Discussion AMD’s Custom APU Discussion Thread

[Tigerick]

Next Gen XBox Consoles and Handheld Preliminary Specs

	ROG Xbox Ally / SteamDeck OLED	Possible Gen 2 / SteamDeck 2 ?		ROG Xbox Ally X	Possible Gen 2		Xbox Series X	Possible Gen 2
Date	2025	2027 ?		2025	2027 ?		2020	2027 ?
Codename	Aerith Plus	Medusa Point ?		Strix Point	Medusa Little Halo ?
Model	Z2A			Z2 Extreme AI
CPU	4 x Zen 2	4 x Zen 6 + 4 x Zen 6c		4 x Zen 5 + 4 x Zen 5c	12 x Zen 6		8 x Zen 2	Zen 6
GPU	RDNA2 8CU	RDNA3.5+ FSR4 8CU		RDNA3.5 16CU	RDNA3.5+ FSR4 24CU		RDNA2 52CU
Memory	128-bit LPDDR5-6400	96-bit LPDDR6		128-bit LPDDR5x-8000	192-bit LPDDR6		320-bit 10GB GDDR6 + 192-bit 6GB GDDR6	256-bit GDDR7
Memory Bandwidth	102 GB/s	153.6 GB/s		120 GB/s	>= 228 GB/s		560 GB/s	1152 GB/s ?

 

[dark zero]

Interesting thread, but let's see each current point:
1. Steam Deck 2 it might be a real fact. But expect it to happen in at least 2 years more. Steam Deck 1 is still getting customers.
2. Steam Console... sorry, I can see a special dock for SD2 to make it useful as a console.
3. PS5 Slim is interesting. I can see only do a node shrink for it from 7 nm to 6 nm.
4. Similar thing with XBox.
5. No way it happens with Mac.

 

[NTMBK]

Your table is a bit odd. The Steam Console doesn't exist, the Mac Mini isn't a games console, and I don't see why you included a PS5 shrink but not an XBox Series X shrink.

One thing that I wish we had seen was an XBox One handheld. You could replace the 256-bit DDR3-2133 with a 128-bit LPDDR4X-4266 interface, and otherwise just do a straight shrink to 6nm. Getting the whole XBox One game catalogue on a Steam Deck (or Switch!) sized console would be awesome, and it would double up as a great device for streaming games from XCloud.

 

[uzzi38]

Steam Deck 2

• Most of the info is from MLID; the new APU is codenamed Little Phoenix which is derived from upcoming Phoenix Point from AMD with lesser CPU and GPU cores
• With Zen4 and RDNA3 features, the upcoming Steam Deck 2 might be getting double performance than current one
• The only issue is stock availability, AMD has just started moving the whole desktop, laptop and server CPU not to mention RDNA3 GPU to TSMC N5/N4 process, so don’t expect Steam Deck 2 ready before end of 2023

The only thing not [redacted] about everything MLID said in this video is that PHX2 exists. And that's been known for a long, long, looooooooooooooooooooong time now.

I'm not denying that there will be a Steam Deck 2, but I can tell you for certain it will not be using PHX2, nor are the specs that MLID listed for PHX2 correct either.


Profanity is not allowed in the tech forums.

AT Mod Usandthem

 

[LightningZ71]

I personally believe that Valve will stay far, FAR away from any purpose built console in the future. At the very best, we might get a new update for a semi usable SteamOS for desktops. There will be a decent number of ultra small form factor desktops that ship with Rembrandt APUs next year that will make for excellent substitutes.

 

[Tigerick]

PS5 Refresh: Oberon Plus

6nm EUV Shrink

www.angstronomics.com

PS5's APU has been updated to 6nm EUV version, reducing die size from ~300mm2 to 260mm2. Now it is Xbox turn...

 

[Rannar]

6nm is nice for making full fat versions slightly smaller and cheaper to produce but you won't see PS5 and XSX slim before 5nm die shrinks. maybe end of 2023 if we are lucky.
kind of same with steam deck 2. will get probably when production of 5nm node is plentiful and not fully booked with higher margin/volume chips (server, DIY, GPU, consoles)

 

[soresu]

PS5 Refresh: Oberon Plus

6nm EUV Shrink

www.angstronomics.com

PS5's APU has been updated to 6nm EUV version, reducing die size from ~300mm2 to 260mm2. Now it is Xbox turn...

Sadly I doubt this or any of the parts reductions in recent PS5 revisions will result in price reductions for the console 😢

 

[uzzi38]

PS5 Refresh: Oberon Plus

6nm EUV Shrink

www.angstronomics.com

PS5's APU has been updated to 6nm EUV version, reducing die size from ~300mm2 to 260mm2. Now it is Xbox turn...

Not for a while still.

 

[eek2121]

The only accurate things here would be the PS5 die shrink abs the Steam Deck. While the Steam Deck 2 was somewhat confirmed, there are no specs for it yet because Valve hasn’t even begun the design process.

Apple TV is Apple’s console, not the Mac Mini.

 

[jpiniero]

Valve just announced a new Steam Deck OLED. Same processor (Zen 2 still) but it's been shrunk to N6 and has faster memory. They also increased the battery size too.

 

[eek2121]

So uh, anyone want to buy my OG Steam Deck? 🤣

I kid…OLED would be a nice upgrade, however…

 

[Saylick]

The improvements are pretty nice, not going to lie, and the price is basically the same as launch prices but you simply get more. Overall, if I were in the market for a Steam Deck, I'd be pretty pleased:

Valve reveals the Steam Deck OLED: $549 buys better screen, battery, and more

And a new fan and a new heatsink and...

www.theverge.com

What’s new with the Steam Deck OLED vs. the Steam Deck LCD?​

• 7.4-inch 90Hz OLED custom Samsung screen (versus seven-inch 60Hz IPS LCD)
• Displays 110 percent DCI-P3 color gamut (up from estimated 67 percent sRGB)
• 1,000-nit HDR peak brightness, 600-nit SDR peak brightness (up from 400 nits)
• 50 watt-hour battery (up from 40Wh)
• More efficient die-shrink 6nm AMD “Sephiroth” APU (versus 7nm “Aerith”)
• 6400MT/s memory (up from 5500MT/s)
• 29 grams lighter, depending on configuration
• Larger, quieter fan
• Larger heatsink
• Louder speakers “with improved bass”
• 1mm taller thumbsticks with wider head and recessed, smoother thumb divot
• Darker printing on buttons
• “Higher fidelity haptics”
• “Redesigned trackpad for improved fidelity and edge detection”
• Higher touchscreen polling rate of 180Hz
• Wi-Fi 6E for “2-3x faster downloads” with new 6GHz connectivity
• Bluetooth 5.3 with dedicated antenna, AptX HD and AptX Low Latency, wake via Bluetooth controller
• “Onboard mic can now be used simultaneously as headphone jack”
• Longer 2.5m power cable (up from 1.5m)
• Faster 0.8C charging rate, “20%–80% in as little as 45 minutes”
• Three to 12 hours quoted battery life (up from two to eight hours)
• Multi-color indicator LED (versus white only)
• Torx screws instead of Phillips
• Machine screws on rear cover with metal bosses for easier repair
• “Bumper switch is now on joystick board for easier repair, improved bumper shock reliability”
• “Fewer steps required for common repairs”
• “Replacing the display does not require taking the back off”
• 512GB for $549, 1TB for $649 (versus 256GB for $529, 512GB for $649)
• New carrying case with 1TB model that has a second smaller shell inside
• New limited-edition transparent $679 model in the US and Canada

What’s the same with the Steam Deck OLED?​

• Same processor specs
• Same basic performance, with no turbo mode
• 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM
• Same NVMe M.2 2230 SSD storage modules
• Same potentiometer joysticks (not Hall effect)
• Same dimensions (save 1mm taller joysticks)
• Same case compatibility
• Same buttons (some are clickier, like shoulder buttons and Steam key)
• Same screen resolution and aspect ratio (1280 x 800)
• User-selectable fixed refresh rates (no VRR or AMD FreeSync)
• Same driver-level AMD features (no frame generation, for example)
• Same power supply wattage (45W USB-C PD, does not charge faster than 45W)
• Same microSD placement and speed (UHS-I)
• Same game compatibility
• Same software updates
• Same starting price for a Steam Deck, period — but $400 now buys you the old LCD model with 256GB of NVMe storage, rather than the new OLED or the old 64GB LCD model with eMMC

 

[moinmoin]

Pretty good improvements for a direct replacement.

But to be fair since Steam Deck is only available from Valve directly they can easily keep the price stable. We will never know how well it would have done in the open market, with street prices and other reductions. And similar to other consoles and handhelds even refreshed its old tech by now.

 

[Tigerick]

I am watching SadlyItsBradley video about unboxing Apple's Vision Pro, then suddenly he flashed the cards above stating Valve Deckard with 02/14/2024. Is Deckard really coming so soon?

 

[SteinFG]

I am watching SadlyItsBradley video about unboxing Apple's Vision Pro, then suddenly he flashed the cards above stating Valve Deckard with 02/14/2024. Is Deckard really coming so soon?

Probably some inside joke from the dude. 02/14 is valentine's day

 

[soresu]

Is Deckard really coming so soon?

I don't know about soon, it's overdue at this point.

It better be something really special to have been worth the wait.

 

[Tigerick]

PS6 APU posted by Everest:



Look like upcoming Sarlak with one CPU chiplet, 72CU RDNA5 is too little for 256-bit GDDR7 unless there is 4 CU per WGP, then 144CU is making more sense. The inclusion of 4 LP cores on GPU die is interesting...

PS6 is rumored to launch in 2026 which is the same year as LPDDR6. There might have some similarities between two, we shall see...

 

[SteinFG]

PS6 APU posted by Everest:

He specifically said that it's a schizopost from a random discord group member, don't take it seriously. in fact don't take anything from it 😶‍🌫️

 

[Panino Manino]

He specifically said that it's a schizopost from a random discord group member, don't take it seriously. in fact don't take anything from it 😶‍🌫️

By the way, now there are some "rumors" that if Microsoft don't exit the console market they'll go with Intel for their next chip.
Would be very interesting, we could have an AMD vs Intel vs Nvidia situation.

 

[Tigerick]

I can't believe AMD is renaming Aerith Plus APU as Z2A for entry XBox handheld. The integrated RDNA2 with 8 CU is comparable to SteamDeck's 8 CU, hmm..

PS: At first, I thought Z2A is using custom Mendocino but the amount of CU does not add up.

AMD Preps Faster "AERITH Plus" SOC With Higher Clocks & LPDDR5x, Possibly For Steam Deck 2

AMD's Aerith Plus SOC has been spotted in shipping manifests and might go on the power Valve's Steam Deck 2 handheld.

wccftech.com

1.8GHz RDNA2 8 GPU is 200MHz faster than SD edition.

 

[DZero]

View attachment 125169

Now we are calling something interesting.

Even Sony can launch a PSP with capability to play PS5 games using the Z2 processor.

Still, no Z1 real succesor? No hexa core with 12 GPU cores?

 

[marees]

Now that Microsoft plans to release OS that boots into xbox app, this space could see very interesting designs. Especially with zen6 & rdna5

 

[marees]

Now that Microsoft plans to release OS that boots into xbox app, this space could see very interesting designs. Especially with zen6 & rdna5

Check this statement by Lisa Su

AMD CEO Lisa Su Says Xbox Partnership Will Power the Future of Gaming​

AMD & Xbox are All-in​

AMD has released a video featuring CEO Dr. Lisa Su discussing the company’s new partnership with Xbox and what it means for the future of gaming. In the video, Su states: “AMD and Microsoft are advancing a bold shared vision for the future of gaming—one that enables seamless gameplay across any screen, placing gamers at the centre of the experience anywhere.” She continues: “We’re so excited to be deepening our relationship with Microsoft and building on more than two decades of partnership, innovation and trust, from the earliest days of the Xbox 360 to the most advanced consoles.”

This includes the newly announced ROG Xbox Ally announced at SGF 2025. The CEO’s comments can be seen in the AMD YouTube video

AMD CEO Lisa Su Says Xbox Partnership Will Power the Future of Gaming

The AMD CEO has just issued comments on the newly announced Xbox partnership, claiming it is the "future of immersive gaming".

www.cgmagonline.com

And also note the large physical size of the ROG XBOX Ally handheld

I tested Xbox’s powerful — and heavy — new handheld​

Asus and Xbox’s new handheld weighs 1.58 pounds, and it’s noticeable

by Maddy Myers
Jun 9, 2025, 10:53 PM GMT+5:30

the ROG Xbox Ally X was the heaviest one I’d ever held. It will be the heaviest handheld on the market, once it reaches all of us this holiday season. (I did talk to an Asus representative at the Xbox event and told him my concerns about its weight, but I fully recognize it’s probably too late for them to change it. Let it be known that I tried, though.)

What’s interesting about this is that it might not actually bother that many other people who aren’t me. This is a pretty subjective problem, and I would say it’s somewhat gendered as well. There were lots of other reporters at this event with me, the majority of them men. I overheard many of them praising the way the Xbox handheld felt in their hands — “just like an Xbox controller.” I can’t disagree there; it’s the right shape and absolutely does feel comfortable in terms of size and layout. But I wonder: Did any of those guys notice the weight? Or is that just a problem for somebody of my stature?

The thing is, people of my stature do actually also play video games. And I play a heck of a lot of them in handheld format; I’d say about 50% of the time I’m on a big screen, the other 50% in handheld. I’m still in LA at Summer Game Fest right now, but the first thing I’m going to do when I get home tomorrow night is open my Switch 2 box and play Mario Kart World — probably in handheld mode. And even though the Switch 2 is heavier than its predecessor, I bet I’m going to feel pretty relieved by how light it feels compared to the Xbox handheld I tried out yesterday.

I tested Xbox’s powerful — and heavy — new handheld

I played Gears of War: Reloaded on the Rog Xbox Ally X, and I couldn’t help but notice how heavy the device felt in my hands

www.polygon.com