AMD has announced three new Ryzen Z2 processors for gaming handhelds ahead of its CES 2025 keynote presentation. All three APUs will target different power levels, though only the highest-tier chip, the Z2 Extreme, uses a newer CPU architecture.
A new report from Videocardz reveals that AMD has not one, but three new Ryzen Z2 chips ready for handhelds:
- Ryzen Z2: x8 cores (Zen 4), 12 CUs (RDNA 3 GPU)
- Ryzen Z2 Go: x4 cores (Zen 3+), 12 CUs (RDNA 2 GPU)
- Ryzen Z2 Extreme: 8 cores (x3 Zen 5 + x5 Zen 5c), 16 CUs (RDNA 3.5 GPU)
The Ryzen Z2 Go will be exclusively used in the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go S handheld PC, whose existence has been leaked before its announcement. It uses a much older architecture to keep costs down, built for budget-conscious gamers. We don't have any details on pricing for the Legion Go S, though previous reports suggest that it will be an affordable, cut-down version of the original handheld.
According to the report, AMD also confirmed that the Ryzen Z2 will be used in a system from Valve. The company has yet to announce a Steam Deck successor, and it's highly unlikely that it will update the existing Steam Deck OLED with a new processor. Of course, it's possible that Valve might just use the Ryzen Z2 Go APU for a cheaper Steam Deck model.
Valve is also reportedly working on new VR hardware, and it might be gearing up to reveal Half-Life 3 later this year. If a Steam Deck successor is announced, it will make for a record year for Valve in terms of new announcements.
AMD will officially reveal its upcoming Ryzen Z2 APUs, along with its latest lineup of graphics cards and CPUs at CES on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 11 AM PT during its CES 2025 presentation. If you'd rather prefer handhelds to play retro games, Atari is also revealing a new console at CES.
English (US) ·