AMD Unveils Z2 Chip, Promising Major Upgrades for Handheld Devices

According to a report, AMD has officially announced that a new Z2 Extreme chip will be released as early as 2025.

Many handheld devices on the market, including the Steam Deck and Ayaneo Flip DS, currently utilize the 7840U and 780M chip combination. AMD also supplied the Z1 Extreme APU used in the Asus ROG Ally and its successor, the Ally X.

AMD is poised to enhance its presence in this sector with the forthcoming announcement of the Z2 Extreme chip.

The Ryzen Z1 Extreme integrates cutting-edge Zen 4 and RDNA 3 technologies, featuring 8 Zen 4 cores and 12 RDNA 3 Compute Units. The new Z2 chip is anticipated to utilize the innovative Strix Point architecture, which includes up to 8 Zen 5 cores and 16 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units.

The Ryzen Z2 Extreme is expected to deliver a significant boost in performance for handheld gaming devices, particularly as AMD continues to prioritize efficiency and minimize power consumption.

News about the Z2 Extreme chip was revealed by Digital Trends, which stated that AMD confirmed the chip’s development during a recent Q&A session attended by AMD and Microsoft employees.

During this Q&A, AMD indicated plans to launch the Z2 Extreme in early 2025, though a specific release date was not disclosed.

While it remains unconfirmed which handheld consoles will be the first to incorporate the Z2 series, probable candidates include the Asus ROG Ally 2 and the Lenovo Legion Go 2. The current versions of these devices utilize Z1 silicon, so these upgraded models are expected to leverage the enhanced technology.

Additional announcements regarding AMD’s upcoming hardware are anticipated at CES 2025 in January.