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The world of handheld gaming PCs is about to get a major boost with the introduction of AMD’s Ryzen Z2 chips. These new processors are designed to power the next generation of portable gaming devices, and AMD has been teasing them for months. However, just as the excitement was building, Valve, one of the biggest players in the space, threw a wrench into the works by denying any plans to use the Z2 chip in their Steam Deck device. This sudden turn of events has left many wondering what’s really going on and what these new chips are all about.

The Mysterious Ryzen Z2 Chips

AMD announced its full lineup of Ryzen Z2 chips last week, but the details have been scarce. The company revealed three different versions of the chip: the Z2 Extreme, the vanilla Z2, and the Z2 Go. Each has a unique set of features, but one thing is clear – they’re all designed to deliver more performance and capabilities than their predecessors.

Pierre-Loup Griffais (@plagman.bsky.social)There is and will be no Z2 Steam Deck. Guessing the slide was meant to say the series is meant for products like that, not announcing anything specific.

This statement by Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais seems pretty clear-cut – there won’t be a new Steam Deck with Z2 chips. However, AMD refuses to correct the record on this topic, only stating that their slide was designed to highlight current handheld design wins and not pre-announce any partner devices.

The Different Variations of Ryzen Z2

So, what exactly can these new chips do? The Z2 Extreme is an intriguing mix of Zen 3 and Zen 5c CPU cores with RDNA 3.5 graphics. This combination should deliver more performance than before, but AMD hasn’t provided any benchmarks to back up this claim.

The vanilla Z2, on the other hand, has the same number of cores as today’s existing Z1 Extreme but with possibly the same CPU cores and RDNA 3. The Z2 Go has fewer CPU cores than even a vanilla Z1 and is based on older RDNA 2 like the Steam Deck’s chip – but it does have 12 graphics cores, triple that of the Z1.

Here are some key features of each chip:

• Z2 Extreme: Zen 3 and Zen 5c CPU cores with RDNA 3.5 graphics
• Vanilla Z2: Same number of cores as Z1 Extreme, possibly same CPU cores and RDNA 3
• Z2 Go: Fewer CPU cores than vanilla Z1, based on older RDNA 2, but with 12 graphics cores

One thing to note is that each of these new chips has a higher minimum TDP (thermal design power) than the previous generation. This could potentially mean less battery life when you crank down the CPU’s power mode for less intensive games.

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The Future of Handheld Gaming PCs

The introduction of these new chips is expected to revolutionize the world of handheld gaming PCs. With their promise of more performance and capabilities, they’re sure to power some amazing devices in the future.

So, what’s next? The AMD-Lenovo-Valve-Microsoft handheld gaming event is tomorrow, which might finally shed some light on these mysterious chips. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available!