually fit into the final retail card. The earlier renders showed a specialized slot for easier storage replacement, without disassembling the card.
As a reminder, the Arc B580 GPU has a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface but a physical x16 interface. The M.2 SSDs use the 8 unused lanes (4 per SSD) while still using a single motherboard interface. This design is similar to what ASUS has done on consumer cards and other attempts like those of AMD’s FirePro series.
MaxSun has not announced a launch plan, but we’ll monitor their website for updates. Source: JustBuy
