ARC X1 Gaming Handheld Goes After India’s Big Players: Pre-Orders Open October 2

ARC is making its first serious push into India’s handheld gaming market with the X1, offering a community-only price of ₹29,500 (about US$347) before its planned ₹33,500 (about US$394) retail price takes effect.

India’s handheld gaming market is about to get a new challenger.

Indian gaming hardware company ARC has announced that pre-orders for its first dedicated gaming handheld, the ARC X1, will open through its Community Drop on October 2, 2026, at 3 PM IST.

For gamers who joined ARC’s waitlist, the company is offering the X1 for ₹29,500 (approximately US$347), compared with a planned regular price of ₹33,500 (approximately US$394). Buyers can secure a unit with a ₹999 (about US$12) reservation token.

The Community Drop gives ARC a chance to put its first handheld directly into the hands of early supporters as it tries to establish a homegrown alternative in a category dominated by international hardware.

ARC X1 Packs a 120Hz Display and Snapdragon Power

The ARC X1 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 Gaming Platform, built on a 4nm process and paired with an octa-core Kryo CPU and Adreno A22 GPU.

The handheld features 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage, with support for up to 1TB of additional storage through microSDXC.

At the front is a 7-inch Full HD LTPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 500 nits of typical brightness. ARC is also using Gorilla Glass protection on the display.

For gamers, the controls could be one of the X1’s biggest selling points. ARC has equipped it with TMR analogue sticks designed for zero-drift performance, Hall-effect analogue triggers with mechanical locks, dual LRA haptics and two programmable rear buttons.

The device also features active cooling to help manage temperatures during extended gaming sessions.

Huge 9,300mAh Battery, Wi-Fi 6E and USB-C

ARC has fitted the X1 with a 9,300mAh battery supporting 27W USB Power Delivery charging.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4 and USB-C, with display output supported through the USB connection. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack and front-facing stereo speakers.

The handheld weighs between approximately 450g and 500g, while its modular construction includes replaceable battery and joystick components and modular daughterboards.

That focus on repairability could matter for buyers planning to keep the device for several years.

OwlOS Is Built Around Handheld Gaming

The ARC X1 runs OwlOS, a controller-focused operating system based on Android.

ARC’s software package includes a unified game library, cloud gaming support, native Android gaming and customizable gamepad mapping. The system also provides per-game performance profiles, control profiles, frame-rate monitoring, resolution scaling, fan controls, and Quick Resume functionality.

This means the X1 is more than an Android tablet with physical controls. ARC is attempting to create an operating environment specifically tailored to handheld gaming.

₹29,500 Price Could Grab Attention

ARC’s Community Drop pricing puts the X1 at ₹29,500 (≈US$347), while the later regular price is expected to be ₹33,500 (≈US$394).

The company says its early community pricing is intended for waitlist members, while later batches will move to the regular ₹33,500 price.

ARC is also emphasizing local availability and ownership rather than relying exclusively on imported handhelds.

ARC X1 Pre-Order Details

The ARC X1 Community Drop begins October 2 at 3 PM IST. Buyers will initially pay the ₹999 reservation token, with the remaining balance due closer to delivery.

ARC currently targets Q1 2027 for first-batch deliveries. The company says the reservation price is locked, applicable taxes will be shown during final payment, and the ₹999 token will be deducted from the final amount.

Reservations are limited to one X1 per email address for the initial batch, with allocation based on the order in which successful reservations are completed.

For Indian gamers watching the handheld market closely, October 2 could therefore be an important date. ARC is not merely announcing another gaming device; it is putting a ₹29,500 (US$347) Indian handheld directly into the spotlight.