{
  "id": 1509813,
  "title": "Intel might be cooking up a budget-friendly handheld chip but I'd still be surprised if it's cheap enough or fast enough to matter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/intel-might-be-cooking-up-a-budget-friendly-handheld-chip-but-id",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-17T15:26:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PC Gamer",
    "slug": "pc-gamer",
    "url": "https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/handheld-gaming-pcs/intel-might-be-cooking-up-a-budget-friendly-handheld-chip-but-id-still-be-surprised-if-its-cheap-enough-or-fast-enough-to-matter/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Intel might be developing a budget handheld chip, but it's doubtful whether such a chip will be affordable or powerful enough to make a difference. Jaykihn, a reliable hardware leaker, posted about Intel releasing a Panther Lake chip with four Performance-cores, no Efficient-cores, four low-power Efficient cores, and four Xe cores—four GPU cores. Intel's Arc G3 and G3 Extreme processors, targeted at the handheld market, feature scaled-down CPU cores but maintain the Xe GPU cores, which range from 10 to 12. Compared to the Core Ultra X7 358H, which required a minimum of four P-Cores, eight E-Cores, and four LPE-Cores for Xe cores, the new chip would have fewer CPU cores but retain the same number of GPU cores.\n\nDave, who tested a handheld with the G3 Extreme, found it impressive, particularly the 12 Xe cores. However, the pricing remains an issue. Handhelds have become increasingly expensive recently. A handheld with one of these new chips could cost as much as a midrange or high-end gaming PC, even in the current inflated PC market. The race is on for handheld gaming PCs, but their prices are already sky-high. If Intel does introduce a Panther Lake chip with just four Xe cores, it might have a fighting chance at a lower price point. Yet, doubts remain, as memory and storage shortages could still drive up costs. Whether Intel drops the G-series branding to accommodate slower memory remains to be seen. Only time will tell if this chip will have a chance at the 2026 market.",
  "summary": "Could this take some of the sting out of the handheld market?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}