AMD expands its handheld Ryzen gaming SOCs with the budget Ryzen Z2 A and the high-end Ryzen Z2 Extreme, powering the latest consoles.
AMD Debuts Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme with Dedicated NPU, Also Releases "Zen 2" Based Ryzen Z2 A Chip for Budget Handhelds
The Ryzen Z2 lineup isn't just limited to the three SKUs, as AMD expands the series by adding two more options.
A few months back, when AMD announced its custom Ryzen Z2 chips for handhelds, it included three different chips: Ryzen Z2 Extreme, Ryzen Z2, and Ryzen Z2 Go. While the first two are based on the Zen 5 and Zen 4 architectures, the Ryzen Z2 Go was based on the Zen 3+ and is a Lenovo handheld-exclusive.
With the immense boom in AI demand, AMD has expanded the lineup by introducing the "Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme." This chip is basically identical to the Ryzen Z2 Extreme but adds a dedicated NPU for carrying out AI workloads. It's the first custom Ryzen chip for handhelds to support AI operations, capable of offering up to 50 AI TOPs.
The CPU offers 8 CPU cores and 16 Threads based on the latest Zen 5 architecture and has 16 RDNA 3.5-based GPU cores. Even though AMD didn't share any information on its performance, it should be somewhere around the Radeon 890M in performance since the latter also offers 16x RDNA 3.5 cores.
On the other hand, the newly launched AMD Ryzen Z2 A will be limited to the RDNA 2 architecture for its iGPU. Boasting 8 GPU cores, it won't likely be marketed for smooth gaming performance but will be ideal for entry-level handhelds.
The Ryzen Z2 A has also been downgraded to the older Zen 2 architecture, boasting just 4 cores and 8 threads, bringing it to the level of the custom Ryzen APU present on the Steam Deck. Hence, it will be another ultra-power-efficient APU that will work in a 6- 20W TDP range, improving battery life on handhelds.
The Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, along with other Ryzen Z2 variants, will work in the 15- 30W TDP range but will offer support of up to 8000 MT/s of memory speed, which is 500 MHz higher than the Ryzen Z2 and 1600 MHz higher than the Ryzen Z2 Go.
With these newer APUs being introduced into the market, expect upgraded variants of the existing AMD Ryzen Z1-based handhelds this year.
AMD Ryzen "Z" Series Gaming Handheld SoCs:
| CPU Name | AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme | AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme | AMD Ryzen Z2 | AMD Ryzen Z2 Go | AMD Ryzen Z2A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family | AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Strix Point | Hawk Point | Rembrandt | Van Gogh |
| Process Node | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 6nm | TSMC 7nm |
| Max Cores/Threads | 8/16 | 8/16 | 8/16 | 8/16 | 4/8 |
| Max Clocks | 5.0 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 5.1 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 3.8 GHz |
| Max Cache | 24 MB | 24 MB | 24 MB | 10 MB | 6 MB |
| Memory | LPDDR5x-8000 | LPDDR5x-8000 | LPDDR5x-7500 | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| TDP Range | 15-35W | 15-35W | 15-30W | 15-30W | 6-20W |
| GPU Architecture | Radeon 890M (RDNA 3.5) | Radeon 890M (RDNA 3.5) | Radeon 780M (RDNA 3) | Radeon 680M (RDNA 2) | RDNA 2 |
| Max GPU Cores | 16 CUs | 16 CUs | 12 CUs | 12 CUs | 8 CUs |
| Launch | June, 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | June, 2025 |
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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