AMD's New Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Brings NPU Horsepower To Gaming Handhelds
AMD has just unveiled a couple of new additions to its next-gen Ryzen Z2 series of processors, namely the entry-level Ryzen Z2 A and a top-spec'd Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. Along with the rest of the Z2 lineup, these new AMD sytem-on-chips (SoCs) are built specifically with handheld gaming in mind, promising to deliver elite performance for AAA titles and, for the higher end variant, introducing AI processing capabilities (up to 50 TOPS) directly into players' hands.
Building on the foundation of the Ryzen Z1 series, the newer (and now expanded) Ryzen Z2 family aims to bring console-class gaming power to handheld devices. The idea is to enable AAA gaming experiences while enjoying better battery efficiency, two aspects usually mutually exclusive on portable systems. Gamers will rejoice in the ability to access their PC game library and leverage AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) and AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) for enhanced gameplay without watching battery life sink like a stone.
At the top of the heap is the new AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor. What sets this chip apart is the integration of AMD's NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that brings AI processing power to portable devices for the first time. The Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme boasts the Zen 5 architecture, featuring an impressive 8 cores and 16 threads, alongside RDNA 3.5 graphics with 16 graphics cores. This combo delivers up to 50 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) of AI compute power.
Alongside its AI-centered sibling, AMD has also introduced the Ryzen Z2 A processor. In contrast to the AI Z2 Extreme, the Z2 A is built on the efficient Zen 2 architecture, featuring 4 cores and 8 threads, complemented by RDNA 2 graphics with 8 graphics cores. This configuration prioritizes an optimal balance between performance and power consumption, promising maximum battery life without compromising gameplay quality, presumably for less expensive handhelds.
A key advantage across the entire AMD Ryzen Z2 family is comprehensive support for AMD Software Technologies. This includes the acclaimed AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), Radeon Super Resolution (RSR), and AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) frame generation technology.
While AMD hasn't officially revealed performance numbers for the Ryzen Z2 chips just yet, but we might not have to wait to long with handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go S, MSI Claw A8 and Legion Go 2 coming down the pipeline soon.
