While chip stock Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) is hardly a slouch when it comes to gaming, it’s not immediately known for such a function. Granted, most PCs are running Intel chips, with some exceptions, but it’s still not thought of immediately for gamers. However, that may change with the AOKZOE A2 Ultra, but it’s not a move shareholders are excited about. Intel shares are down nearly 2% in Wednesday afternoon’s trading.
Handheld PC gaming hasn’t exactly done well for itself. Sure, there are laptops, but they’re not really hand-held, specifically. The Steam Deck is a huge exception, with 202 reviews on Amazon and 81% of them being five stars. However, the MSI Claw—which came out in March—can’t say the same after suffering a less-than-optimal launch. There is a potential market here; the Steam Deck proved as much. But it has to be done better than the MSI Claw did it. Enter the AOKZOE A2 Ultra.
A Look Under the Hood
The AOKZOE A2 Ultra will pack an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, reports note. That might be a cause for concern, as that’s the same processor that runs the highest-powered versions of the MSI Claw, and one of the big complaints about the Claw was how it struggled running basic gaming functions. Using the same processor for the AOKZOE A2 Ultra, meanwhile, might well doom it to failure by association before it can even go into wide use.
But with Intel also bringing out new export-friendly versions of its Gaudi A3 chip, as well as the world’s largest “neuromorphic system” for artificial intelligence, it’s clear that the AOKZOE A2 Ultra is not a bet-the-company strategy.
Is Intel a Buy, Hold, or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on INTC stock based on five Buys, 24 Holds, and four Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 13.36% rally in its share price over the past year, the average INTC price target of $45.05 per share implies 26.72% upside potential.
