Handheld gaming PC makers look to Intel Lunar Lake CPUs as an alternative to dominant Ryzen Z1

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Lunar Lake is already making its way into the handheld gaming PC market

Intel Lunar Lake
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

AMD's Ryzen Z1 series processors have dominated the handheld gaming PC landscape, with MSI being the only manufacturer that utilizes Intel CPUs in its handheld PC. However, it appears this is changing, and more handled makers are looking into Intel CPUs — particularly future Intel chips. PC World reports that OEM service provider Weibo is looking to use Intel Lunar Lake CPUs in its first-ever handheld gaming PC. The new machine is known as the GP10 and features an 11-inch display.

The GP10 will reportedly pack high-end internals, equivalent to today's flagship handled gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally. Specs include a 10.95-inch 1920 x 1200 multi-touch display (206 PPI) with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Lunar Lake CPU, LPDDR5 memory with a maximum capacity of 64GB, one M.2 2280 NVMe slot supporting up to 2TB, and WiFi 6. Port selection comprises one USB Type-C, TF, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Lunar Lake is Intel's next-generation mobile CPU architecture, which is set to arrive later this year. The new architecture is reported to consume 40% less power than Meteor Lake. Originally, Lunar Lake was destined to use Intel's 18A (1.8nm-class) process node, but delays have forced Intel to switch to TSMC's 3nm-class N3B process technology as a substitute. (Yes, Intel is taking advantage of its competitor's technology to build its new chips.)

Lunar Lake will utilize a combination of Lion Cove and Skymont performance and power-efficient CPU cores, combined with an eight Xe2 core iGPU, 12MB of cache, and up to a six-tile NPU 4.0 AI accelerator rated for 45 TOPS all by itself. One of the most significant changes in Lunar Lake's design compared to Meteor Lake is the adoption of LPDDR5X embedded right on the CPU itself. This will significantly improve Lunar Lake's memory performance, power efficiency, and size since laptop manufacturers won't need bulky SODIMM slots.

These attributes make Lunar Lake a compelling alternative to AMD's Ryzen Z1 processors for building a new handheld gaming PC. Even if Lunar Lake doesn't have amazing CPU performance improvements over Meteor Lake, the power efficiency gains alone will make Lunar Lake a significantly more capable SoC for handhelds. The extra bandwidth afforded by the LPDDR5/LPDDR5X modules will also provide the integrated GPU with much more memory bandwidth compared to mainstream DDR5 memory, boosting graphics performance.

The good news is that we won't have to wait long to see more details about this new Lunar Lake-handled gaming PC. Weibu will be showing off its new GP10 device at Computex next month.

Aaron Klotz
Aaron Klotz
Freelance News Writer

Aaron Klotz is a freelance writer for Tom’s Hardware US, covering news topics related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

20 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Metal Messiah.
    Here is the screen grab which I took yesterday. The original computex link is not working:

    Image Source: Computex Taipei
    https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Intel-Lunar-Lake-Core-Ultra-200V-CPU-Powered-Gaming-Handheld-GP10-_2.png

    Weibu specializes in mini-ITX motherboards, and an early 2024 LinkedIn post from the company’s sales consultant Wilson Chung hinted at an upcoming handheld console.

    So it does seem to confirm that Weibu is planning to introduce a handheld console lineup later this year.

    https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7148587031135236097/
    Reply
  • TerryLaze
    Metal Messiah. said:
    Here is the screen grab which I took yesterday. The original computex link is not working:

    Image Source: Computex Taipei
    https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Intel-Lunar-Lake-Core-Ultra-200V-CPU-Powered-Gaming-Handheld-GP10-_2.png
    Weibu specializes in mini-ITX motherboards, and an early 2024 LinkedIn post from the company’s sales consultant Wilson Chung hinted at an upcoming handheld console.

    So it does seem to confirm that Weibu is planning to introduce a handheld console lineup later this year.
    Is this just a tablet with a (wifi) controller?! WTF taipei.
    Reply
  • kealii123
    TerryLaze said:
    Is this just a tablet with a (wifi) controller?! WTF taipei.
    It looks lke its similiar to this

    https://onexplayerstore.com/products/x1
    I would have pulled the trigger on the onexplayer above, but I was waiting to see how the new Intel chips performed. I'm glad I waited; graphically to match a basic steamdeck it needs nearly twice the wattage. If Qualcomm's claims about compatibility and performance are true, then a Snapdragon X elite powered handheld will have nearly the same performance advantage over a steamdeck as the steamdeck has over intel powered handhelds (imagine rtx 4050 laptop performance in a handheld at 15 watts)
    Reply
  • peachpuff
    kealii123 said:
    It looks lke its similiar to this

    https://onexplayerstore.com/products/x1
    I would have pulled the trigger on the onexplayer above, but I was waiting to see how the new Intel chips performed. I'm glad I waited; graphically to match a basic steamdeck it needs nearly twice the wattage. If Qualcomm's claims about compatibility and performance are true, then a Snapdragon X elite powered handheld will have nearly the same performance advantage over a steamdeck as the steamdeck has over intel powered handhelds (imagine rtx 4050 laptop performance in a handheld at 15 watts)
    Lol @ the price of this thing, I got a powkiddy x55 recently for like $75 mainly for roms, can't imagine paying that amount of money for a handheld.
    Reply
  • usertests
    It sounds like Lunar Lake will have unexpectedly high iGPU performance, possibly better than Meteor Lake-H:

    https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-core-ultra-200v-lunar-lake-xe2-lpg-graphics-tested-in-first-benchmarks
    That's a model with 87.5% of the cores (56 EUs of 64) beating Meteor Lake-H with 128 EUs by 19%, despite being clocked lower. But I don't know anything about the SiSoftware benchmark, and there's nothing about the memory speeds, so you tell me if you're impressed.

    Something major has happened internally if "56 EUs" (7 Xe2 cores) are faster than "128 EUs" (8 Xe cores). Performance/Watt is up but some structure must have doubled with Xe2.

    High IPC 8c/8t should do well for handhelds considering the Steam Deck's 4c/8t Zen 2.

    I think the obvious chip to compare to in the future will be AMD's Kraken Point, which is also a lower power 4+4 hybrid design, but that could end up with a worse iGPU.

    peachpuff said:
    Lol @ the price of this thing, I got a powkiddy x55 recently for like $75 mainly for roms, can't imagine paying that amount of money for a handheld.
    You get what you pay for. I don't think I would blow more than $400 (entry-level Steam Deck intro price), but you could end up with a handheld that could be turned into a capable mini PC as needed (moreso than the RK3566 w/ 4x Cortex-A55, which is used in slow SBCs).

    However these $1000+ handhelds must be a dying breed with Steam Deck occupying a $400-500 tier and ROG Ally (ripped a new one by GN), Legion Go, etc. at around $700-800. Often less for sales/refurbs. If there's any justification for the price, they do it by comparing to high end laptops.
    Reply
  • kealii123
    usertests said:
    It sounds like Lunar Lake will have unexpectedly high iGPU performance, possibly better than Meteor Lake-H:

    https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-core-ultra-200v-lunar-lake-xe2-lpg-graphics-tested-in-first-benchmarks
    That's a model with 87.5% of the cores (56 EUs of 64) beating Meteor Lake-H with 128 EUs by 19%, despite being clocked lower. But I don't know anything about the SiSoftware benchmark, and there's nothing about the memory speeds, so you tell me if you're impressed.

    Something major has happened internally if "56 EUs" (7 Xe2 cores) are faster than "128 EUs" (8 Xe cores). Performance/Watt is up but some structure must have doubled with Xe2.

    High IPC 8c/8t should do well for handhelds considering the Steam Deck's 4c/8t Zen 2.

    I think the obvious chip to compare to in the future will be AMD's Kraken Point, which is also a lower power 4+4 hybrid design, but that could end up with a worse iGPU.


    You get what you pay for. I don't think I would blow more than $400 (entry-level Steam Deck intro price), but you could end up with a handheld that could be turned into a capable mini PC as needed (moreso than the RK3566 w/ 4x Cortex-A55, which is used in slow SBCs).

    However these $1000+ handhelds must be a dying breed with Steam Deck occupying a $400-500 tier and ROG Ally (ripped a new one by GN), Legion Go, etc. at around $700-800. Often less for sales/refurbs. If there's any justification for the price, they do it by comparing to high end laptops.
    $1100 or whatever is actually pretty good for a windows tablet IF the intel chip actually performed as promised. As is, laptops with that CPU start at about the same price.

    Qualcomm may or may not be lying about their performance of their new chips, but the Dell leak shows they are charging vendors for less than half what Intel charges, so maybe that could help get pricing under control.
    Reply
  • Notton
    I want a 7~10" device that can fit a 2280 NVMe, and has >10hrs of battery life when playing video over wifi.
    Bonus points if it can run games without hitting 100c.
    Reply
  • usertests
    Notton said:
    I want a 7~10" device that can fit a 2280 NVMe, and has >10hrs of battery life when playing video over wifi.
    Bonus points if it can run games without hitting 100c.
    Well it's interesting that the ASUS Rog Ally X switched to M.2 2280 from M.2 2230. You aren't getting that battery life but I wonder if you actually need it.
    Reply
  • Infocom
    I'll never buy anything Intel related. Intel, fiverr, wix, etoro and others, all cancelled.
    Reply
  • TheHerald
    Notton said:
    I want a 7~10" device that can fit a 2280 NVMe, and has >10hrs of battery life when playing video over wifi.
    Bonus points if it can run games without hitting 100c.
    That is impossible. The NVME alone can draw up to 5w at peak, it will drain any reasonable battery within a couple of hours.

    If you want battery life, go for android devices. Pocket S or Odin 2, great battery life, and when you need to use it as a PC - moonlight works great.
    Reply