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| The OneXPlayer 3 has detachable controllers. |
On paper, comparing a 45W handheld gaming console to a 140W home machine seems utterly ridiculous. It's like pitting a moped against a muscle car. But here's the thing—modern mobile APUs have evolved at a breakneck pace, and Intel's latest creation is making us question everything we thought we knew about portable gaming.
The OneXPlayer 3, powered by the formidable Intel Arc G3 Extreme, is challenging the very notion that you need a bulky desktop rig to enjoy high-fidelity gaming. And after seeing the benchmark results, I'll be honest—I had to do a double-take.
The Underdog Story You Didn't See Coming
The Intel Arc G3 Extreme isn't just another mobile chip. It's a 14-core Panther Lake CPU paired with a 12 Xe-core Arc B390 iGPU—and according to our friends over at Notebookcheck, this thing is an absolute beast for gaming on the go. But could it really stand toe-to-toe with a full-fat home console?
ETA Prime's recent testing puts this rivalry to the test, and the results are nothing short of fascinating.
If you want to see the full breakdown for yourself, check out ETA Prime's comprehensive comparison video here.
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| Steam Machine vs OneXPlayer 3 specifications. |
Running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p with high settings and "Quality" upscaling, the OneXPlayer 3 delivered 79 FPS on average. The Steam Machine? 109 FPS. That puts the handheld at roughly 25% slower—which sounds significant until you remember we're comparing a device that fits in your backpack to something that needs to sit under your TV.
Honestly? That's way closer than I ever expected.
The Upset Nobody Predicted
Here's where things get wild. Forza Horizon 6 completely flipped the script. At 1080p with high settings and XeSS "Quality," the OneXPlayer 3 hit 68 FPS while the Steam Machine managed 67 FPS. The handheld actually won.
And it wasn't a fluke. At 1440p without any upscaling, the OneXPlayer 3 delivered 51 FPS against the Steam Machine's 41 FPS. That's a 24% lead for the little guy.
What gives? The likely culprit is software optimization. Forza seems to run significantly better on Windows than on SteamOS, which explains why the handheld could outperform its more powerful counterpart in this specific title.
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| Steam Machine vs OneXPlayer 3 performance. |
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the gap shrank even further. With high settings and no image upscaling, the OneXPlayer 3 was just 18% slower at 1080p and a mere 7% slower at 1440p. When you're that close to a 140W console, the phrase "diminishing returns" starts echoing pretty loudly.
The Frame Generation Factor
What really turns heads is how Multi-Frame Generation on the Intel Arc G3 Extreme can push performance even closer to the Steam Machine's level. In Crimson Desert, ETA Prime demonstrated that with MFG enabled on both devices, the handheld becomes genuinely competitive with its desktop counterpart.
For a deeper dive into the Arc G3 Extreme's capabilities, read Notebookcheck's comprehensive review of the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ here.
The Elephant in the Room: Price
Here's the reality check. All this performance comes at a premium—and I mean a real premium. The OneXPlayer 3 starts at $1,499.
Let that sink in for a moment.
For that kind of money, you could grab a full-fledged RTX 5070 gaming PC, or you could get both a Nintendo Switch 2 and a Sony PlayStation 5 for around $1,130 combined. That's a tough sell for even the most die-hard handheld enthusiast.
The Verdict
The OneXPlayer 3, powered by the Intel Arc G3 Extreme, is proof that handheld gaming has reached a fascinating inflection point. You no longer have to sacrifice performance for portability—at least not as much as you used to.
Is it worth $1,499? That depends entirely on your priorities. If you want cutting-edge portable gaming and don't mind paying a premium for the privilege, the OneXPlayer 3 delivers something genuinely impressive. If you're looking for value, though, the math gets much harder to justify.
Check out the OneXPlayer 3 on Amazon here.
Or explore the Steam Machine alternative here.
Either way, we're witnessing the handheld gaming space evolve in real-time—and honestly? It's an exciting time to be a gamer.