AMD made the official announcement of its highly anticipated Ryzen Z1 Series APUs on April 25, 2023. These APUs, based on the advanced Zen 4/RDNA 3 microarchitecture and built using TSMC’s N4 (4nm) process node, are specifically designed to deliver exceptional performance for handheld gaming devices. In this article, we’ll explore the specifications, performance, and value of the Ryzen Z1 Series, comparing the standard Ryzen Z1 with its more powerful variant, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
| Specifications | AMD Ryzen Z1 | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Handheld | Handheld |
| Architecture | Zen4/RDNA 3 | Zen 4/RDNA 3 |
| Process Node | TSMC N4 (4nm) | TSMC N4 (4nm) |
| Cores/Threads | 6/12 | 8/16 |
| Base Clock | 3.2GHz | 3.3GHz |
| Boost Clock | 4.9GHz | 5.1GHz |
| L1 Cache | 512KB | 512KB |
| L2 Cache | 6MB | 8MB |
| L3 Cache | 16MB | 16MB |
| cTDP | 9W-30W | 9W-30W |
| GPU Compute Units | 4 | 12 |
| GPU Clock Frequency | Up to 2.5GHz | Up to 2.7GHz |
| FP32 (Single Precision) Performance | 2.8TFLOPs | 8.6TFLOPs |
| Memory Support | LPDDR5-5600/LPDDR5X-7500 | LPDDR5-5600/LPDDR5X-7500 |
| Launch Date | 04/25/2023 | 04/25/2023 |
AMD Ryzen Z1 Series: Specifications and Features
The AMD Ryzen Z1 boasts six Zen 4 CPU cores, providing a total of 12 logical threads. With a base clock of 3.2GHz and a maximum boost clock of 4.9GHz, it offers impressive processing power. The custom SoC includes the RDNA 3-based Radeon 740M iGPU, featuring four compute units (256 shaders) with a core frequency range of 1.5GHz-2.5GHz.
On the other hand, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme takes things up a notch with its eight-core/16-thread layout, a base frequency of 3.3GHz, and a boost frequency of up to 5.1GHz. It packs a more powerful RDNA 3-based Radeon 780M with 12 compute units (768 shaders) clocked at approximately 1.5GHz-2.7GHz.
Although both APUs have a configurable TDP range of 9W-30W, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme benefits from a slightly larger cache size compared to the standard Z1 chip. With two additional cores, the Extreme variant features 24MB of combined (L2+L3) cache, while the Ryzen Z1 utilizes 22MB of cache.
To ensure optimal performance, both variants offer native support for dual-channel LPDDR5-5600/LPDDR5X-7500 memory controllers. This enables high-bandwidth system memory utilization, resulting in improved performance and reduced latency for AAA games.
At the platform level, the Ryzen Z1 Series APUs support the latest USB 4.0 interface, providing faster data transfer rates of up to 40 Gbps. This allows for seamless connectivity with external storage and display devices. Moreover, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition offers proprietary technologies like Radeon Super Resolution, Radeon Chill, Radeon Anti-Lag, Radeon Boost, and AMD Link, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
Comparisons with Ryzen 7040U Series and Power Optimization:
Upon closer examination, the Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme exhibit similarities to AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 7040U Series chips for ultraportable laptops. Enthusiasts have noted that the standard Ryzen Z1 aligns closely with AMD’s mid-tier Ryzen 5 7540U, while the Extreme variant corresponds to the top-tier Ryzen 7 7840U.
AMD has clarified that while the Ryzen Z1 Series APUs share similar hardware configurations with the Ryzen 7 7840U/Ryzen 5 7540U, they have been purpose-built to meet the unique requirements of handheld gaming devices. The engineering team optimized the power profiles and voltage curves to ensure optimal performance within a wider TDP range of 9W-30W, compared to the restrictive 15-30W range of the Ryzen 7040U lineup.
Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that the Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme have disabled (not removed at the hardware level) Team Red’s XDNA AI engine, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining excellent performance.
Conclusion
AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Series APUs bring formidable performance to the world of handheld gaming devices. The combination of Zen 4/RDNA 3 microarchitecture, TSMC’s advanced N4 process node, and enhanced specifications make them ideal for gamers seeking immersive experiences on the go. Whether you opt for the standard Ryzen Z1 or the more powerful Ryzen Z1 Extreme, both variants offer exceptional performance, impressive features, and optimized power profiles to meet the demands of high-performance handheld gaming.