Homegrown Arc X1 gaming handheld goes on pre-sale in India, priced at Rs 33,500
Indian homegrown gaming brand Arc Gaming is entering the handheld gaming market with its new Arc Gaming X1, which is now up for pre-sale in India. The company aims to offer a more affordable local option, with a focus on easier repairs and aftermarket support, areas that can be harder to address with products that are usually imported.
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A different approach to handheld gaming
The Arc Gaming X1 is not intended to replace Windows-based handhelds you may know, such as the ROG Ally (review) or Lenovo Legion Go (review). Instead, it runs on OwlOS and takes a simpler approach to portable gaming. With a Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 platform at its core, the X1 is closer in concept to a smartphone-based gaming device, with a focus on emulation, older games, and less demanding titles rather than the latest AAA releases.
The same is reflected in the Arc X1’s positioning and pricing. This first-generation device is more a product for enthusiasts who want to expand their gaming setup with a dedicated portable machine. It is not targeting users looking for a handheld that can run the latest PC games at high settings.
The hardware itself seems to be decently capable for that particular audience. The X1 uses TMR analogue sticks and Hall-effect triggers, which reduce the risk of common problems such as stick drift over long-term use. It also gets a 7-inch 120Hz Full HD display, a 9,300mAh battery, and 8 GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Those specifications should be enough for the sort of games the X1 is designed to handle.
Arc has also focused on making the device easier to maintain for its consumers. The battery and joysticks are replaceable, while the use of modular daughterboards should make repairs simpler compared with many sealed gaming devices. That could become one of the X1’s more notable strengths as the company builds out its local repair and aftermarket support.
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Arc X1: key specs
- Processor and memory: Qualcomm Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 (4nm), Kryo 8-core CPU, Adreno A22 GPU, 8GB LPDDR5X RAM at 8533 MT/s.
- Storage: 128GB UFS 3.1 storage, with support for up to 1TB microSDXC expansion.
- Display: 7-inch LIPS TFI LCD with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 500 nits brightness.
- Battery and charging: 9,300mAh battery with 27W USB-PD charging.
- Controls: TMR zero-drift analogue sticks, analogue Hall-effect triggers with mechanical locks, dual LRA precision haptics, and two programmable rear buttons.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB 3.1 with display output.
- Audio: Dual front-facing stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
- Software: OwlOS.
- Weight: 450–500 grams.
- Repairability: Replaceable battery and joysticks, along with modular daughterboards.
Should you buy the Arc Gaming X1?
The Arc Gaming X1 is priced at Rs 33,500, while members of the Arc community can get it for Rs 29,500 during the early-access batch starting October 2. The X1 is ideal for gamers who mostly play older AAA games, indie titles, or Android games and value comfort over performance. This is especially true for users who already emulate games on their smartphones. The larger 7-inch display, dedicated controls, and active cooling should make for a more comfortable experience.
However, the X1 is not powerful enough to serve as a sole gaming machine for users who want to play newer and more demanding AAA titles. It is a budget-friendly but niche device, so its value depends heavily on what your gaming habits look like. For enthusiasts with some money to spare, it could still be a worthwhile addition.
