Gunnir packs two Arc Pro B70 GPUs into compact workstation as Maxsun moves GPU off motherboard

Gunnir showed two custom workstation systems built around Intel's Arc Pro B70 graphics processors. Both machines use Intel Core Ultra 200HX Arrow Lake-HX processors, so neither configuration includes an AMD processor or graphics option. The larger system fits two Arc Pro B70 cards inside a compact enclosure, while liquid cooling handles the heat from the graphics hardware. Each card carries 32GB of GDDR6 ECC memory, giving the dual-GPU workstation 64GB of memory spread across two separate graphics processors rather than a single pool. Supported software can distribute workloads between them, and Intel's oneAPI framework supports computation across multiple devices, allowing compatible applications to use several GPUs for parallel processing. Intel builds the B70 on its larger BMG-G31 Battlemage GPU, which contains 32 Xe cores and 256 XMX engines for up to 367 INT8 TOPS. Intel lists 608GB/s of memory bandwidth for each B70 card, which applies to both graphics processors in the larger workstation. Partner boards can run between 160W and 290W, a wider spread than the single 230W rating Intel gives its reference board. Intel launched the B70 earlier this year with a suggested starting price of $949, although partner versions can carry different prices. The event coverage listed no shipping date, price, or release window for either workstation.

The smaller Gunnir workstation places the same GPU family into a more compact design, with a vapor chamber managing thermal output instead of liquid cooling. Gunnir also showed MXM graphics modules using B50 and B65 chips for compact systems where conventional PCIe cards cannot fit. Neither the B50 nor the B65 module listed memory, core counts, or pricing in the coverage, so their performance against the B70 is unclear. Separately, Gunnir sells the Arc Pro B70 TF 32G for workstation use, with 32GB of ECC memory and a blower cooler built for sustained operation. ECC memory corrects certain data errors automatically. Because partner boards range from 160W to 290W, Gunnir's blower and liquid cooling choices may matter as much as the silicon itself. Intel describes the B70 as suited to local AI inference and workloads that can use several graphics processors at the same time, which explains why Gunnir is experimenting with dense dual-GPU systems rather than conventional gaming desktops, according to the event coverage.

Maxsun designed a compact workstation that separates its graphics card from the motherboard while retaining a high-speed PCIe connection. The system uses MCIO connectors to move the graphics processor away from its conventional motherboard location inside a small Cooler Master chassis. Maxsun demonstrated the system at Intel Connection 2026 alongside several forthcoming mini PCs. This workstation uses a Z890 Mini-ITX board with MCIO replacing the conventional GPU connection, allowing the motherboard and graphics card to sit on opposite sides of the chassis. Mini-ITX is 17 cm by 17 cm, which limits how far designers can space components. Maxsun previously confirmed that PCIe lanes can pass through slim cable connectors on its Q870 and Z890 boards, supporting x8+x8 and x8+(x4+x4) splits. An x8+x8 split divides 16 lanes into two groups of eight, while x8+(x4+x4) divides the second group again into two links of four lanes. The connector, common in data center hardware, is reported to support PCIe Gen5 links, though the exact bandwidth achieved in this system was not stated.

In the demonstration, Maxsun installed the motherboard and graphics card on opposite sides of a Cooler Master i100 Air chassis, using a Hyper 510 low-profile cooler for the processor and a V850 SFX Gold power supply. Because retail graphics cards lack native MCIO connectors, an adapter or intermediary board remains necessary to establish the cabled PCIe connection. That requirement means the MCIO approach changes the motherboard's connection method rather than altering the graphics card itself. Maxsun did not specify the graphics card used in the demonstration and did not show performance figures, temperatures, or noise, so the demonstration offers no evidence about how the finished system behaves under sustained workloads. What the setup does establish is that MCIO can relocate the graphics card within the chassis while preserving a PCIe connection to the motherboard. That flexibility could simplify layouts where a conventional expansion slot would restrict the placement of a large graphics card inside a compact enclosure. However, Gen5 PCIe connections operate at high signaling rates, making cable quality, connector design, and signal integrity important to maintaining reliable operation. Maxsun has previously shown MCIO-equipped motherboards but has not provided a launch date or pricing for the device. Until those details and independent testing become available, the demonstration shows the layout's technical possibility rather than a finished product.