Intel Announces Arc G Series Processors for Handheld Gaming PCs
Intel is directly challenging AMD's dominance in the handheld gaming PC segment with a purpose-built SoC, a market AMD has led since the Steam Deck's launch.
Reporting from 1 sources: GameBusiness.jp.
Intel has announced a new processor family, the Arc G Series, designed for next-generation handheld gaming PCs. Two models will be available: the Arc G3 Extreme and the Arc G3. The series is based on the Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) architecture and integrates either an Arc B390 or Arc B370 GPU. Intel aims to compete in a market where AMD's SoCs have become the standard, following devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. Handheld gaming PCs with the new processors are expected from MSI, Acer, OneXPlayer, and others within the next few months, with shipping starting in June 2026. The Arc G Series features 2 P-cores, 8 E-cores, and 4 LPE cores. Both GPUs support ray tracing, multi-frame generation via XeSS 3, AI upscaling, and latency reduction. Other features include an Xbox mode for Windows 11, Intel Precompiled Shaders for faster game loading, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7 R2, and dual Bluetooth 6. Further details will be announced at Computex 2026 starting June 2. Acer also announced the Predator Atlas 8, a portable gaming PC equipped with the Arc G3 Extreme or Arc G3 processor, featuring an 8-inch 120Hz touchscreen, Predator AeroBlade cooling, and up to 24GB RAM. It is scheduled for release in October 2026 in multiple regions.
Intel is positioning the Arc G Series as a direct competitor to the AMD SoCs that have powered handheld PCs since the Steam Deck launched in 2022. The company previously supplied mobile Core processors for handhelds through a partnership with MSI, but the new chips are purpose-built for the form factor.
The Arc G3 Extreme's integrated Arc B390 GPU has 12 Xe3 cores, while the Arc G3's Arc B370 has 10. Both support real-time ray tracing, AI-powered multi-frame generation via XeSS 3, and latency reduction. The SoC uses 2 P-cores, 8 E-cores, and 4 LPE cores.
Intel Precompiled Shaders downloads pre-built shader files from Intel's cloud to speed up game launches. The full-screen Xbox mode for Windows 11 is optimized for controller operation. Handhelds with the chips are scheduled to ship from OEM partners starting June 2026. Further details will be announced at Computex 2026 in Taipei starting June 2.
Acer's Predator Atlas 8 is one of the first devices to adopt the new processors. It uses the Predator AeroBlade cooling system, a technology Acer developed for its gaming laptops. The 8-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) IPS display has a 16:10 aspect ratio, 500 nits peak brightness, 120Hz refresh rate with variable refresh rate, and 10-point multi-touch input. The cover glass is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus with DXC coating. The L2/R2 triggers use Hall effect sensors with a switch that toggles between microswitch mode for FPS games and analog mode for racing games. A dedicated PredatorSense button adjusts performance modes and RGB lighting. The device includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a UHS-II microSD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2W×2 speakers with DTS:X Ultra, and dual microphones with Acer PurifiedVoice AI noise reduction. It runs Windows 11 and includes PredatorSense software for the first time on a portable gaming device. The battery is up to 80Wh, and the device weighs under 810g with that battery or under 770g with a 60Wh option. The Predator Atlas 8 ships with a 2-month Xbox Game Pass Premium subscription and a 3-month PC Game Pass subscription. It is scheduled for release in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia in October 2026. Pricing and Japan availability have not been announced.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GameBusiness.jp Acer、インテルArc G3シリーズ搭載の携帯型ゲーミングPC「Predator Atlas 8」発表