AMD fans, get ready for some exciting news! The tech giant has officially announced its upcoming Ryzen Z2 series, set to elevate gaming handhelds with some powerful new features. Originally thought to include the Radeon 890M with 16 Compute Units (CUs), it now appears that the lineup will peak with the Radeon 880M, boasting 12 CUs as revealed by a trusted leaker.
Two new RDNA 3.5 integrated GPUs have been introduced with AMD’s Strix Point. The Radeon 890M, designed with 16 CUs, has already proved its mettle in our benchmarks, delivering an impressive 18% performance boost over its predecessor, the 780M. This makes the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and AI 9 HX 375 stellar options for gaming enthusiasts seeking power-packed handhelds.
While officially announced gaming handhelds featuring these new Strix Point APUs remain under wraps, AMD has given us a glimpse of what’s to come with its Ryzen Z2 series. The anticipated unveiling is set for “early 2025,” with the lineup expected to feature cutting-edge Zen 5 chips. However, it looks like the most anticipated Radeon 890M won’t be making the cut.
Renowned tipster Golden Pig Upgrade, via Bilibili, has spilled the beans that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme will get an RDNA 3.5 iGPU with 12 CUs, translating to the Radeon 880M. In simulation tests, this iGPU outperformed the Radeon 780M by about 13%, hinting at a significant performance upgrade.
Further insights from Golden Pig Upgrade reveal that the standard Ryzen Z2 will be equipped with the RDNA 3 iGPU, also carrying 12 CUs. This suggests a possible integration of the same Radeon 780M found in the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. The leaker also hints at a third member of the lineup, the Ryzen Z2G, which intriguingly houses an RDNA 2 iGPU with 12 CUs. This could potentially be a refreshed version from the Rembrandt series, possibly aiming to offer budget-friendly gaming handheld options.
Despite the absence of the Radeon 890M in the Z2 series, some believe that we might still see this powerful GPU make its way into gaming handhelds via devices powered by the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. A prime example is GPD’s 2024 Pocket 4, which is already utilizing this APU, proving capable of delivering performance in compact, portable designs.
Stay tuned for more updates on AMD’s exciting new offerings as we get closer to their official release. With the Ryzen Z2 series, gaming on the go is about to get a whole lot more exciting!
