Intel has unveiled a new family of processors specifically engineered for gaming handhelds, announcing the Arc G-Series at Computex 2026 in Taipei this week. This marks the first time the company has designed silicon from the ground up for portable gaming PCs, rather than adapting a laptop chip into a smaller form factor.
Processor Specifications
Two chips debut: the Arc G3 and the Arc G3 Extreme. Both are built on Intel's Panther Lake architecture using the 18A node, featuring 14 CPU cores: two performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and four low-power efficiency cores. Unlike standard Panther Lake laptop chips with four performance cores, Intel halved that count to optimize for heat and battery constraints, setting a configurable TDP range of 8 to 35 watts.
Graphics Capabilities
The GPU differentiates the two models. The Extreme pairs with the Arc B390, featuring 12 Xe3 cores, while the G3 uses the B370 with 10 Xe3 cores. Both support XeSS 3 upscaling, multi-frame generation, and hardware ray tracing. Intel's B390 has already demonstrated impressive performance in laptops, with Ars Technica reporting speeds up to twice as fast as AMD's Radeon 890M, though thermal limitations in handhelds may reduce that advantage.
Software Optimizations
Intel has also addressed software challenges plaguing Windows handhelds. The chips are optimized for Windows 11's full-screen Xbox mode, bypassing the clunky desktop interface. Intel Precompiled Shaders technology pulls game shaders from the cloud, reducing loading times and stuttering in titles like Black Myth: Wukong and The Outer Worlds 2. Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 7 R2, Thunderbolt 4, and dual Bluetooth 6.
Availability
Acer, MSI, and OneXPlayer are first to adopt the chips, with devices such as the Predator Atlas 8, Claw 8 EX AI+, and a OneXPlayer device arriving from June. Pricing and benchmarks have not yet been announced.
