A dedicated handheld can be an appealing next step for someone who enjoys gaming on their phone but wants a bigger screen and physical controls. ARC is looking to attract those players with the X1, an upcoming device built around Android gaming, cloud streaming and a starting price below ₹30,000.
The ARC X1 handheld will cost ₹29,500 for its early Community Batch Drop, rising to ₹33,500 for subsequent batches. Pre-orders are scheduled to open on October 2, with interested buyers asked to join the waitlist beforehand. A ₹999 token payment will reserve the device.
That early price is the headline attraction. What players can actually do with the X1, however, comes down to its hardware and the software bringing everything together.
ARC X1 brings Android gaming to a 120Hz handheld
The X1 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 processor, alongside 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Players who need more room can expand storage with a microSD card of up to 1TB.
Its seven-inch Full HD display offers a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass protection. Active cooling, a 9,300mAh battery and 27W charging round out the core hardware. ARC advertises more than eight hours of gaming, although its published specifications do not identify the games or settings behind that figure.
Running the device is OwlOS, which ARC describes as a “Controller-First Gaming OS.” Built on the Android Open Source Project, it supports native Android gaming and cloud gaming.
That distinction matters when deciding what to play. Buyers should check whether their favourite games are supported, rather than assume the X1 can run their entire PC library.
ARC’s software plans include performance settings for individual games, remappable controls and accessibility options such as scalable menus. The company also advertises an instant-resume feature designed to restore a session after a cold boot. Independent testing will help establish how smoothly these features work in everyday use.
Physical controls and replaceable parts add to the appeal
The controls are another part of ARC’s pitch. The X1 includes TMR analogue sticks, two programmable rear buttons, motion controls and analogue triggers with mechanical locks. ARC markets its sticks as “Zero Drift,” although their durability will need to be assessed over time.
The specification sheet also lists replaceable batteries and joysticks, modular daughterboards and spare-parts availability. Those could be useful features for owners hoping to keep the device running for years, provided parts and repair support are readily accessible.
What buyers should know before pre-orders open
The ₹999 token payment goes towards the final purchase price. Under ARC’s pre-booking refund terms, buyers can request their reservation money back until the deadline set for their batch. After that deadline, the token becomes non-refundable.
October 2 is the advertised pre-order opening, while a firm shipping date was not established in the official pages reviewed.
For now, the X1 offers an interesting proposition for players considering a dedicated Android handheld. Its early price and feature list may get their attention; game compatibility, everyday performance and delivery details will determine whether that interest turns into a purchase.