AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU is set to revolutionize the gaming handheld market with its impressive specs. According to a report by Golden Pig Upgrade, this APU will feature 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores and 8 Zen 5 CPU cores, making it a powerhouse for gaming enthusiasts.
The GPU configuration on the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU is a significant upgrade from previous models, boasting 16 Compute Units based on the new RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture. This makes it the flagship GPU configuration for Strix Point APUs, second only to AMD’s Strix Halo lineup with up to 40 compute units. The GPU will offer the same AMD Radeon 890M configuration found in the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU, currently the fastest Strix APU available.
On the CPU side, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU will come equipped with an 8-core, 16-thread configuration based on the Zen 5-core architecture. This configuration includes three Zen 5 and five Zen 5C cores, allowing AMD to optimize performance and efficiency. The CPU is expected to have a TDP range of 9W to 30W and clock speeds up to 5.0 GHz, similar to the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360.
In the handheld gaming market, AMD will be competing against Intel’s Core Ultra 200V “Lunar Lake” and Core Ultra 200U “Arrow Lake” CPUs. The Lunar Lake CPUs, in particular, are equipped with Xe2 cores and have shown significant performance per watt improvements. This competition marks a shift from previous generations where AMD dominated the market with little to no competition.
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU will be the flagship offering for handheld gaming in 2025, with the standard Z2 and Z2G models catering to mainstream and entry-level segments. These APUs are part of AMD’s “Z” series gaming handheld lineup, each offering different configurations to meet varying needs.
Overall, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU promises to deliver exceptional gaming performance with its impressive GPU and CPU configurations. With competition heating up in the handheld gaming market, AMD is poised to showcase its technological prowess and innovation with these new APUs.