AMD's Z2 Extreme chip due out sometime in 2025 for handheld PCs

I can see Valve using a custom version of the Z2 because the chip might have features that they might not want and at the same time, want to keep the low power profile that the current Steam Deck is using today. While every other handheld PC have power starting at around 8W, Steam Deck can go as low as 3W and imagine how much more gaming time you can get at 3W with those new chips for emulators.


Last edited by ToddL on 6 September 2024 at 4:51 pm UTC

I don't think this'll be in the Deck 2. The Deck is still ramping up as a platform - Valve want to wait as long as possible before they disrupt that. This chip will be useful for the annual-release also-rans, though.

Wonder if the Z2 Extreme is going to be based on Strix Point or a highly cut-down Strix Halo.
The difference is that Point has 16 RDNA 3.5 units, and Halo has 40 RDNA 4.0.

A 20 RDNA4 CU cut down version of Strix Halo should be notably more energy efficient for the same performance than a 16 RDNA3.5 CU full-fat version of Strix Point.

It also looks like the Zen5c cores are noticeably smaller (cheaper) and use less power at lower clocks, but can't go to the 5+Ghz range. Would be a decent option for a handheld. You're more interested in performance that matches the GPU, and it should be lower power.

From what I've heard, Wukong runs just barely good enough on the Deck. And with OLED getting over 2 hours of battery life at high TDP, 3 hours seems to be a quite believable goal. Then again, the comparison seems to be with something like the Ally in high TDP mode according to the stated battery life. This would be quite impressive indeed, given that the Z1 chips felt like "throwing more power at the problem" compared to the chip in the Deck.

Regarding the Deck 2, I think they might wait at least one more year. The fact that Wukong runs at all makes me believe that the Deck can keep up with new releases just a bit longer.

If they make a Steam Deck 2 I am really keen to see how they will adapt the Steam Deck verified system. Because there are games not supported on Deck simply because they do not perform so well but might do so on a SD2.

If they make a Steam Deck 2 I am really keen to see how they will adapt the Steam Deck verified system. Because there are games not supported on Deck simply because they do not perform so well but might do so on a SD2.

It's a bit of a pickle, but I think it could be done with just one extra icon.

Most of the criteria - text size, controller layouts, and so on - are going to be exactly the same whichever generation it is. So just keep testing with the Deck 1, and if it hits the 720p/30fps target there no worries, give it the green tick. But if it can't run on the Deck 1 and can run on the Deck 2 then they're going to need another rating. Possibly a yellow "2" icon or something like that, so it's a warning that you need the Deck 2 for it.

the moment a steam deck 2 comes out im jumping onto the chance to get it no matter what

2019, 06.28 -- Valve Index was released
2022, 02.25 -- Steam Deck was released
2023, 11.16 -- Steam Deck OLED was released

So we are about 2.5 years since Steam Deck's initial release.

Considering the R&D & time to market, I wouldn't really be surprised to see Steam Deck 2 in the next 12-18 months which would make the upgrade cycle interval about ~4 years.

I presume the Steam Deck hardware team (which previously achieved the Index, Steam Controller, and Steam Link) got pulled over to Deckard which would delay a Steam Deck 2 until after what I would imagine is either Valve Index 2 or Deckard Standalone VR. (Obviously the wuflu pandemic years messed up the timeline for R&D.)

I expect Steam Deck 2 to have a resolution of 16:10 1920x1200 (likely under this AMD Z2 chip), OLED, and largely be the same with better Wifi, Bluetooth, Increased Storage, Perhaps a 10-15% reduction in size or if they're feeling ballsie we'll see a flip up Nintendo DS style option (maybe from another manufacturer), but I largely expect it to look nearly exactly the same and function the same with better specs -- they may steal a page from Apple's book selling colored rectangles and make the personalization as simple as having different colored shells (Orange OLED shell is pretty sick, I'm looking at it right now) Translucent FTW.

the moment a steam deck 2 comes out im jumping onto the chance to get it no matter what

The moment a Steam Deck 2 comes out . . . I might finally get a Steam Deck 1 on discount. It's not like I play highpowered games anyway.

I don't think this'll be in the Deck 2. The Deck is still ramping up as a platform - Valve want to wait as long as possible before they disrupt that. This chip will be useful for the annual-release also-rans, though.

I agree. The longer Valve waits, the more established the Deck 1 user base becomes, and is an increasingly appealing platform for devs to make sure their game works great on it. Some games now have a Steam Deck preset when you tweak their performance (Like Cyberpunk 2077). You wouldn't have that kind of recognition if they changed the device performance often. The Nintendo Switch is ancient hardware, but there are so many in circulation that it's still getting games. I'm not suggesting Valve should wait as long as Nintendo did, just that there is value in sticking with aging hardware for a while.

I dont really expect Valve to bring a Deck 2 before 2026/27 and for the overall market I believe this to be a good thing. Maybe the following chip generation will be the one.

But DAMN, WOULD I BUY IT INSTANTLY!!! xD

I love my Deck to death and for me personally it feels like the right time for an upgrade now. Most of the competitors seem nice and they all have their allure, but the Deck is still by far the best package overall... so far I can´t see myself settling for anything else but a true Steam Deck 2.
Still, a second USB-C port would´ve been nice, Valve


Last edited by RavenWings on 8 September 2024 at 5:43 pm UTC

I don't think this'll be in the Deck 2. The Deck is still ramping up as a platform - Valve want to wait as long as possible before they disrupt that. This chip will be useful for the annual-release also-rans, though.

I agree. The longer Valve waits, the more established the Deck 1 user base becomes, and is an increasingly appealing platform for devs to make sure their game works great on it. Some games now have a Steam Deck preset when you tweak their performance (Like Cyberpunk 2077). You wouldn't have that kind of recognition if they changed the device performance often. The Nintendo Switch is ancient hardware, but there are so many in circulation that it's still getting games. I'm not suggesting Valve should wait as long as Nintendo did, just that there is value in sticking with aging hardware for a while.

For those of us that prefer to game on older, less powerful hardware, I have no problem with this. This may increase the likelihood that game developers will not leave support for older hardware behind, as they have done in the past.

2019, 06.28 -- Valve Index was released
2022, 02.25 -- Steam Deck was released
2023, 11.16 -- Steam Deck OLED was released

So we are about 2.5 years since Steam Deck's initial release.

Considering the R&D & time to market, I wouldn't really be surprised to see Steam Deck 2 in the next 12-18 months which would make the upgrade cycle interval about ~4 years.

I presume the Steam Deck hardware team (which previously achieved the Index, Steam Controller, and Steam Link) got pulled over to Deckard which would delay a Steam Deck 2 until after what I would imagine is either Valve Index 2 or Deckard Standalone VR. (Obviously the wuflu pandemic years messed up the timeline for R&D.)

I expect Steam Deck 2 to have a resolution of 16:10 1920x1200 (likely under this AMD Z2 chip), OLED, and largely be the same with better Wifi, Bluetooth, Increased Storage, Perhaps a 10-15% reduction in size or if they're feeling ballsie we'll see a flip up Nintendo DS style option (maybe from another manufacturer), but I largely expect it to look nearly exactly the same and function the same with better specs -- they may steal a page from Apple's book selling colored rectangles and make the personalization as simple as having different colored shells (Orange OLED shell is pretty sick, I'm looking at it right now) Translucent FTW.

What I'd love to see is a Steam laptop (the Steam Book?) using the same internal hardware as the SD but with a 15" WS display. I'm getting older. My eyes can't handle these tiny little screens.

2019, 06.28 -- Valve Index was released
2022, 02.25 -- Steam Deck was released
2023, 11.16 -- Steam Deck OLED was released

So we are about 2.5 years since Steam Deck's initial release.

Considering the R&D & time to market, I wouldn't really be surprised to see Steam Deck 2 in the next 12-18 months which would make the upgrade cycle interval about ~4 years.

I presume the Steam Deck hardware team (which previously achieved the Index, Steam Controller, and Steam Link) got pulled over to Deckard which would delay a Steam Deck 2 until after what I would imagine is either Valve Index 2 or Deckard Standalone VR. (Obviously the wuflu pandemic years messed up the timeline for R&D.)

I expect Steam Deck 2 to have a resolution of 16:10 1920x1200 (likely under this AMD Z2 chip), OLED, and largely be the same with better Wifi, Bluetooth, Increased Storage, Perhaps a 10-15% reduction in size or if they're feeling ballsie we'll see a flip up Nintendo DS style option (maybe from another manufacturer), but I largely expect it to look nearly exactly the same and function the same with better specs -- they may steal a page from Apple's book selling colored rectangles and make the personalization as simple as having different colored shells (Orange OLED shell is pretty sick, I'm looking at it right now) Translucent FTW.

What I'd love to see is a Steam laptop (the Steam Book?) using the same internal hardware as the SD but with a 15" WS display. I'm getting older. My eyes can't handle these tiny little screens.

I'm probably still OK with Steam Deck-sized screen, but I have never understood how the kids manage to watch movies on their dinky little phones. I think for it not to look tiny I'd have to hold it so close to my face I wouldn't be able to focus . . .

I wonder which company will be brave enough to use a SteamOS variant (they can fork their own) or if they will all just install crappy windows11 on em all?!

So many people I work with avoid Linux like the plague. When you ask them why, they avoid the question and look to flee from the discussion.

Is there some kind of Taboo going on that we just have no clue about?

So many people I work with avoid Linux like the plague. When you ask them why, they avoid the question and look to flee from the discussion.

Is there some kind of Taboo going on that we just have no clue about?

I guess it's considered difficult (which is not completely wrong) and people don't want to admit that they want to avoid difficult stuff.

I guess it's considered difficult (which is not completely wrong) and people don't want to admit that they want to avoid difficult stuff.

But getting anything done on Windows is significantly harder as a software dev primarily developing code that runs on linux servers, using containers and kubernetes, etc...

They have to fight with vm's that perform terribly and randomly corrupts. Forced restarts for updates at inconvenient times. And most recently, ads in the start menu.

Honestly, any of those things would make me look for alternatives. But they don't want to try.

As I said, it's weird.
Excuse my tirade, I really don't get it.