AMD's Rumored AI-Powered APUs Set to Revolutionize Gaming Handhelds

AMD FSR 4 could be coming to gaming handhelds -- why that's potentially a big deal

A new supposed leak hints at two new AI-focused AMD chips for handhelds AMD is reportedly working on AI-focused APUs. The company's FSR upscaling technology could be used in the best handheld gaming consoles. Currently, the latest generation of AMD's APUs consists of the Ryzen Z2, Z2 Go and Z2 Extreme chips. According to leaker @AnhPhuH on X (via Notebook Check and VideoCardz), these chips will soon be joined by a Ryzen Z2 A and Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. As you've likely deduced from their monikers, these APUs will utilize AI technology. A processor with an NPU for handhelds isn't new, as the MSI Claw 8 AI+ demonstrates. However, that handheld runs on an Intel Core Ultra 2 processor. If this alleged leak is accurate, it would be AMD's first attempt at AI-focused handheld APUs. That could be huge for future handhelds powered by AMD's chip. AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, or FSR 4, is an AI-powered upscaling technology that can improve image quality and gaming performance. The tech is available for the company's Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs. Still, if AMD is reportedly working on AI-focused APUs, we could see FSR 4 (or some version) for upcoming gaming handhelds. Upscaling tech like FSR and Nvidia's DLSS utilizes AI to render games at a lower resolution and then intelligently upscales the image to improve visual fidelity and performance. Offloading basic processes like system performance from the APU to the NPU could also be a potential performance benefit. As always with alleged leaks and rumors, take everything I've written above with a healthy dose of skepticism. That said, I doubt AMD will sit back and let Intel be the only manufacturer that makes AI-focused processors for gaming handhelds. Even if the alleged AMD Z2 A and AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme don't manifest, something similar might. We'll keep an eye on this story and follow up with any updates we hear.

AMD is making a handheld gaming PC chip with proper AI capabilities, but do gamers really need this?

Handheld gaming PCs have made a full comeback, serving as one of the most popular ways for game enthusiasts to enjoy their hobby anywhere at any time. We have a wide range of great options like the Steam Deck from Valve (which is sort of the handheld trendsetter for this generation), the Asus ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go, and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ - in short, it's only going to get better with time. The integral part of these handhelds and their gaming performance capabilities is their processors (or more specifically, SoCs, meaning System-on-a-Chip), with the CPU and GPU on the same die. Thanks to AMD and Intel primarily, we've had the joys of using chips like the Ryzen Z1 Extreme and the Core Ultra 7 258V in handheld PCs, providing enough processing power for great performance across numerous games. Features like frame generation and upscaling methods further help sustain good results, especially in more demanding titles: notably, AMD's FSR 3 is used on the likes of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. However, its latest version, FSR 4, is a major improvement upon its predecessor, with better image quality and performance without the handicap of significant ghosting. The big downside here is that FSR 4 is currently exclusive to RDNA 4 desktop GPUs, and AMD is reportedly planning to build a Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, purported to use RDNA 3.5 according to a reputable leaker on X. And unless Team Red manages to port FSR 4 over to RDNA 3.5, then I see absolutely no point in an 'AI' version of the Z2 Extreme processor. Speaking exclusively on handheld gaming PCs, the priority is to ensure consumers are getting the best performance possible without hindering battery life or causing overheating: the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip is rivalling some desktop GPUs in demanding triple-A games like Cyberpunk 2077, but it remains to be seen whether the APU can be deployed effectively in a smaller compact system like a handheld gaming PC. The rumored Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip (unless it happens to use RDNA 4 architecture) doesn't sound beneficial to me - at least, compared to the already-announced Ryzen Z2 Extreme. It's early days, and we don't even know if the rumors are legitimate, but the only possible enhancements from it in terms of gaming could be better frame generation thanks to the onboard Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which handles dedicated AI workloads such as upscaling and frame-gen in games. I'm willing to bet that it won't come close to the AI Max+ 395 in terms of processing power: the AI Max+ 395's iGPU has 40 GPU cores, capable of providing high frame rates without the need of a discrete GPU - so much so, that it is already being rolled out onto the desktop gaming PC scene. So far, the only 'AI' SoC for handhelds that sounds worthwhile is Intel's 'Lunar Lake' Core Ultra 7 258V used in the MSI Claw 8 AI+. Its price may not be the most appealing at $899 / £899 / AU$1,799.00, but it arguably knocks all other handhelds on the market out of the park. I hope I can be proven wrong, and AMD either brings FSR 4 to handhelds using this rumored chip, or at the very least ensure that it packs enough power to dethrone or challenge Intel's reigning Lunar Lake chip - because from what the current rumors suggest, it may be a waste of time for gamers.

AMD reportedly planning Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU for gaming handhelds, with NPU for AI workloads

TL;DR: AMD is reportedly planning to introduce the Ryzen Z2 family of processors, including the flagship Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU, aimed at gaming handhelds. These APUs will feature a mix of Zen 3, Zen 4, or Zen 5 cores, integrated RDNA GPUs, and an NPU for AI tasks, competing with Intel's Core Ultra 200V series. AMD is reportedly gearing up to add "AI" to the name of its new gaming handheld APU, with rumors of the new Ryzen Z2 family of processors seeing a flagship Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU. In a new post on X by leaker Hoang Anh Phu, we're hearing that the Ryzen Z2, Ryzen Z2 A, Ryzen Z2 Go, Ryzen Z2 Extreme, and Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APUs will take the gaming handheld processor battle to Intel and its Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series of processors. Each of the Ryzen Z2 series APUs will have a mix of Zen 3, Zen 4, or Zen 5 processor cores with integrated GPUs that range between RDNA 2, RDNA 3, and RDNA 3.5. The flagship Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU will reportedly feature Strix Point silicon with up to 8 cores, and 16 threads of Zen 5/c cores, and up to 16 cores of RDNA 3.5-based GPU... and we can't miss out on that XDNA 2-based NPU for AI workloads. It seems that AMD's purported Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU will be the only processor in the Z2 series to feature an NPU for AI workloads, but we could expect one of them -- the Ryzen Z2 A -- to have some form of AI functionality. Strix Point APUs ship with their NPU chips in-tact, but AMD disables them for gaming handhelds... but it appears it's back on the table the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme.

MSI's next-gen Claw gaming handheld rumored to use AMD's next-gen Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU

TL;DR: MSI's upcoming Claw gaming handheld will reportedly use AMD's Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU, moving away from Intel's Meteor Lake chip. AMD's new APUs, including the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, feature Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5 technology, with an XDNA 2-based NPU for AI tasks, challenging Intel's Core Ultra 200V series. MSI's next-generation Claw gaming handheld is reportedly going to be powered by AMD's upcoming Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU, marking a move away from Intel and its Meteor Lake chip used in the current Claw handheld. Intel has launched its new Core Ultra 200V series "Lunar Lake" processors, but the uptake on gaming handhelds isn't that great -- because AMD's range of APUs are continuing to get better and better -- especially with its new Strix Point and Strix Halo APUs crushing anything Intel has on the market. In a new post on X by leaker @Haze2K1, it looks like MSI's new Claw gaming handheld will be powered by AMD's unannounced, but upcoming Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU, the best of its upcoming Ryzen Z2 family of chips based on Zen 5 + RDNA 3.5 and an XDNA 2-based NPU for AI workloads (if you thought handhelds were safe from AI, you were wrong). As for the new APUs, AMD is reportedly working on the new Ryzen Z2, Ryzen Z2 A, Ryzen Z2 Go, Ryzen Z2 Extreme, and Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APUs that will take the gaming handheld processor battle to Intel and its Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series of processors. Each of the Ryzen Z2 series APUs will have a mix of Zen 3, Zen 4, or Zen 5 processor cores with integrated GPUs that range between RDNA 2, RDNA 3, and RDNA 3.5. The flagship Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU will reportedly feature Strix Point silicon with up to 8 cores, and 16 threads of Zen 5/c cores, and up to 16 cores of RDNA 3.5-based GPU... and we can't miss out on that XDNA 2-based NPU for AI workloads. It seems that AMD's purported Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU will be the only processor in the Z2 series to feature an NPU for AI workloads, but we could expect one of them -- the Ryzen Z2 A -- to have some form of AI functionality. Strix Point APUs ship with their NPU chips in-tact, but AMD disables them for gaming handhelds... but it appears it's back on the table the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme.