Intel’s Next Budget Handheld Gaming Chip Leaks, and It Could Be a Strong Steam Deck Rival
Intel may be preparing a more affordable handheld gaming processor based on its upcoming Panther Lake architecture, and the first leaked details suggest it could deliver solid performance in a cheaper, lower-power device.
According to a new leak from Intel hardware tipster Jaykihn, the rumored Panther Lake handheld chip features a 4P+0E+4LP-E CPU layout. That means it would include four performance cores, no standard efficiency cores, and four low-power efficiency cores. On the graphics side, the chip is said to use a 4-core Xe3 integrated GPU.
This is a much smaller configuration than the more powerful Intel Arc G3 and G3 Extreme handheld chips expected in high-end devices such as the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. Those premium chips reportedly use a 2P+8E+4LP-E CPU setup and 10 or 12 Xe3 GPU cores, depending on the model.
In other words, this newly leaked Panther Lake chip does not appear to be built for maximum handheld gaming performance. Instead, it looks like Intel could be targeting a lower-cost gaming handheld category, possibly with slimmer designs, better battery life, and more accessible pricing.
The interesting part is that this exact 4P+0E+4LP-E CPU and 4-Xe3 GPU configuration is not just theoretical. Similar Panther Lake-U chips, including the Core Ultra 7 355 and Core Ultra 5 325, are already appearing in laptops such as the Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16. That gives us an early idea of how this handheld-focused processor might perform.
Based on Cinebench R20 results, the Core Ultra 7 355 is significantly faster than the Steam Deck OLED’s custom Zen 2 APU. In single-core performance, it scores around 733 points compared to the Steam Deck OLED’s median score of 357. In multi-core testing, the gap is even wider, with the Intel chip reaching around 4,359 points versus roughly 1,521 for the Steam Deck OLED.
That suggests Intel’s lower-end Panther Lake handheld chip could offer a major CPU upgrade over Valve’s popular handheld, especially in tasks that benefit from stronger single-threaded performance.
However, the comparison becomes more complicated against the Ryzen Z1 Extreme found in the ROG Ally X. In single-core performance, the Intel Core Ultra 7 355 appears to hold a small lead, scoring around 742 compared to the Z1 Extreme’s median score of 672. But in multi-core performance, AMD’s chip pulls ahead by a notable margin, with the Z1 Extreme reaching around 5,794 points compared to Intel’s 4,359.
Graphics performance also tells a mixed story. In Geekbench 6.7 Vulkan testing, the 4-core Xe3 integrated GPU in the Core Ultra 7 355 scores around 25,473 points. That is roughly 34% faster than the Steam Deck OLED’s GPU, which scores about 19,051 points. Against the Radeon 780M graphics in the ROG Ally X, though, Intel falls behind. The Z1 Extreme’s GPU reaches around 31,404 points, giving AMD a lead of roughly 19%.
If this leaked handheld chip is indeed based directly on Intel’s existing Panther Lake-U silicon, its performance ceiling may already be visible through current laptop benchmarks. It would likely outperform the Steam Deck OLED in both CPU and GPU performance, making it a promising option for budget-friendly Windows gaming handhelds.
At the same time, it may not beat the Ryzen Z1 Extreme across the board. Intel appears stronger in single-core CPU performance, but AMD still has the advantage in multi-core workloads and integrated graphics performance.
That positioning could make Intel’s leaked Panther Lake handheld chip an interesting middle-ground option. It may not be aimed at premium handheld gaming PCs, but it could be ideal for manufacturers looking to build lighter, cheaper, and more efficient devices that still offer stronger performance than the Steam Deck OLED.
For gamers, this could mean more competition in the handheld gaming market and potentially more affordable Windows-based alternatives. If Intel and its partners can pair this chip with efficient cooling, good battery tuning, and competitive pricing, the next wave of budget handheld gaming PCs could become much more compelling.
