AMD Ryzen Z2 APUs Unveiled for Gaming Handhelds: Featuring Z2 Extreme “Strix”, Z2 “Hawk” & Z2 Go “Rembrandt” with Up to 8 CPU and 16 GPU Cores

AMD has officially unveiled its next-generation Ryzen Z2 APU lineup, specifically designed for gaming handheld devices. The new series consists of three variants: Z2 Extreme, Z2 Standard, and Z2 Go.

AMD Announces Its Next-Gen Z2 APUs for Gaming Handhelds

Building on the success of the Ryzen Z1 series, AMD is set to launch its innovative Z2 system-on-chips (SoCs) tailored for gaming handhelds. This lineup aims to serve a broad spectrum of devices, ranging from entry-level options to advanced high-performance configurations.

In its announcement, AMD emphasized its dedication to delivering console-quality gaming experiences in portable formats. This commitment assures users of several hours of untethered gameplay without compromising on gaming visual fidelity, thanks to technologies like FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). The previous Z1 SoCs have already seen success, integrated into some of the market’s most popular handhelds, including the ASUS Rog Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Valve’s Steam Deck.

AMD’s primary objective with the Z2 APUs is to expand its Total Addressable Market (TAM) by introducing a wider range of products. These new gaming handhelds are anticipated to deliver enhanced battery life, superior software support, and performance advantages over competing devices.

Overview of the New AMD Z2 APU Models

AMD has introduced three innovative SoCs in the Ryzen Z2 lineup:

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme: This high-performance APU features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a maximum boost clock of 5.0 GHz. It comes equipped with 24 MB of cache, a thermal design power (TDP) range of 15 to 35W, and 16 RDNA 3.5 iGPU cores. Utilizing the Strix die, this is expected to be the first dedicated SoC for handhelds utilizing the Zen 5 architecture.
AMD Ryzen Z2 Standard: The standard model also boasts 8 cores and 16 threads, but is based on the Zen 4 architecture. It has an impressive maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz, 24 MB of cache, a TDP specification of 15-30W, and relies on 12 compute units from the RDNA 3 architecture. Additionally, it offers approximately 16 TOPS of NPU performance, marking an upgrade from the Z1 series’ Phoenix SoCs.
AMD Ryzen Z2 Go: Aimed at the entry-level market, this APU is constructed on the Rembrandt die and features 4 cores with 8 threads, adhering to the Zen 3 architecture. It provides a maximum boost clock of up to 4.3 GHz, 10 MB of cache, a cTDP of 15-30W, and utilizes 12 iGPU cores from the RDNA 2 architecture.

AMD anticipates that the first Ryzen Z2 APUs will be available in Q1 2025, coinciding with the release of new handheld devices that harness their robust capabilities.