Intel Plans Handheld Gaming Platform Built on a Dedicated Chip

Intel is making a significant push into the portable gaming market with the announcement of a new handheld gaming platform that includes a dedicated chip designed specifically for handheld devices.

The news was shared during CES by Daniel Rogers, Intel’s vice president and general manager of PC Products, signaling the company’s intention to expand beyond traditional gaming PCs and deepen its presence in gaming hardware. This new platform will combine both hardware and software, suggesting a more integrated ecosystem approach rather than a standalone processor release (TechCrunch).

At the core of Intel’s upcoming handheld gaming platform are its Intel Core Series 3 processors, known by the codename Panther Lake. These chips were first announced last year and are now being rolled out across a variety of PCs. What makes Panther Lake particularly notable is that it represents Intel’s first processors built using its advanced 18A manufacturing process, which entered production in 2025. This process is expected to deliver improvements in performance and efficiency, key factors for portable gaming devices where power consumption and heat management are critical (Yahoo Tech).

According to reporting from IGN, later confirmed by TechCrunch, Intel’s platform will include a chip specifically optimized for handheld gaming devices rather than simply adapting existing laptop processors. This detail highlights Intel’s recognition that handheld gaming presents unique technical challenges, such as balancing high performance with long battery life and compact thermal designs. By developing a dedicated chip alongside a unified hardware and software platform, Intel appears to be positioning itself to support device makers in building high performance portable gaming systems rather than leaving them to assemble solutions independently (TechCrunch).

Intel’s move into handheld gaming builds on decades of experience in the gaming industry. The company has been producing processors for gaming PCs since the 1990s and took a more aggressive step into gaming hardware in 2022 with the launch of its Intel Arc graphics processors. While Intel has long been a major player in desktop and laptop gaming, handheld gaming represents a newer and rapidly growing segment that has so far been dominated by AMD. Devices like the Steam Deck and other portable gaming PCs have relied heavily on AMD chips, giving AMD a strong foothold in this market (Mezha).

The competitive context makes Intel’s announcement particularly noteworthy. During CES, AMD unveiled its Ryzen 7 9850X3D processor for gaming PCs, along with new ray tracing and graphics technologies. Intel’s entry into handheld gaming could begin to shift the balance of power, especially if its integrated platform approach proves attractive to manufacturers looking for a more complete and optimized solution. Industry experts believe Intel’s focus on combining hardware and software could help it close the gap with AMD in high performance portable PC gaming (Mezha).

While Intel has not yet shared detailed specifications, timelines, or partner announcements, Rogers stated that more information about the handheld gaming products will be revealed later this year. As the portable gaming market continues to grow, Intel’s strategy suggests a long term commitment rather than a short term experiment. If successful, the Panther Lake based platform could mark a turning point for Intel’s gaming ambitions and introduce new competition in a space that has, until now, seen limited diversity at the chip level (Yahoo Tech).

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Works Cited

TechCrunch. “Intel Is Building a Handheld Gaming Platform Including a Dedicated Chip.” TechCrunch, 6 Jan. 2026, https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/06/intel-is-building-a-handheld-gaming-platform-including-a-dedicated-chip/.

Yahoo Tech. “Intel Is Building a Handheld Gaming Platform Including a Dedicated Chip.” Yahoo Tech, 2026, https://tech.yahoo.com/gaming/articles/intel-building-handheld-gaming-platform-193959817.html.

Mezha. “Intel Unveils New Gaming Chip and Platform for Portable Devices.” Mezha, 2026, https://mezha.net/eng/bukvy/intel-unveils-new-gaming-chip-and-platform-for-portable-devices/.

US adjusts Intel’s chip subsidy amid sector challenges. Digital Watch Observatory, 27 Nov. 2024, www.dig.watch/updates/us-adjusts-intels-chip-subsidy-amid-sector-challenges. 

Cherney, Max A. “Intel to Reveal Tech Details on Forthcoming PC Chip, Sources Say.” Reuters, 7 Oct. 2025, www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/intel-reveal-tech-details-forthcoming-pc-chip-sources-say-2025-10-07/.