Intel is preparing to officially announce the Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme handheld chips earlier than initially expected, potentially before the Computex 2026 window in June. The company plans to reveal these processors on May 28, shifting away from the previously anticipated timeline tied to the major tech conference.
New handheld processors target portable gaming with improved power efficiency
The new silicon targets the gaming handheld market with two distinct models: Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme. Both chips share a 14-core CPU architecture comprising two performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and four low-power efficiency cores. The primary difference lies in their GPU configurations, with the Extreme variant featuring twelve cores of the Arc B390 GPU compared to ten cores on the standard Arc B370.
Clock speeds highlight the performance gap between the two chips. The Arc G3 Extreme reaches a boost clock of 4.7 GHz, while the standard Arc G3 tops out at 4.6 GHz. The chip designs support compact gaming hardware by balancing energy efficiency with robust graphics performance.
Simulated benchmarks indicate that the Arc G3 Extreme could deliver better performance than AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme in handheld environments where power consumption is strictly limited. Early data indicates potential advantages for long playtimes on portable systems, but actual performance will depend on final device implementations.
MSI and Acer are expected to launch new handheld consoles powered by these chips. MSI will likely showcase an updated Claw series device with an 8-inch display running the Arc G3 Extreme. Acer is also preparing the Predator Atlas 8 for release, expanding the ecosystem of Intel-based gaming handhelds on the market.
No pricing or availability details have been confirmed for the chips themselves or the associated handheld devices. The announcement date remains set for May 28, but final retail information will likely follow closer to when partner products hit store shelves.
Source: NotebookCheck
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