AMD Z2 Extreme is in development and the company is planning to release its second-generation Z series chipset next year, the company reportedly revealed in a media interaction during the recently concluded IFA 2024. The AMD Z1 Extreme processor that was launched in May 2023 powers current-generation handheld PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go, and AMD’s second-generation chipset is expected to power devices arriving in 2025, such as Valve’s purported successor to the Steam Deck.
A Digital Trends report from a media session held at IFA 2024 states that the AMD Z2 Extreme is currently in development at the chipmaker and could be launched in “early 2025”, nearly two years after the company launched the first-generation processor. The company did not reveal any details related to the performance of the upcoming chipset, but we can speculate that it will be based on AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 (or Strix Point) series.
There’s no word from AMD on how efficient the new chipset will be, in comparison with the current generation model. The Asus ROG Ally was criticised for offering subpar battery life, prompting the company to double the battery size to 80Wh with the ROG Ally X that was launched in July.
According to the publication, the company has confirmed that it is working with OEM partners to bring the chipset to their upcoming devices. The company’s chipset powered the ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X, and the second-generation handheld from Asus might also be equipped with the upcoming AMD processor, just like the successor to the Lenovo Legion Go.
Another handheld gaming PC that is due for a performance upgrade is the Steam Deck, which is powered by a custom 7nm AMD Aerith APU. If Valve decides to upgrade the successor to the Steam Deck — or Steam Deck OLED, which has a slightly newer 6nm chipset — with the new AMD Z2 Extreme chipset, it could arrive with a considerable improvement in performance.
