- The ROG Xbox Ally is set to feature the Ryzen Z2A APU.
- New findings reveal that this APU is practically identical to the Steam Deck’s Aerith SoC.
- Both handhelds should perform similarly, falling behind the original ROG Ally from 2023.
Microsoft officially confirmed the ROG Xbox Ally, its first gaming handheld last week, revealing a device that would play everything, including PlayStation’s first-party titles. Exceeding expectations, the gaming giant announced two handhelds, with the base model relying on the all-new Ryzen Z2A SoC.
However, this SoC seems brand new in name only. AMD has confirmed it relies on the Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures for the CPU and GPU, and new findings reveal that this SoC is a refreshed version of the same chip powering the Steam Deck.
Why it matters: The Steam Deck is now three years old and was first shown off in 2021. This means that Xbox’s latest gaming handheld utilizes hardware that is more than four years old.
As reported on X, AMD’s recently shared ID for the Ryzen Z2A SoC matches previously leaked shipping manifests that mentioned the same code for the Aerith Plus SoC. This is so interesting because the Steam Deck’s SoC was codenamed AMD Aerith.
The “Plus” indicates that the Ryzen Z2A features an upgraded variant of this SoC, but a look into the specs reveals the same 4 core/ 8 thread CPU and 8 RDNA2 CU GPU setup as the Steam Deck’s Aerith chip.
One key difference is that the Aerith Plus chip can now be pushed to 20W of power as opposed to the 15W limit of the Steam Deck’s APU. Everything else, including the memory bandwidth, appear to be identical between the two handhelds.
This should lead to the Steam Deck and the ROG Xbox Ally performing similarly in most scenarios. Interestingly, the ROG Xbox Ally might even fall behind the original ROG Ally, which featured a 12 RDNA 3 CU GPU and an 8 core/ 16 thread Zen 4 CPU in 2023.
The silver lining in this scenario might be the price. Because Microsoft and Asus seem to have deliberately kept the hardware in the base ROG Xbox Ally modest, this handheld might be affordable than some may expect.
What are your thoughts on these details? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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