- Intel unveiled the Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme — its first chips built specifically for handheld gaming PCs, on the Xe3 graphics architecture.
- The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the first to ship, on June 23 at about $1,500 (around Php 92,000), using the Arc G3 Extreme; Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 and a OneXPlayer model follow.
- It breaks AMD’s lock on the category, adding a second chip supplier for Windows gaming handhelds.
For three years, nearly every Windows gaming handheld has run an AMD chip. Intel introduced the Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme, its first silicon designed for the handheld form factor rather than adapted to it — and the first device using them, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, ships June 23 at around $1,500 (about Php 92,000).
The chips run Intel’s Xe3 graphics — the architecture behind its new discrete Arc GPUs — on the Intel 18A process, tuned for the thermal and power limits of a handheld. The G3 Extreme pairs 12 Xe GPU cores (an Arc B390) with a 14-core CPU; the standard G3 steps down to a B370 with 10. The Extreme is the part aimed at AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
| Spec | Intel Arc G3 / G3 Extreme |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Xe3 graphics, Intel 18A |
| GPU | B370 (10 Xe) / B390 (12 Xe) |
| CPU | 14 cores |
| First device | MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — June 23, ~$1,500 (~Php 92k) |
| Also coming | Acer Predator Atlas 8 (Oct 2026), OneXPlayer |
| Philippine pricing | TBA |
MSI’s earlier Claw handhelds ran Intel chips that underperformed against AMD; this one is built on the Arc G3 Extreme from the start. Intel hasn’t detailed sustained-performance or TDP figures, which is where handhelds are typically constrained.
Neither device has Philippine pricing yet. MSI’s local distribution means the Claw could reach the country within a few months of the global release; the Acer Predator Atlas 8 isn’t due until October. After three years of AMD supplying nearly every Windows gaming handheld – including the Steam Deck – a second chipmaker in the category changes the competitive math.
