Intel officially announced at CES 2026 its plan to launch a dedicated platform for handheld gaming devices powered by its upcoming 'Panther Lake' processors. The company is developing specific variants of these chips, built on its 18A process, that will be custom-designed for handhelds to optimize gaming performance and power efficiency.
This move positions Intel to compete directly with AMD, which currently powers the majority of handheld PCs like the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally. Intel claims its new integrated Arc B-series graphics will significantly outperform AMD's current offerings. Hardware partners including Acer and MSI are already collaborating with Intel on new device designs expected later in the year.