Tech giant Intel has unveiled its next-generation processors, including chips designed specifically for handheld gaming devices.
Every year at CES, Intel and other major technology companies announce their latest innovations on the show floor. At CES 2026, Intel revealed several new technologies it has in the works, but perhaps the biggest surprise was its expansion into the handheld PC gaming market.
Intel first announced its upcoming Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed “Panther Lake.” These chips promise significantly improved performance for PCs and mini-PCs. Featuring substantially upgraded Intel Arc graphics, Panther Lake uses the new Arc B390 GPU with 12 Xe cores, delivering up to 77% better performance compared to the previous generation, “Lunar Lake.”
The upgrade also brings double the cache, 50% more cores, and faster AI performance. Intel further claims that Panther Lake delivers up to a 73% performance increase over AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 RDNA 3.5 iGPU.
Addressing long-standing concerns about battery life, Intel promises up to 27 hours of battery life, positioning Panther Lake as a competitor to Apple’s M-series chips and other leading processors.
Intel to make its move in handheld gaming market
Panther Lake’s ambitions extend beyond traditional PCs. Intel confirmed plans to deploy the upgraded chip in handheld gaming devices, a market long dominated by AMD through partnerships with platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam Deck.
But with Intel's next-gen chips, which are already looking like leaders in gaming performance, it seems like competition will intensify. Intel has already secured partnerships with Acer, MSI, and Microsoft, signaling a serious challenge to AMD’s dominance.
Intel revealed that the first devices powered by Core Ultra Series 3 processors will open for pre-orders on 6 January, with availability beginning 27 January.
