At CES 2025, AMD announced its latest innovation for handheld gaming devices: the Ryzen Z2 series of System-on-Chips (SoCs). This new lineup is designed to deliver enhanced performance and efficiency for portable gaming consoles, directly competing with Intel’s Core Ultra 200V “Lunar Lake” processors.
Ryzen Z2 Series Overview
The Ryzen Z2 series comprises three distinct models tailored to different performance needs.
Ryzen Z2 Extreme
This flagship model features an 8-core, 16-thread CPU configuration, with cores boosting up to 5.0 GHz. It integrates 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU compute units (CUs) and operates within a configurable TDP range of 15W to 35W.
Ryzen Z2
Also offering an 8-core, 16-thread setup, the standard Z2 boasts a slightly higher boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz. It comes with 12 RDNA 3.5 GPU CUs and a TDP range of 15W to 30W.
Ryzen Z2 Go
Aimed at entry-level handheld consoles, the Z2 Go includes a 4-core, 8-thread CPU, combining two “Zen 4” and two “Zen 4c” cores. It features 12 RDNA 3 GPU CUs, providing a balance between performance and power efficiency.
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme is built on AMD’s 4nm “Strix Point” silicon, incorporating a combination of “Zen 5” and “Zen 5c” CPU cores. The integrated GPU is based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, optimized for LPDDR5X memory, and includes 16 CUs—a notable increase from the 12 CUs found in the previous “Phoenix Point” generation.
In contrast, the standard Ryzen Z2 utilizes the older “Phoenix Point” silicon, featuring eight “Zen 4” cores and an RDNA 3 GPU with 12 CUs. The Ryzen Z2 Go is based on “Phoenix 2” silicon, combining “Zen 4” and “Zen 4c” cores, and is equipped with an RDNA 3 GPU comprising 12 CUs.
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Market Position and Availability
AMD’s introduction of the Ryzen Z2 series underscores its commitment to advancing handheld gaming technology, offering solutions that cater to both high-end and entry-level segments. While specific device partnerships have not been fully disclosed, AMD indicates that handhelds powered by Ryzen Z2 processors are expected to become available in the first quarter of 2025.