AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme Benchmark Leak Reveals 22% CPU Boost for Handhelds

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme Benchmark Leak Suggests Major CPU Gains for Handheld Gaming

A new benchmark leak for AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme hints at a notable performance boost that could power the next wave of handheld gaming devices.

Benchmark Appears on Geekbench

A listing on Geekbench has revealed early CPU performance scores for the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, the highly anticipated chip expected to feature in upcoming flagship handhelds such as the Lenovo Legion Go 2 and Asus ROG Ally X.

The benchmark was reportedly run on an MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM, a device that has not yet been publicly announced. While it’s still possible that the listing was spoofed, Geekbench leaks have historically proven reliable.

Performance Gains Over Z1 Extreme

The leaked Geekbench results suggest a 22% gain in single-core performance compared to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme found in the current-gen Asus ROG Ally. The Z2 Extreme scored 2,748 points in the single-threaded test, up from the Z1 Extreme’s average of around 2,250.

In the multi-threaded test, the Z2 Extreme reached 12,182 points, offering an 11% increase over its predecessor’s roughly 11,000-point performance.

This performance leap is likely due to the shift from AMD’s Zen 4 architecture to the newer Zen 5 design, which powers the Z2 Extreme.

Specs Snapshot

While the benchmark doesn’t reveal anything new about the chip’s specifications, it confirms previous reports. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme features:

• 8 CPU cores, with 16 threads
• Base clock of 2.0 GHz
• Boost clock of 4.44 GHz (slightly below AMD’s official spec of 5.3 GHz)
• Codename: Strix Point
• Integrated RDNA 3.5 GPU with 16 compute units (not tested in this leak)

GPU and Battery Life Still Unknown

Although CPU performance shows promise, the leak doesn’t provide insights into GPU power or battery efficiency—both crucial for handheld gaming. The RDNA 3.5 GPU integrated into the Z2 Extreme remains untested in real-world scenarios.

Gamers will be watching closely to see if AMD can pair these CPU gains with improved graphics and better battery life in compact handhelds.

What’s Next for Handheld Gaming?

The Z2 Extreme is expected to become the go-to processor for premium gaming handhelds launching later in 2025. Devices like the Lenovo Legion Go 2, rumored for a September release, could set a new benchmark for portable performance.

Until then, readers can check out our reviews of current top-tier handhelds, including the Asus ROG Ally X and AOKZOE A1X, to compare what’s available now.

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