We’ve not seen a genuinely competitive Intel gaming CPU in some time, at least on our gaming PCs, but it’s a different case on mobile. A new set of benchmarks shows that the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V is a decent performer on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ compared to the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. While AMD does still come out on top, it’s not a total disaster for Intel, proving it can be a serious contender in future handhelds against AMD-powered options such as the Steam Deck.
That’s a far cry from its dominant position a few years ago, but Intel will be happy to know it can compete in this arena. AMD has, so far, dominated the market, with all the models on our best handheld guide using AMD chips so far. Luckily, MSI has helpfully used both AMD and Intel processors in its Claw lineup, allowing us to see how an Intel-powered Steam Deck rival can perform against AMD alternatives.
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