AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU: 8-Core Powerhouse for Next-Gen Handhelds

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU: Technical Specifications Indicate 8 Cores for a Handheld

The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU has been identified through a leaked shipping document, revealing its targeted application for portable gaming consoles. This processor is engineered with an 8-core configuration, likely comprising 3 Zen5 cores and 5 Zen5C cores, optimizing both performance and efficiency. The APU operates with a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 28 watts, allowing for dynamic power consumption ranging between 9 watts and 30 watts. This adaptability in power usage ensures that the processor can maintain high performance during intensive tasks while conserving energy during less demanding operations. Additionally, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme includes hyperthreading capabilities, enabling each physical core to handle two threads simultaneously, effectively doubling the processing throughput. The APU is equipped with 16MB of cache memory. Further details from the leaked document indicate that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU, designated as "Z2X28W" with the identifier "100-000001684," is currently being shipped to India for preliminary testing and validation. Before its official release, the processor may undergo modifications to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with various portable console architectures. The integrated GPU within the APU is based on AMD's RDNA 3.5 architecture, featuring 12 Compute Units (CUs). This GPU configuration is similar to that found in the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, suggesting robust graphics performance capable of handling modern gaming demands. The combination of advanced CPU and GPU technologies within the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU aims to deliver a balanced performance profile suitable for the compact and power-sensitive environment of portable gaming devices. AMD Senior Vice President Jack Hyunh has stated that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU is designed to enhance the performance of portable consoles while optimizing battery life, addressing a critical aspect of mobile gaming. Efficient power management is crucial for extending playtime and ensuring that devices remain lightweight and portable without compromising on performance. Although the Ryzen Z2 Extreme is anticipated for release in early 2025, the current market landscape features manufacturers like ASUS, which continues to utilize the Z1 Extreme APU in its ROG Ally X, and ZOTAC, which has adopted Zen4 processors for its ZONE device. Additionally, MSI has integrated Intel's Lunar Lake processors into its Claw 8 AI+ console. The Ryzen Z2 Extreme is expected to be incorporated into future iterations of portable gaming devices such as the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion GO. However, official confirmations from these manufacturers regarding their processor choices for upcoming models are still pending. Source : X Olrak29_

AMD Z2 Extreme APU For Next-Gen Handhelds Spotted, 8-Core Configuration Confirmed

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU surfaces online as the next-generation chip is going to power future gaming handhelds. AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU is expected to succeed the Z1 Extreme custom APU by AMD, made for gaming handhelds such as ASUS ROG Ally. The Z1 Extreme is based on the Zen 4 architecture but as AMD already revealed its Zen 5-based desktop and laptop lineups, i.e., the Ryzen 9000 & Ryzen AI 300 APUs, AMD is inevitably set to release a custom Z2 Extreme APU based on Zen 5. This has been confirmed in the recently leaked NBD shipping manifest(via @Olrak29_), which reveals the chip as "Z2X28W" with a "100-000001684" ID. The Z2X is the codename for the Z2 Extreme in short while the 28W is the supposed TDP for the APU. This confirms the rumor that the Z2 Extreme will work within 9-30W of TDP except that it looks like the max TDP will be 28W. Nonetheless, what's important is that AMD is actively preparing for the Z2 Extreme as promised. A few weeks ago, AMD confirmed that it is working to release the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU in the early part of 2025. This is because the current Strix Point lineup is too expensive for gaming handhelds while the upcoming Krackan Point will focus on mainstream laptops. We have only heard about a few mini-PCs using the AMD Strix Point Ryzen AI 300 processors, but no hardware manufacturer has come up with a Strix Point-based gaming handheld. MSI is going with the Lunar Lake for Claw 8, while ZOTAC has gone with the Zen 4-based chip for its Gaming ZONE. The upcoming gaming handhelds can be reshaped with the availability of Z2 Extreme as it will be a solid replacement for handhelds like ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU will feature a 3+5 core configuration with 3x Zen 5 and 5x Zen 5c cores. It will feature hyperthreading and a max Cache of 16MB. The iGPU will be based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture and will come with 12 Compute Units, similar to the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU. It's expected that Z2 Extreme will not only improve the gaming performance of handhelds but will also improve the battery life noticeably, which AMD's Senior VP, Jack Hyunh has previously focused on.

AMD's next-gen Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU spotted: 8-core CPU, beefed-up RDNA 3.5 GPU

AMD is cooking its new Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU ready for next-gen 2025 gaming handhelds, powered by the Zen 5 CPU architecture and RDNA 3.5 GPU architecture, just like its recently launched Strix Point APUs. AMD's new Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU will succeed the current-gen Zen 4-based Ryzen Z1 Extreme and Ryzen Z1 (non-Extreme) which we see in the ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld. But the new Ryzen Z2 Extreme should power the next-gen gaming handhelds of 2025, which we should see debut at CES 2025 (like, a new ROG Ally successor). The new Z2 Extreme APU has been confirmed in a recent NBD shipping manifest, with the chip revealed as the Z2X28W" with a "100-000001684" ID. Z2X is the codename for the Z2 Extreme wth a 28W TDP for the APU, with this confirming the rumors of the new Z2 Extreme APU working within the 9W to 30W range of TDP, except that it looks like the max TDP will be 28W. We should expect some major upgrades from the successors to most gaming handhelds in 2025, powered by AMD's upcoming Ryzen Z1 Extreme. AMD's Jack Huynh recently talked about wanting to play Black Myth: Wukong for 3 hours on a handheld, not just the 45 minutes we get from current-gen handhelds. So, we should expect not just more performance out of new gaming handhelds, but some wicked improvements in battery life which is what we want to hear about next-gen gaming handhelds. AMD has just launched its new Zen 5 architecture into two families of CPUs so far: Ryzen AI 300 series "Strix Point" APUs for mobile, and the Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" CPUs for the desktop. We should expect AMD's new Ryzen Z2 Extreme to feature up to 8 cores and 16 threads of Zen 5 CPU power, and the heavily-beefed-up RDNA 3.5-based GPU, just like Strix Point does. Intel is getting into the mobile fight with its new Core Ultra 200V series "Lunar Lake" processors, which are making it into gaming handhelds, so AMD will need to fight back with some Zen 5 + RDNA 3.5-powered Ryzen Z2 Extreme goodness in early 2025, and we can't wait.