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[Draugoth]

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MD has introduced not one but three new Ryzen Z-Series APUs, designed exclusively for gaming handhelds and intended for larger OEMs that work directly with AMD.

Today, AMD announced three Ryzen Z2-series APUs, each based on different silicon and architecture. The flagship SKU, Ryzen Z2 Extreme, is an 8-core processor based on the Strix Point architecture with Zen 5 cores. It combines three Zen 5 and five Zen 5c cores. This APU includes 16 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units, offering the maximum configuration for this silicon.

The lineup also includes the Ryzen Z2 and Ryzen Z2 Go. The Ryzen Z2 Go is a Lenovo exclusive, designed specifically for the Legion Go S. This APU features only 4 Zen 3+ cores and 12 RDNA 2 Compute Units, clearly designed for budget-conscious gamers and systems that don’t require the latest features.

The Ryzen Z2 features the Hawk Point APU with 8 Zen 4 cores and 12 RDNA 3 Compute Units. Essentially, this is equivalent to the Ryzen 7 8840U, but it lacks XDNA support, as none of the Ryzen Z-Series APUs include NPU functionality.

The most interesting part of the announcement is that AMD has confirmed the Ryzen Z2 will be used in systems from ASUS, Lenovo, and Valve. This would be the first confirmation of a Ryzen Z2-powered Steam Deck. However, AMD has not disclosed the device’s name or release date, leaving those details to Valve. I guess we will find out more very soon.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I'm looking forward to the second-gen handheld pc's. The deck and Rog Ally were a great start.

 

[Hudo]

I do hope that Steam Deck 2: Deck Harder will have OLED as standard.

 

[Zathalus]

Performance won’t be that much of a bump if it is still coupled to 7500 memory.

 

[spons]

Different architectures under the same branding, yuk.

 

[ArtHands]

This is the correct link

AMD introduces Ryzen Z2 Series, confirms Valve Steam Deck update - VideoCardz.com

AMD Ryzen Z2 for gaming handhelds official The new generation of Z-Series to feature three different CPU architectures. AMD has introduced not one but three new Ryzen Z-Series APUs, designed exclusively for gaming handhelds and intended for larger OEMs that work directly with AMD. Today, AMD...

videocardz.com

 

[Lucifers Beard]

As long as the next Steam Deck has an OLED screen, I'll be buying it day one. The Steam Deck is a brilliant device.

 

[kubricks]

Good news.
I have the OG Steam deck since 2022, skipped the Ally X in hope of upcoming Z2 extreme chip handheld on 2025. Seems like my patience pays off.

 

[Klosshufvud]

These naming conventions are intentionally made to be as misleading as possible. So the Z2GO non-extreme variants actually feature an older GPU architecture than the one in the Z1 and Z1E. I'm not sure how well FSR3 and Frame Gen works with RDNA2 compared to 3 but this should be a point to note. The Z2E is almost identical to the AI HX 370 which feature Zen 5 cores and 16CU RDNA3.5 albeit with slightly less eCPU cores.

Honestly the gains that Z2E has on Z1E aren't exactly massive and supposedly the APU is expensive as fuck. But we'll see what happens down the line. Maybe once the AI craze dies down a little, prices will become reasonable enough just in time for SD2. The performance upgrade over base SD will be huge nonetheless, and Valve is bound to put a bigger battery in it and allow a 20W TDP. Which is crucial if significant performance gains are to be had.

 

[Parazels]

Ryzen Z2 will be used in systems from
ASUS, Lenovo, and Valve

Is this a new "trinity" of handheld manufacturers?

 

[tkscz]

Is there any difference between the Z2 extreme and AI 9 HX 370? They both seem to use the same RDNA 3.5 890m architecture. If there isn't a difference, the GPD Win mini already uses the HX 370

 

[Klosshufvud]

Is there any difference between the Z2 extreme and AI 9 HX 370? They both seem to use the same RDNA 3.5 890m architecture. If there isn't a difference, the GPD Win mini already uses the HX 370

Less of those virtual cores or whatever the hell they're called. Otherwise identical. So we already have a good understanding of performance since the Chinese are already using it in their devices.

 

[FireFly]

Good news.
I have the OG Steam deck since 2022, skipped the Ally X in hope of upcoming Z2 extreme chip handheld on 2025. Seems like my patience pays off.

From the wording of the announcement, it sounds like only the Z2 non-extreme chip is going in the Deck, which is equivalent to what is in the Ally. (Except Valve seem to do a better job with power optimization). At least if the Z2 Extreme is used instead, we would expect a significant price increase.

 

[Klosshufvud]

From the wording of the announcement, it sounds like only the Z2 non-extreme chip is going in the Deck, which is equivalent to what is in the Ally. (Except Valve seem to do a better job with power optimization). At least if the Z2 Extreme is used instead, we would expect a significant price increase.

The Z1E in the Ally is actually superior than the Z2 non-E models in gaming performance. This is the misleading part of what they're doing.

Edit: Nevermind, I missed the distinction between Z2GO and normal Z2. The confusion is absolute here. Yes the normal Z2 is actually pretty much identical to Z1E if I'm reading this right, for the fifth time.

 

[Xyphie]

Is there any difference between the Z2 extreme and AI 9 HX 370? They both seem to use the same RDNA 3.5 890m architecture. If there isn't a difference, the GPD Win mini already uses the HX 370

The silicon is the same, just different bins. Z2E likely doesn't have the NPU, and has a few CPU cores fused off, 3+5c instead of 4+8c. But the GPU performance should be the same.

 

[Wolzard]

I believe it is Valve's Mini PC, for use in the living room.

 

[Perrott]

I believe it is Valve's Mini PC, for use in the living room.

The performance of these chips is anemic for living room use, so I think they're going to use a different - perhaps custom made - chip for the "Steam Box" in order to avoid being embarrased by even the Series S.

 

[Dr.D00p]

This won't be Steam Deck 2.

...it's Valves Ally X mid generation upgrade, IMO.

 

[Wolzard]

The performance of these chips is anemic for living room use, so I think they're going to use a different - perhaps custom made - chip for the "Steam Box" in order to avoid being embarrased by even the Series S.

The rumors are that it would have a GPU more or less at the level of the PS5. Putting SteamOS and a price of around 300~400 dollars, it would be something interesting.

Furthermore, it would foster the mini PC market, just as the Steam Deck did with portable PCs. This way, other manufacturers can offer versions with stronger hardware.

 

[ArtHands]

Pierre-Loup Griffais (@plagman.bsky.social)

There is and will be no Z2 Steam Deck. Guessing the slide was meant to say the series is meant for products like that, not announcing anything specific. [contains quote post or other embedded content]

bsky.app

nope for SD

Pierre-Loup Griffais
@plagman.bsky.social
There is and will be no Z2 Steam Deck. Guessing the slide was meant to say the series is meant for products like that, not announcing anything specific.

 

[CrustyBritches]

What the fuck is a “SteamDeck”?

 

[DoubleClutch]

As long as the next Steam Deck has an OLED screen, I'll be buying it day one. The Steam Deck is a brilliant device.

They need to fix the PWM of it before I’ll ever consider buying one.

 

[SmokedMeat]

People are thinking Steam Deck, while forgetting that they’re due for a new VR Index headset.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

What the fuck is a “SteamDeck”?

Must be a completely new handheld device as it was confirmed this won’t come to Steam Deck

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

 

[CrustyBritches]

Must be a completely new handheld device as it was confirmed this won’t come to Steam Deck

This is Bizarro SteamDeck.

 

[kubricks]

From the wording of the announcement, it sounds like only the Z2 non-extreme chip is going in the Deck, which is equivalent to what is in the Ally. (Except Valve seem to do a better job with power optimization). At least if the Z2 Extreme is used instead, we would expect a significant price increase.

This is fine by me. I am not looking for a Steam deck 2 specifically.

I am hoping to buy another handheld that can run Elden ring or Cp2077 with a stable 50fps+ at mid/low settings. A little bit of head room will be nice too. Guess Z2E is capable enough.

 

[hinch7]

Pierre-Loup Griffais (@plagman.bsky.social)

There is and will be no Z2 Steam Deck. Guessing the slide was meant to say the series is meant for products like that, not announcing anything specific. [contains quote post or other embedded content]

bsky.app

nope for SD

Dissapointing. I would get a Z2 powered SD in a heartbeat.

 

[bbeach123]

Still not powerful enough imo .

 

[Klosshufvud]

ThePhawx on Youtube is benching Strix Point (basically Z2E) vs Hawk Point (basically Z1E) and the differences are minimal sadly. I think if you're waiting for a paradigm shift in handheld gaming, this isn't it. Maybe in a year or more likely two. But Z1E remains a phenomenal chip for handhelds.

 

[Wolzard]

 

[Wooxsvan]

if it supports FSR4 then im down

 

[Haint]

ThePhawx on Youtube is benching Strix Point (basically Z2E) vs Hawk Point (basically Z1E) and the differences are minimal sadly. I think if you're waiting for a paradigm shift in handheld gaming, this isn't it. Maybe in a year or more likely two. But Z1E remains a phenomenal chip for handhelds.

In reusing and rebranding laptop parts instead of building a custom gaming chip, way too much die space and power is being wasted on CPU. The Z2E CPU will probably benchmark on par with a 9700X desktop CPU, that's stupid as fuck for a handheld whose GPU struggles to run modern games at 30fps. These Z chips are all completely lopsided designs, a gaming first portable does not need these massive cutting edge CPU blocks. They need like 4 or 6 CPU cores at 3-4Ghz and 24 or 32 GPU cores. They also need to be on leading nodes like high end cellphones and tablets.

 

[fersnake]

im sorry but the z2 go sucks, the 4c 8t needs to die asap.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Z2 extreme steam deck will be a day 1 for me

 

[Panajev2001a]

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Hmm, I was hoping for RDNA4 based APUs. You get the far more efficient RT support and ability to support AI based upscaling (I like the term sparse rendering better though ). It would also last Valve far longer (using AI based upscaling and at the resolutions they target for these handhelds, totally up to 800p native res screens again, RDNA4 could deliver quite console like RT support… not PS5 Pro level but not millions of miles off).

 

[64bitmodels]

i want Deck 15w performance at 5w with this handheld!!! If AMD can do that, valve will have my money.

oh yeah... AND MAKE THE DAMN THING SMALLER!!!

 

[Fake]

I want one.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

What the fuck is a “SteamDeck”?

This, duh.

 

[64bitmodels]

that's stupid as fuck for a handheld whose GPU struggles to run modern games at 30fps.

buuuuuuut it's smart as fuck for if you wanted to add a thunderbolt GPU to the handheld and play it on desktop.

 

[CrustyBritches]

im sorry but the z2 go sucks, the 4c 8t needs to die asap.

I think that depends on the form factor and price. I think a Steam Deck Lite would be cool. Something the size of a GPD Win 4, or even Switch Lite.