The upcoming AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor has been rumoured to feature eight Zen 5 cores split between normal and efficient types. The chip is also expected to include more GPU horsepower than its predecessor.
According to leaker Golden Pig, like its predecessor, Z2 Series will also include multiple versions to suit the needs of different handhelds. This time, three versions are supposedly on the horizon: Z2G, Z2, and Z2 Extreme. Z2G is seemingly the slowest of the bunch, said to carry up to eight Zen 3+ cores along with 12 RDNA 2 compute units. Z2 refreshes things to a more modern eight Zen 4 cores plus 12 RDNA 3 compute units. Lastly, the Z2 Extreme could pack three Zen 5 plus five Zen 5c cores, coupled with a larger 16 RDNA 3.5 compute unit GPU. All models should land on shelves sometime next year.
For comparison, Z1 featured two Zen 4 plus four Zen 4c cores combined with a tiny four RDNA 3 compute unit GPU. This made it less than ideal for gaming handhelds, unlike the Z1 Extreme. The latter appears in machines such as the ROG Ally, packing eight Zen 4 cores and 12 RDNA 3 compute units, i.e. a similar design to the rumoured Z2 chip.
Assuming the rumour is correct, Z2 chips will likely face Intel’s Lunar Lake Core Ultra 200V processors. These will surely be great competitors thanks to their improved Arc 140V iGPU and fast on-package memory. Not even mentioning their low-power targets.
While introducing three variants can make buying gaming handhelds confusing, I see it as a good thing. Using different architecture generations instead of heavily cutting down a chip is the better move. This way, AMD can leverage the lower costs associated with older designs without destroying performance. For example, between the Z2 and Z2G, the main uplift will be due to the Zen 4 and RDNA 3 architectural improvements. In other words, we shouldn’t see a massive performance gap between these chips. That said, power consumption may vary, especially on Z2 Extreme, thanks to its efficient Zen 5c cores.
Though the current generation of handhelds offered a great gaming experience, it lacked choice regarding performance. Hopefully, this will change with these Z2 and Core Ultra chips. Heck, I would love to see some of these on thin laptops focused on battery life.
