News AMD Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme APUs Debut in Asus ROG Ally Handheld

[Admin]

Asus is taking some of the wraps off of the ROG Ally, including its Ryzen Z1 APU, more specs and its Armoury Crate SE software.

AMD Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme APUs Debut in Asus ROG Ally Handheld : Read more

 

[salgado18]

When you get to review it, please try to get both versions.for the benchmarks. The faster one has 3x the gpu power of the slower (which I don't think makes any sense).

 

[ezst036]

I am mainly curious to see how well it works if you try putting SteamOS on it.

 

[thestryker]

I'm once again disappointed by the way AMD does the lower CPU core count IGP. While I think they should both be 12 cutting it down to 4 seems rather ridiculous especially for a handheld device. Ideally you'd want the fewest number of very efficient CPU cores with the highest possible IGP.

 

[citral23]

Sorry but the lower end one is clearly not a custom gaming apu with the cpu cores/gpu cus imbalance, marketing bs.

Which makes me highly doubtful the better one is a custom gaming apu either.

Could turn out the deck's apu which is a true custom gaming apu, performs favorably at lower tdps tbh. We'll see.

 

[hannibal]

Most likely $999 to $1099 for the extreme version and $499 to $599 for normal version…

 

[PEnns]

OK, somebody explain to me the following: How is this expensive "gaming" thing is different from gaming on a high-end smart phone?? It's almost the same size too.

Sure, it has better controls, but what else?? At least your smart phone can do 50 other very useful things and has up to 1 TB of storage..., but what can this very expensive toy do beside gaming?? And besides, even the screen size is almost the same!

As to the versions that cost around $2000...seriously? How about a fully loaded laptop or a PC instead??

 

[bit_user]

When you get to review it, please try to get both versions.for the benchmarks. The faster one has 3x the gpu power of the slower (which I don't think makes any sense).

Exactly. The GPU in the non-Extreme version seems too weak. Should be 6 or 8 CUs. 4 sounds like a bad joke.

I've seen a slide from AMD showing the relative average performance, where the non-Extreme seems at the lower end of viable. However, it would be telling to see the 1% outliers. I'll bet it turns into a slideshow, at some points.

Sorry but the lower end one is clearly not a custom gaming apu with the cpu cores/gpu cus imbalance, marketing bs.

Yes. If it's not meant to be for gaming, then that would explain the imbalance.

 

[citral23]

OK, somebody explain to me the following: How is this expensive "gaming" thing is different from gaming on a high-end smart phone?? It's almost the same size too.

Sure, it has better controls, but what else?? At least your smart phone can do 50 other very useful things and has up to 1 TB of storage..., but what can this very expensive toy do beside gaming?? And besides, even the screen size is almost the same!

As to the versions that cost around $2000...seriously? How about a fully loaded laptop or a PC instead??

Errr... News Flash: Your phone doesn't run PC games

 

[bigdragon]

I'm surprised at the graphics differences between the AMD normal and extreme chips. There's a 25% difference in CPU cores but a 66% difference in IGP cores. That doesn't seem right. The 50% cache difference is also a bit alarming. I would have expected closer numbers.

Steam Deck is a product designed to compete in the broader console and handheld gaming market. It steps into a market that Sony vacated and that Nintendo easily dominates. Enough performance, accessible price, capable design, and large game library creates success. I think Asus is going way more niche with the Ally. Niche means expensive, limited, and tempermental to me. Seeing the XG Mobile support tells me Asus thinks their market is a bunch of bullets on a whiteboard rather than the same people Sony and Nintendo tried/try to attract.

Most likely $999 to $1099 for the extreme version and $499 to $599 for normal version…

You forgot to add the ROG tax!That will likely bump it up to $799.99 for the normal version and $1299.99 for the extreme version. Asus is not a company that likes to compete on price. The Ally will also need to be supported by a massive marketing budget to gain the kind of adoption numbers Asus likely wants to see.

 

[bit_user]

Enough performance, accessible price, capable design, and large game library creates success. I think Asus is going way more niche with the Ally. Niche means expensive, limited, and tempermental to me. Seeing the XG Mobile support tells me Asus thinks their market is a bunch of bullets on a whiteboard rather than the same people Sony and Nintendo tried/try to attract.

Given that it runs Windows11, it seems to me the "library" they're going after is the majority of Windows games.

In this regard, I think even the Extreme is still a little underpowered, as it seems essentially like a RX 6400. That's not exactly the ideal card for 1080p gaming.

 

[ChaoGB]

This APU is already pwr enough, but ASUS really should make an eGPU box with XG mobile connector just like other TB3 eGPU box so we can put whatever card we want in it like RTX Titan ada or H100 pcie....etc....
Do it first and I'll buy both Z13 and Ally!!!!

 

[-Fran-]

I'm once again disappointed by the way AMD does the lower CPU core count IGP. While I think they should both be 12 cutting it down to 4 seems rather ridiculous especially for a handheld device. Ideally you'd want the fewest number of very efficient CPU cores with the highest possible IGP.

You do realize this is Asus asking AMD for those CPUs, right?

Do you think AMD pushed Asus to create a variant for their handheld that uses that configuration?

If you want to blame someone for that specific SKU* being used, then blame Asus first.

Regards.

 

[citral23]

You do realize this is Asus asking AMD for those CPUs, right?

Do you think AMD pushed Asus to create a variant for their handheld that uses that configuration?

If you want to blame someone for that specific SKU* being used, then blame Asus first.

Regards.

Still speculation, but what's likely going on given the specs, is that's just laptop parts with a rebranding and special pricing for Asus (read, less margin for AMD)

Marketing: custom gaming APU
Reality: rebadged 7540U

 

[-Fran-]

Still speculation, but what's likely going on given the specs, is that's just laptop parts with a rebranding and special pricing for Asus (read, less margin for AMD)

Marketing: custom gaming APU
Reality: rebadged 7540U

It is not speculation. The ones designing the device are from Asus and they decide the SKUs they want to launch. AMD can make any offer they want based on the requirements from Asus, but make no mistake: it is Asus that decided to create that SKU and go with it. Just like Microsoft and Sony decide to go with different variants of their consoles.

Regards.

 

[Dr3ams]

I'm nearly 60 and my eyesight and neck aren't what they use to be, so I do most of my gaming on a 34" ultrawide display. I do have a Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP, Sony PSP and my OnePlus Nord phone...but gaming on these small displays is more of a chore now than fun. Having said that, that Asus portable does look good though. If only my eyes were 20 years younger and my neck more flexible.

 

[thestryker]

You do realize this is Asus asking AMD for those CPUs, right?

Do you think AMD pushed Asus to create a variant for their handheld that uses that configuration?

If you want to blame someone for that specific SKU* being used, then blame Asus first.

Regards.

If you only read this article I can see why you would think this to be the case. The announcement of the Z1/Extreme was from AMD as SoCs they're selling for handheld use. Asus may have chosen to use both, but they're not custom for Asus designs.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) introduced the new Ryzen Z1 Series processors, the ultimate high-performance processor for handheld PC gaming consoles1. The Ryzen Z1 Series features two high performance processors, the Ryzen Z1 and Ryzen Z1 Extreme, both offering industry-leading gaming experiences, uncompromising battery life, and featuring AMD RDNA™ 3 architecture-based graphics. AMD is partnering with Asus to launch the first Ryzen Z1 Series device with the Asus ROG Ally, a premium handheld PC console, featuring up to a Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor.

 

[-Fran-]

If you only read this article I can see why you would think this to be the case. The announcement of the Z1/Extreme was from AMD as SoCs they're selling for handheld use. Asus may have chosen to use both, but they're not custom for Asus designs.

Yes and Intel makes the Atom (still, I think?) and no one is using that thing for gaming laptops.

As I said, AMD can make whatever they want, but the ones choosing the CPU for their SKUs are from Asus.

Regards.

 

[bit_user]

It is not speculation. The ones designing the device are from Asus and they decide the SKUs they want to launch. AMD can make any offer they want based on the requirements from Asus, but make no mistake: it is Asus that decided to create that SKU and go with it. Just like Microsoft and Sony decide to go with different variants of their consoles.

No, the Microsoft and Sony processors were designed under contract. They own the rights to those APUs. AMD can't just sell them on the open market, and you don't see product pages for them on AMD's website.

In contrast, these Ryzen Z1 processors seem to be an official AMD thing:

https://www.amd.com/en/processors/ryzen-z1
​

 

[-Fran-]

No, the Microsoft and Sony processors were designed under contract. They own the rights to those APUs. AMD can't just sell them on the open market, and you don't see product pages for them on AMD's website.

In contrast, these Ryzen Z1 processors seem to be an official AMD thing:

​

https://www.amd.com/en/processors/ryzen-z1​

​

I know that. The point is, AMD can develop whatever CPUs they want and try to sell them, but Asus picked those two SKUs.

Look at Valve: they could have picked a second, more powerful SKU, but they didn't. Look at the AyaNeo, they could have picked something similar to the Steam Deck, but they're mainly going with the top SKUs from AMD.

Blaming AMD for developing the CPU and finding a buyer for it is flat out stupid, sorry.

I'll stop here.

Regards.

 

[bit_user]

Blaming AMD for developing the CPU and finding a buyer for it is flat out stupid, sorry.

Don't apologize to me. I didn't say that.

Regardless of whoever made the decision to spec that iGPU at only 4 CUs, I think it doesn't make sense for 1080p Windows gaming. Even 720p would be a stretch. So, I think it's bad for ASUS to use it.

 

[-Fran-]

Don't apologize to me. I didn't say that.

Regardless of whoever made the decision to spec that iGPU at only 4 CUs, I think it doesn't make sense for 1080p Windows gaming. Even 720p would be a stretch. So, I think it's bad for ASUS to use it.

In that I can agree wholeheartedly. I think Asus is making a mistake pushing our the lower end variant.

Regards.