The rumor mill churned when AMD showcased its Z2 chip at CES 2025, hinting at a potential refresh for the Steam Deck. Many speculated that this new processor would power a future Steam Deck 2. However, Valve programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais quickly dispelled these rumors, confirming that there are no plans for a Z2-powered Steam Deck.
AMD’s CES 2025 presentation fueled the speculation. A slide highlighting the Ryzen Z2 series featured three handheld gaming devices: the Steam Deck, the Lenovo Legion Go, and the Asus ROG Ally. Furthermore, AMD stated that the Ryzen Z2 is “coming to market from a number of partners — the Legion Go, the ROG Ally, [and] the Steam Deck.” This wording led many to believe a Z2-powered Steam Deck was imminent.
Griffais addressed the speculation directly on BlueSky, stating unequivocally that a Z2 Steam Deck is not in development and won’t be in the future. He suggested the slide likely intended to showcase the Z2 series’ suitability for handheld devices, rather than announcing specific product integrations.
Currently, the Steam Deck utilizes a custom AMD processor based on the Zen 2 architecture with four cores. Both the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally employ the Ryzen Z1 chip, offering performance gains over the Steam Deck. While the Z2 promises further improvements over the Z1, the Steam Deck’s appeal extends beyond raw power, encompassing the user-friendly SteamOS experience.
Details surrounding the AMD Ryzen Z2 remain scarce. While some specifications have been revealed, the extent of its performance uplift over previous generations remains unknown. AMD also claims improved battery life, but with a higher TDP, achieving this could be challenging.
The true capabilities of the Z2 will become clear upon its release. However, one thing is certain: a Z2-powered Steam Deck 2 is not on the horizon.
