What you need to know
- This week in Berlin was IFA 2024, showcasing a wide range of new consumer technology products.
- At the show, AMD confirmed the successor to its Z1 Extreme chip, which is powering devices like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally, revolutionizing PC gaming handhelds.
- The Z2 Extreme will be based on Strix Point, with AMD’s Senior Vice President Jack Huynh reportedly suggesting it will boost high-end performance mode battery life from 45 minutes to 3 hours.
As a seasoned researcher who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of gaming technology, I must say that this week at IFA 2024 was nothing short of exhilarating! The unveiling of AMD’s Z2 Extreme chip and its potential to revolutionize PC gaming handhelds has me buzzing with anticipation.
The Z1 Extreme has significantly transformed portable PC gaming. It’s been utilized in systems such as the Lenovo Legion Go and the ASUS ROG Ally, with the AMD Z1 Extreme being one of the initial System on Chips to offer console-equivalent performance akin to a Nintendo Switch-type device.
Both Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally offer exceptional experiences, but with distinct designs. The key distinctions include detachable joysticks and a stand with a larger screen on the Lenovo Legion Go, while the ASUS ROG Ally is lighter and features a variable refresh rate display, usually at a lower cost. However, they share a common strength in their performance, as both use AMD’s Z1 Extreme processor.
All the best PC gaming handhelds offer ways to limit the voltage, trading performance for battery life. However, if you push the Z1 Extreme to high performance mode, you’re looking at a rapid battery drain scenario. Visually intensive games like Black Myth Wukong will easily take the ASUS ROG Ally from 100% to 0% in less than an hour, but AMD’s Z1 Extreme successor aims to change that.
With a new 4nm process and RDNA 3.5 in tow, the Strix Point Z2 Extreme was just unveiled by AMD (via Digital Trends.) In a presentation behind closed doors at IFA 2024, AMD described how the new Z2 Extreme would be able to push high-end performance from 45 minutes to over 3 hours. AMD said it would unveil the Z2E in more detail early next year (possibly at CES 2025, maybe?).
As an observer, I’ve been keeping tabs on the tech world, and it seems Lenovo is cooking up not just one, but two new iterations of their Legion Go devices. The first, tentatively dubbed the Lenovo Legion Go 2, appears to be built around Strix Point hardware. As for the second device, it’s being referred to as the Lenovo Legion Go “S”. While the details are still murky, it’s possible that this model may opt for a more budget-friendly solution than the Z1 Extreme, or something even more cost-effective within the same generation. It’s an intriguing possibility that we might see the Go “S” before the full-fledged next-gen Z2 range. At this point, it remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: Lenovo is fully committed to pushing boundaries in this exciting new category.
This summer, ASUS unveiled the ROG Ally X, focusing on extending battery life by incorporating a larger battery, which inevitably increases its size. If AMD’s hints are accurate, future Z2 Extreme handhelds for PC gaming should provide more power. An intriguing aspect of Strix Point is AI capabilities. Our sources suggest that frame generation will be a key feature in not just the upcoming PC gaming handhelds but also consoles such as the successor to the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 6. There are rumors that the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 might incorporate this frame generation technology too. Applications like Lossless Scaling on Steam have garnered popularity on devices like the ASUS ROG Ally, enhancing performance in games that strain the Z1 Extreme to its maximum. I’ve been utilizing it effectively with Black Myth Wukong, although there can occasionally be input delay as a drawback.
Windows is the best and worst thing about PC gaming handhelds right now
With the help of Windows, devices such as the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go offer a vast selection of over ten thousand games and applications from numerous services and stores like Xbox Game Pass, Epic Game Store, Steam, Riot client, Battle.net, and more. You can play almost any game, connect various peripherals – Windows 11 is an excellent platform for gaming, but it may have its limitations at times.
Using Windows 11 on small devices such as 7-8 inch screens can be quite a struggle due to its design limitations for these display sizes and lack of optimization for touch controls. However, Microsoft has been making strides towards improving the experience, introducing a compact mode for the Xbox app and working on a more console-like version of the Xbox Game Bar. Nevertheless, it’s not yet an optimal experience, as third-party devices often need to develop their own solutions to include features like TDP control, which can sometimes overlap with Microsoft’s offerings.
The Steam Deck might be less powerful than the Windows-based PC gaming handhelds, but it is by far the most user-friendly. It still retains the power of a full OS, allowing you to connect all types of peripherals and exit out into Linux to side-load other launchers and stuff. But the SteamOS layer is incredibly intuitive and fully functional with gamepad controls. No fiddly Windows dialogue boxes to deal with, no User Account Control security pop ups, no weird idiosyncrasies with resolution scaling and incompatible inputs — it all just works. And I’d say it’s a bigger threat to Windows itself than Microsoft perhaps gives it credit for right now.
As a tech enthusiast, I can’t help but feel excited about the upcoming competition. Hopefully, it will push Microsoft to innovate and enhance their offerings where they can. Ideally, they would introduce their own Z2 or Z3 Extreme Xbox handheld device, which could make things incredibly interesting. The future of portable gaming is shaping up to be quite intriguing!
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2024-09-06 19:10