Intel’s Arc G3 chips are here to pick a fight with AMD’s Ryzen Z2

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Intel has announced the new Arc G3 series of processors for handheld gaming PCs.
• The Arc G3 is based on Intel’s latest Panther Lake mobile chips.
• The new processors are debuting in the Acer Predator Atlas 8, MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, and ONEXPLAYER 3.

Overview

Rising component costs may have slowed the market for handheld gaming PCs (or gaming PCs in general), but that’s not stopping Intel from delivering on its promise. As the company announced at CES 2026 and ahead of Computex 2026, Intel is launching a new lineup of mobile processors specifically for Windows 11‑based gaming handhelds. The new Intel Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme processors are positioned to take on AMD’s Ryzen Z‑series.

The Arc G3 series is built on Intel’s Panther Lake (Core Ultra 300 series) using the 18A fabrication node. Intel emphasizes that these chips are designed in close collaboration with hardware manufacturers to ensure gaming performance comparable to that of traditional gaming PCs.

Specifications

CPU

• 14‑core design: 2 P (performance) cores, 8 E (efficiency) cores, and 4 LP E (low‑power efficiency) cores.
• Arc G3 peak frequency: 4.6 GHz.
• Arc G3 Extreme peak frequency: 4.7 GHz.
• Supports up to 96 GB of LPDDR5X memory.

GPU

• Integrated iGPU based on Intel Xe³ architecture (marketed as Arc B390 graphics).
• Supports XeSS, Intel’s AI‑based graphics upscaling technology.

Memory

• LPDDR5X memory support up to 96 GB, targeting high‑end handheld configurations.

Connectivity

• Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
• Thunderbolt 4 support, enabling eGPU connections for docked performance boosts.

Devices Launching with Arc G3

• Acer Predator Atlas 8 – announced with two variants featuring the Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme chips.
• MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ – incorporates the new Arc G3 processors, expanding MSI’s handheld lineup.
• ONEXPLAYER 3 – also equipped with the Arc G3 series, expected to reach shelves no earlier than June 2026.

These devices join earlier Intel‑powered handhelds such as the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+, which used Core Ultra 7 with the older Lunar Lake architecture.