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The handheld gaming market continues to gain traction, especially after Valve’s release of the “market-changing” Steam Deck. AMD has now officially launched the Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme, its new 4nm APUs specifically designed for handheld gaming systems.

Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme APU specs and performance comparison

Ryzen Z1: A Significant Performance Boost

The Ryzen Z1 boasts six Zen 4 CPU cores with 12 threads, coupled with four RDNA 3 graphics cores and a 22MB cache. This combination offers a substantial 55% performance increase in graphics processing compared to the Steam Deck’s Zen 2 and RDNA 2 APU.

Ryzen Z1 Extreme: Handheld Powerhouse

The more powerful Ryzen Z1 Extreme features eight Zen 4 cores with 16 threads, alongside 12 RDNA 3 graphics cores and a 24MB cache. This configuration promises a graphical processing power of up to 8.6 teraflops. For comparison, the PlayStation 5, using Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architecture, delivers around 10.28 teraflops, while the Steam Deck reaches only 1.6 teraflops.

Ryzen Z1 gaming performance benchmarks

Gaming Performance: Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme

In gaming tests with settings at 1080p upscaled from 720p and low graphics presets, the Ryzen Z1 comfortably achieves average frame rates exceeding 60 FPS in most popular games. However, it struggles more with AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Company of Heroes 3.

According to Don Woligroski, AMD’s technical marketing manager, the limiting factor isn’t the compute units (CUs) but rather the LPDDR5 RAM. He stated that “fast memory is what these titles crave” in most cases.

Ryzen Z1 Extreme gaming performance benchmarks

With similar settings, the Z1 Extreme easily surpasses 60 FPS in various titles like Borderlands 3 and Company of Heroes 3, and even doubles that in Forza Horizon 4, according to AMD.

Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme 1080p gaming performance comparison

These tests were conducted on the ASUS ROG Ally in “Turbo Mode,” allowing the processor to utilize up to 30 watts depending on the game, nearly double the Steam Deck’s power consumption, as per Woligroski.

Availability and Future

Currently, the Z1 and Z1 Extreme processors are exclusive to the ASUS ROG Ally. However, the possibility of other manufacturers utilizing these APUs remains open. More details about the ROG Ally, including pricing, will be revealed by AMD and ASUS on May 11th.

Conclusion: A New Era for Handheld Gaming?

The launch of the Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme marks a significant step forward in handheld gaming performance. While RAM limitations might still present challenges for some AAA titles, the substantial boost in graphics processing power, especially with the Z1 Extreme, suggests a bright future for portable gaming experiences. The upcoming ASUS ROG Ally, powered by these new APUs, will likely be a key player in shaping the next generation of handheld gaming devices.