Intel has officially introduced its new Arc G3 CPU series following a wave of leaks surrounding its Panther Lake lineup aimed at gaming handheld devices. The new processors are built on a 14-core hybrid design and are positioned as part of Intel’s growing focus on portable gaming performance, especially as Windows-based handheld gaming continues to expand with Xbox mode integration rolling out across supported systems.
The Arc G3 lineup includes two models, the Arc G3 Extreme and the standard Arc G3. Both chips share the same CPU configuration, combining 2 Performance-cores, 8 Efficiency-cores, and 4 Low Power Efficiency-cores. However, Intel differentiates them through clock speeds and integrated GPU configurations, targeting different performance tiers for handheld OEMs.
The Arc G3 Extreme reaches up to 4.7GHz boost frequency, while the standard Arc G3 tops out at 4.6GHz. Both variants maintain identical base clock speeds, with P-cores operating at 1.9GHz and both E-cores and LP E-cores running at 1.5GHz. The chips also share a flexible power envelope designed for handheld devices, balancing performance and efficiency depending on workload demands.
On the graphics side, Intel uses its Xe3 architecture for both models, but with different configurations. The Arc G3 Extreme features the Arc B390 iGPU with 12 Xe cores, while the Arc G3 comes with the Arc B370 iGPU featuring 10 Xe cores. The reduced configuration still delivers strong performance targets, with Intel claiming up to 90 TOPS Int8 performance for the B370, compared to 113 TOPS on the higher-end variant. Early expectations suggest that even the lower-tier GPU should remain competitive with current handheld-class graphics solutions.
Both chips include the same platform features and modern connectivity options, making them suitable for next-generation handheld gaming systems and compact PCs.
- 14-core hybrid CPU design (2P + 8E + 4LP E-cores)
- Up to 4.7GHz boost on Arc G3 Extreme
- Xe3 integrated graphics architecture
- Arc B390 (12 Xe cores) vs Arc B370 (10 Xe cores)
- Up to 90–113 TOPS Int8 AI performance
- 25W base power, up to 80W turbo TDP
- Minimum 15W power envelope support
- Up to 12 PCIe lanes
- Thunderbolt 4 support
- Wi-Fi 7 R2 and Bluetooth 6
- XeSS 3 support, including frame generation and low-latency features
- Xbox mode optimization for Windows handheld gaming
Intel has also confirmed that these processors will first arrive at OEMs starting June 2026, with wider availability expected later in the year. One of the first confirmed devices using this platform is the Acer Predator Atlas 8 gaming handheld, scheduled for launch in October 2026.
With this launch, Intel is clearly targeting the rapidly growing handheld gaming segment, where efficiency, sustained performance, and integrated graphics capability are becoming increasingly important for both OEMs and gamers.
