The AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive is official. AMD has taken the wraps off its extremely anticipated handheld gaming CPU that’s doubtlessly set to energy future variations of the Asus ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go, and it seems to be set to carry large positive factors in gaming efficiency and battery life. Nonetheless, regardless of the Steam Deck showing in a slide to announce the brand new chip, a Valve developer has stated the Z2 gained’t be utilized in a future Steam Deck.
The brand new CPU is a follow-up to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive, which is already used to energy the Asus ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go, and it seems to be as if future handhelds are actually about to turn out to be a complete lot extra highly effective. Whereas it seems to be as if the brand new chip gained’t be used within the Steam Deck 2, although, there’s nothing to cease different corporations making SteamOS handhelds utilizing the Z2.
in AMD’s presentation to announce the brand new CPU, there’s a curious slide the place the Steam Deck is pictured together with the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go (pictured under), main us to initially assume there may very well be a Z2 Excessive-based Steam Deck within the works. Nonetheless, Valve Steam Deck developer Pierre-Loup Griffais has already shot down this rumor, saying there “can be no Z2 Steam Deck” in a put up on Bluesky (above), as identified by GamingOnLinux.
It’s nonetheless an impressively highly effective handheld chip, although. The obvious improve with this new processor is that its GPU strikes from 12 compute items, as on the Z1 Excessive, to a design with 16 compute items. That 33% increase in processing elements ought to present a reasonably direct and linear increase to gaming efficiency, offering avid gamers with a sooner body fee or permitting for a gradual body fee at a better decision.
Exterior of this modification, the uncooked uptick in efficiency in comparison with the Z1 Excessive isn’t so apparent, because the Z2 Excessive CPU specs look broadly the identical as these of the Z1 Excessive, with the brand new chip sporting an eight-core CPU that may course of 16 threads without delay.
The Ryzen Z2 can even be obtainable in two different configurations, the Z2 and Z2 Go, with each these dropping to a 12 CU GPU whereas, the Go additionally drops to only a four-core CPU. The Ryzen Z2 Go really feels like a extremely intriguing possibility, as though quad-core CPUs are on the restrict for what’s wanted for lots of AAA fashionable video games, it’s nonetheless lots for many older titles, plus you then nonetheless get a GPU with 12 CUs. If AMD and its companions can carry that course of to marketplace for a terrific value, it may make for a tempting funds handheld possibility.
Exterior of those fundamental specs, AMD hasn’t offered too many particulars as to what else has modified on the brand new CPU however claims the brand new chip will present “extra efficiency and functionality than prior generations with hours and hours of battery life.”
As for whenever you would possibly have the ability to get your palms on the primary AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive gadgets, AMD suggests they are going to seem in Q1 2025, in order that’s any time from now till April. Right here’s hoping it’s sooner quite than later.
Revealed at its CES 2025 press convention, the Z2 Excessive joins a number of different AMD bulletins from the world’s largest tech commerce present, together with a brand new Ryzen 9 9950X3D desktop gaming CPU, the a lot anticipated Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card, and AMD Ryzen AI Max gaming laptop computer CPUs with unimaginable 40 CU GPUs.
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