AMD is making waves in the handheld gaming world with its expanded lineup of Ryzen Z2 system-on-chips (SOCs). The company has unveiled two new powerful additions: the budget-friendly Ryzen Z2 A and the high-performance Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, designed to power the latest gaming consoles.
Months back, AMD introduced its custom Ryzen Z2 chips for handheld gaming, including the Ryzen Z2 Extreme, Ryzen Z2, and Ryzen Z2 Go. The first two leverage the Zen 5 and Zen 4 architectures, while the Ryzen Z2 Go is a Lenovo-exclusive chip based on the Zen 3+ architecture.
With the surging demand for AI capabilities, AMD has stepped up with the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, featuring a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) to handle AI workloads efficiently. This makes it the first custom Ryzen chip for handhelds that supports AI operations, boasting up to 50 AI TOPs. Built on the Zen 5 architecture, it offers eight CPU cores, 16 threads, and 16 RDNA 3.5-based GPU cores, promising performance akin to the Radeon 890M.
In contrast, the Ryzen Z2 A focuses on affordability and energy efficiency. It sticks to the RDNA 2 architecture with eight GPU cores, making it perfect for entry-level handhelds. Based on the older Zen 2 architecture, it sports four cores and eight threads, mirroring the APU level of the Steam Deck. Its ultra-efficient design allows it to operate within a 6-20W TDP range, enhancing battery life.
The Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, along with other variants in the lineup, operates within a 15-30W TDP range and supports memory speeds up to 8000 MT/s. This is 500 MHz higher than the standard Ryzen Z2 and significantly faster than the Ryzen Z2 Go.
As these new APUs hit the market, gamers can look forward to upgraded versions of existing AMD Ryzen Z1-based handhelds this year, promising more power and efficiency for a superior gaming experience.
