Is Intel Ready to Take on the Portable Gaming Market?

Is Intel finally making a serious push into handheld gaming? Recent insights from Intel VP Robert Hallock suggest the company is ramping up efforts in this space. Hallock revealed Intel is “beefing up its staff to support gaming [manufacturers] who want to do handhelds.” This step, combined with Intel’s focus on improving in-house Arc graphics technology, is a promising sign. But should we get excited just yet?

The handheld PC gaming market has evolved significantly since the launch of Valve’s Steam Deck in early 2022. Once considered niche, the segment now boasts top-tier devices like the ASUS ROG Ally X, while others, like Lenovo’s Legion Go S, struggle to gain traction. The trendsetter across these devices? AMD processors. Gaming handhelds with AMD’s custom Zen 2 APUs or Ryzen Z1 Extreme chips offer a winning combo of power and efficiency. Meanwhile, Intel’s mobile processors have had less success, with devices like the MSI Claw A1M failing to make a mark.

Intel’s Plans for Handheld PCs

Intel faces a steep challenge in competing with AMD’s proven processors, such as the Radeon 780M. Gamers expect high performance and efficiency from handheld devices, and Intel knows it has work to do. Hallock admits part of the challenge lies in providing developers with the right tools. To address this, Intel plans to ship devkit handhelds loaded with its prototype chips.

“A lot of game devs tend to just target what they have on their desks, so [we’re] arming them with more handhelds as prototype devices. Getting them dev kits leading into Panther Lake,” said Hallock.

Intel’s earlier Meteor Lake-based devices may not have lived up to the hype, but the company isn’t giving up. DevicesAn error occurred during generation. Please try again or contact support if it continues.