AMD's next-generation Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU equipped with Zen5 and RDNA3.5 cores will power the new gaming handheld computer, especially improving its performance and battery life. Currently, the best performance of handheld devices remains at the level of entry-level desktops, so more powerful APUs are still needed. Thankfully, that won't be the case next year, as AMD has special plans for the gaming handheld.
At the 2024 IFA show, multiple hardware manufacturers released their new products, including Acer, which showed off its new Nitro7 handheld device. However, as far as we know, it will be equipped with AMD Ryzen 78840HS based on Zen4 and RDNA3 architecture.
According to Digitaltrends, AMD will release Ryzen Z2 Extreme in early 2025 to improve the performance of these handheld devices. Not only performance, but battery life is also one of AMD's current top priorities. Jack Huynh, AMD's senior vice president and general manager of the computing and graphics department, once said that he is very interested in "Black Myth: Wukong" that can be played on a handheld for three hours.
Currently, most handheld computers don't allow users to play such graphically intensive games for extended periods of time. With the release of AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, it is expected that the updated handheld computer will be both powerful and power-efficient since Z2 Extreme will be powered by a Zen5 and Zen5c hybrid core combination.
Early information suggests that the Z2 Extreme will feature 8 cores in 3Zen5 and 5Zen5C configurations. In addition, there is a standard Z2 APU, but it is likely to be a replacement for the Ryzen8040U "HawkPoint" APU.
Asus ROGAlly/X and Lenovo Legion Go currently use Z1Extreme chips, and if Asus and Lenovo plan to launch newer handheld models, they may be upgraded to Z2Extreme APU in 2025. That said, Zotac, Antec and other manufacturers using some kind of AMD Zen4-based APU may also launch new versions with Z2Extreme. It's exciting to see how the Z2 Extreme will compete with Intel's Lunar Lake-based handheld computers, such as MSI's CLAW8, which is scheduled to be released in 2025.
Still, the future of gaming handhelds is bright. From multiple manufacturers entering the handheld console market, to AMD and Intel rushing to introduce newer, more powerful, and more power-efficient chips, the handheld consoles we'll see in 2025 will be able to play modern games at higher frame rates. Although they can't yet be expected to compete with mid-range and high-end desktop computers, they will certainly be more attractive than they are now.