The Z2 Extreme, expected to be released next year, is anticipated to deliver performance on par with popular AAA titles such as Black Myth: Wukong.
Recent announcements from AMD and Microsoft at IFA 2024 have confirmed the impending launch of the Z2 Extreme processor early next year. This new processor, the successor to the Z1 Extreme, is set to be featured in the Asus ROG Ally, laying the groundwork for a new era of handheld gaming PCs.
The competition in the handheld gaming PC market has intensified since the introduction of Valve’s Steam Deck in 2022. Many major PC manufacturers have entered the arena with their handheld products, most of which are powered by processors based on AMD’s Zen 4 architecture, such as Ryzen 7000 or 8000. These chips, accompanied by 780M GPUs, have proven to offer stable performance as per the specifications of the devices.
While AMD has not disclosed detailed information about the chip in the Z2 Extreme, industry sources indicate that the Zen 5 Strix Point is a strong possibility. Early evaluations suggest that the Strix Point 890M GPU can significantly enhance gaming performance, enabling smooth gameplay at high graphics settings for titles like Doom Eternal, God of War, and Red Dead Redemption 2.
At present, the GPD Pocket 4 is confirmed to be the only handheld PC utilizing the Strix Point chip. However, AMD has stated that it is collaborating with multiple hardware partners to develop devices incorporating the Z2 Extreme, and the Asus ROG Ally 2 will likely be among them.
Improving battery life is a key focus for AMD, with an anticipated playtime of three hours for Black Myth: Wukong on devices equipped with the Z2 chip. Additionally, AMD is emphasizing AI technology, integrating an NPU to boost performance and enhance graphics processing capabilities.
AMD’s Hawk Point chip features an XDNA NPU with 16 TOPS performance, whereas the newly announced Strix Point chips are capable of processing up to 50 TOPS. Furthermore, MSI intends to launch a successor to the Claw handheld PC, which will feature Intel’s Lunar Lake chip with comparable performance.
Handheld devices powered by the Z2 Extreme chip are expected to launch concurrently with the next version of the Nintendo Switch, heralding a new phase of competition between PC and console handheld devices in the coming year.
