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AMD Ryzen Z2 Review | 78 Data compared

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  • Avg. price: ~£530
  • PassMark benchmark result: 26237
  • N. of physical cores: 8
  • CPU boost clock speed: 5.1 GHz

AMD Ryzen Z2 review. Compare 78 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among processors and if it is worth buying.

6.6

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the processor's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best processors on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

6.6

Technical Score

10.0%

?

User score

Good
6.6

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the processor's technical performance, covering key areas such as processing performance, core configuration, efficiency, platform support, integrated features, and thermal behavior.

When it matters: When you want to compare processors based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

60.0%

5.9

Performance

18.0%

7.4

Cache & Architecture

10.0%

7.6

Memory & PCIe

7.0%

7.5

Power & Thermal

4.0%

8.0

Platform

1.0%

9.1

Integrated Graphics

Good
?

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the processor.

When it matters: When you want to know how a processor performs in real workloads and how reliable it is for gaming, productivity, and efficiency according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 6.5
    Gaming

    Score components:

    30.0%

    7.0

    PassMark single-core benchmark score

    25.0%

    8.0

    Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark score

    20.0%

    7.9

    CPU boost clock speed

    17.0%

    3.3

    L3 cache

    8.0%

    3.5

    N. of physical cores

  • 4.0
    Video editing

    Score components:

    45.0%

    3.9

    Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark score

    20.0%

    3.5

    N. of physical cores

    20.0%

    5.2

    CPU threads

    15.0%

    3.3

    L3 cache

  • No image
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Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £530

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The AMD Ryzen Z2 is a high-performance processor designed for handheld gaming consoles, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture (Hawk Point-U) with a boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz. It integrates the Radeon 780M iGPU with 12 RDNA 3 compute units and includes 16 MB of L3 cache, operating within a configurable TDP of 15W to 30W. Main pros include its exceptional efficiency for portable gaming, support for fast LPDDR5x-7500 memory, and a significant performance uplift over previous generations at lower wattages. However, notable cons include its lack of the dedicated Ryzen AI Engine (NPU) found in other variants and its status as a rebranded iteration of the Ryzen 8040U series rather than a completely new Zen 5-based architecture.

Technical Specifications of processor AMD Ryzen Z2

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the processor's technical performance, covering key areas such as processing performance, core configuration, efficiency, platform support, integrated features, and thermal behavior.

When it matters: When you want to compare processors based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

60.0%

?

Performance

18.0%

?

Cache & Architecture

10.0%

?

Memory & PCIe

7.0%

?

Power & Thermal

4.0%

?

Platform

1.0%

?

Integrated Graphics

6.6
AMD Ryzen Z2 has a technical score of 6.56 points, which is higher than that of 74.9% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the processor.

When it matters: When you want to know how a processor performs in real workloads and how reliable it is for gaming, productivity, and efficiency according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the processor.
When it matters: When you prefer to choose a processor reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
1.0
AMD Ryzen Z2 has a popularity of 1 points, which is higher than 0% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the processor's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a processor with a good balance between performance, efficiency, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

6.6

Overall score

40.0%

7.7

Price

6.9
AMD Ryzen Z2 has a quality-to-price ratio of 6.9 points, which is higher than 69% of products in this category.
Brand name
What it is: The manufacturer or brand of the product.
When it matters: When you prefer a specific ecosystem, support network, or design philosophy.

Importance: MEDIUM

AMD
Processor type
What it is: The kind of system the processor is built for, such as desktop PCs, laptops, workstations, or servers.
When it matters: When you want a processor meant for the kind of machine you are actually building or buying, rather than a chip aimed at a different class of system.

Importance: HIGH

mobile
AMD Ryzen Z2 belongs to the mobile processor class, which is more advanced than that of 7.3% of processors and equal to that of 48.6% of processors.
handheld
CPU socket
What it is: The physical socket the processor fits into on the motherboard.
When it matters: When you need to make sure the CPU can actually be installed on a specific motherboard.

Importance: HIGH

?
Chipset
What it is: The motherboard chipset families officially meant to work with the processor.
When it matters: When you are checking whether a CPU will work with the motherboard features and platform you plan to use.

Importance: HIGH

N/A
CPU architecture
What it is: The processor family or design generation behind the chip, such as Zen 4 or Raptor Lake.
When it matters: When you are comparing CPUs across generations and want a clearer sense of their design age, feature level, and expected performance class.

Importance: HIGH

x86-64
AMD Ryzen Z2 uses the x86-64 architecture, which is more advanced than that of 1.7% of processors and equal to that of 98.3% of processors.
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N. of physical cores
What it is: The number of physical CPU cores on the processor.
When it matters: When you run workloads that benefit from more real cores.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: 8+

8
AMD Ryzen Z2 has 8 CPU cores, which is more than 63.4% of processors and equal to 13.6% of processors.
CPU threads
What it is: The total number of processing threads the CPU can handle at once.
When it matters: When you run heavily threaded workloads or multitask a lot.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: 16+

16
AMD Ryzen Z2 offers 16 CPU threads, which is more than 71.1% of processors and equal to 13.9% of processors.
Threads per core
What it is: The number of threads each physical core can handle at once.
When it matters: When you want to understand how much thread-level parallelism each core can provide in multitasking or heavily threaded work.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: 2

2
AMD Ryzen Z2 offers 2 threads per core, which is more than 30.4% of processors and equal to 69.6% of processors.
CPU boost clock speed
What it is: The highest clock speed the processor can reach under boost conditions.
When it matters: When you care about peak speed in short bursts.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >4.7 GHz

5.1 GHz
AMD Ryzen Z2 reaches a boost clock of 5.1 GHz which is higher than that of 86.1% of processors and equal to that of 4.1% of processors.
CPU base clock speed
What it is: The processor's normal all-core starting frequency before boost behavior raises clocks temporarily.
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance in longer workloads rather than short burst speed alone.

Importance: MEDIUM

8 x 3.3 GHz
AMD Ryzen Z2 has a base clock of 8x3.3 GHz which is equal to that of 100% of processors.
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Semiconductor size
What it is: The manufacturing process node used to produce the processor, usually expressed in nanometers.
When it matters: When efficiency, heat, and the relative modernity of the chip-making process matter to your comparison.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: <10 nm

4 nm
AMD Ryzen Z2 uses a 4 nm process node, which is more advanced than that of 88.4% of processors and equal to that of 7.5% of processors.
Foundry
What it is: The semiconductor manufacturer that physically fabricates the processor chip.
When it matters: When process source, manufacturing generation, or foundry differences matter to your comparison more than day-to-day performance alone.

Importance: MEDIUM

TSMC 4 nm
AMD Ryzen Z2 is built on the TSMC 4 nm foundry process, which is more advanced than that of 87% of processors and equal to that of 7.5% of processors.
L3 cache
What it is: The total amount of L3 cache available on the processor.
When it matters: When you want better performance in cache-sensitive workloads and games.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=16 MB

16 MB
AMD Ryzen Z2 has an L3 cache of 16 MB which is larger than that of 64.2% of processors and equal to that of 12.7% of processors.
L2 cache
What it is: The total amount of L2 cache available across the processor.
When it matters: When you want to compare CPU design efficiency and how much fast intermediate cache the cores have available.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=6 MB

8 MB
AMD Ryzen Z2 has an L2 cache of 8 MB which is larger than that of 73.5% of processors and equal to that of 4.3% of processors.
L1 cache
What it is: The total amount of L1 cache built into the processor, which sits closest to the cores.
When it matters: When you are comparing low-level CPU design details rather than the broader performance picture buyers usually notice first.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=512 KB

512 KB
AMD Ryzen Z2 has an L1 cache of 512 KB which is larger than that of 63.6% of processors and equal to that of 9.5% of processors.
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DDR memory version
What it is: The RAM generation the processor is designed to support, such as DDR4 or DDR5.
When it matters: When you need the CPU to match the kind of memory platform you want to buy or reuse.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: DDR5

DDR5
AMD Ryzen Z2 supports DDR DDR5, which is newer than that of 66.4% of processors and equal to that of 12.6% of processors.
Maximum memory speed
What it is: The highest official memory speed supported by the processor.
When it matters: When you choose RAM and want to know the supported speed ceiling.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >=4800 MHz

8,000 MHz
AMD Ryzen Z2 supports memory speeds up to 8000 MHz, which is higher than that of 97.2% of processors and equal to 1.2% of processors.
Max memory speed (JEDEC)
What it is: The highest official RAM speed the processor supports under standard JEDEC settings, before any memory overclocking profiles are applied.
When it matters: When officially supported stock RAM speed matters more than XMP, EXPO, or manual memory tuning.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=5600 MHz

DDR5-5600 MHz
AMD Ryzen Z2 supports JEDEC memory speeds up to DDR5-5600 MHz, which is higher than that of 80.3% of processors and equal to 5.1% of processors.
Max memory speed (XMP / EXPO)
What it is: The highest memory speed supported through XMP or EXPO profiles.
When it matters: When you want faster RAM through memory profiles.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=5200 MHz

N/A
Maximum memory capacity
What it is: The largest total amount of memory officially supported by the processor.
When it matters: When you plan a system with very large RAM capacity.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >=128 GB

256 GB
AMD Ryzen Z2 supports up to 256 GB of memory, which is more than 89.4% of processors and equal to 8.3% of processors.
Show more
Integrated graphics
What it is: Includes built-in graphics, so the system can output video without a separate graphics card.
When it matters: When you want the PC to work without a dedicated GPU, or you are building an office, media, compact, or troubleshooting-friendly system.

Importance: HIGH

yes
AMD Ryzen Z2 includes integrated graphics. 87.6% of processors include integrated graphics.
Integrated GPU model
What it is: The model name of the integrated graphics processor, if present.
When it matters: When you plan to use the CPU's built-in graphics.

Importance: MEDIUM

Radeon 780M
AMD Ryzen Z2 uses the Radeon 780M integrated GPU, which is more advanced than that in 95.8% of processors and equal to that in 1.9% of processors.
Integrated GPU execution units
What it is: The number of execution units available in the integrated graphics part of the processor.
When it matters: When you plan to rely on built-in graphics and want a better sense of its light gaming, display, or media capability.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=24

?
Integrated GPU base frequency
What it is: The base operating frequency of the integrated GPU.
When it matters: When integrated graphics performance matters to you.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=350 MHz

800 MHz
AMD Ryzen Z2 has an integrated GPU clock of 800 MHz which is higher than that of 90.8% of processors and equal to that of 7% of processors.
Integrated media encoders/decoders
What it is: The hardware media formats the processor can encode or decode directly.
When it matters: When you stream, edit video, or rely on hardware media acceleration.

Importance: LOW

H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode)
AMD Ryzen Z2 supports H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode) media codecs, which is broader support than 70.2% of processors and equal to 0.5% of processors.
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TDP (Thermal design power)
What it is: The rated thermal design power, which gives a general idea of cooling and power needs.
When it matters: When you choose a cooler or build in a tighter case.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: <30 W

15-30 W
Base power (PL1)
What it is: The sustained power target used for longer CPU loads.
When it matters: When you choose cooling and power delivery for sustained workloads.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <30 W

28 W
AMD Ryzen Z2 has a base power of 28 W which is lower than that of 67.2% of processors and equal to that of 6.8% of processors.
Boost power (PL2)
What it is: The short-term boost power limit the processor may draw under heavier turbo loads.
When it matters: When you size cooling and power delivery for peak turbo behavior.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <50 W

30 W
AMD Ryzen Z2 has a boost power of 30 W which is lower than that of 79.4% of processors and equal to that of 1.5% of processors.
Tau (power duration limit)
What it is: The time limit the CPU can stay at higher boost power before dropping toward sustained power.
When it matters: When you want to understand turbo behavior under longer loads.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <=28 s

N/A
Configurable TDP
What it is: Allows the processor to run in alternate power modes instead of being fixed to one default TDP target.
When it matters: When you want more control over heat, noise, and power draw in compact systems, quieter builds, or thermally limited machines.

Importance: LOW

yes
AMD Ryzen Z2 supports configurable TDP. 52.9% of processors support configurable TDP.
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AMD Ryzen Z2 vs the average processor

  • 86.8% higher single-core score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2,748 vs 1,471). The average processor scores 1,471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
    What it is: A Geekbench 6 score that reflects single-core CPU performance in mixed modern workloads.
    When it matters: When you care about snappy everyday performance in lighter apps, browsing, office work, or tasks that do not scale well across many cores.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >2000

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2,748 vs 1,471). The average processor scores 1,471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.2,748 vs 1,471
  • 49.7% better single-core performance
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3,717 vs 2,483). The average processor scores 2,483 in PassMark single-core.
    What it is: A benchmark score that reflects single-core CPU performance.
    When it matters: When you care about responsiveness in lighter or older software.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >3200

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3,717 vs 2,483). The average processor scores 2,483 in PassMark single-core.3,717 vs 2,483
  • 18.6% higher boost clock
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher boost clock speed than the average processor (5.1 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.
    What it is: The highest clock speed the processor can reach under boost conditions.
    When it matters: When you care about peak speed in short bursts.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >4.7 GHz

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher boost clock speed than the average processor (5.1 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.5.1 GHz vs 4.3 GHz
  • 2.49x higher PassMark score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (26,237 vs 10,532.5). The average processor scores 10,532.5 in PassMark benchmark.
    What it is: A benchmark score that gives a broad idea of overall processor performance.
    When it matters: When you want a quick overall performance comparison.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >19000

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (26,237 vs 10,532.5). The average processor scores 10,532.5 in PassMark benchmark.26,237 vs 10,532.5
  • 2.73x higher memory speed
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (8,000 MHz vs 2,933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2,933 MHz.
    What it is: The highest official memory speed supported by the processor.
    When it matters: When you choose RAM and want to know the supported speed ceiling.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=4800 MHz

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (8,000 MHz vs 2,933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2,933 MHz.8000 MHz vs 2933 MHz
  • 4x more memory capacity
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more maximum memory capacity than the average processor (256 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.
    What it is: The largest total amount of memory officially supported by the processor.
    When it matters: When you plan a system with very large RAM capacity.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=128 GB

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more maximum memory capacity than the average processor (256 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.256 GB vs 64 GB
  • 66.7% smaller process node
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower process node than the average processor (4 nm vs 12 nm). The average processor uses a process node of 12 nm.
    What it is: The manufacturing process node used to produce the processor, usually expressed in nanometers.
    When it matters: When efficiency, heat, and the relative modernity of the chip-making process matter to your comparison.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: <10 nm

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower process node than the average processor (4 nm vs 12 nm). The average processor uses a process node of 12 nm.4 nm vs 12 nm
  • 8 more CPU threads
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more CPU threads than the average processor (16 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.
    What it is: The total number of processing threads the CPU can handle at once.
    When it matters: When you run heavily threaded workloads or multitask a lot.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: 16+

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more CPU threads than the average processor (16 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.16 vs 8
  • Supports HMP
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports HMP, the average processor does not.
  • 86.8% higher single-core score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2,748 vs 1,471). The average processor scores 1,471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
  • 49.7% better single-core performance
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3,717 vs 2,483). The average processor scores 2,483 in PassMark single-core.
  • 18.6% higher boost clock
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher boost clock speed than the average processor (5.1 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.
  • 2.49x higher PassMark score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (26,237 vs 10,532.5). The average processor scores 10,532.5 in PassMark benchmark.
  • 8 more CPU threads
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more CPU threads than the average processor (16 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.
  • 64.1% higher multi-core score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (7,863 vs 4,793). The average processor scores 4,793 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
  • 2 more CPU cores
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more CPU cores than the average processor (8 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.
  • 66.7% smaller process node
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower process node than the average processor (4 nm vs 12 nm). The average processor uses a process node of 12 nm.
  • 3.2x larger L2 cache
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (8 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.
  • More advanced foundry
    AMD Ryzen Z2 uses a more advanced foundry process than the average processor (TSMC 4 nm vs Intel 14 nm).
  • 5.13x more transistors
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more transistors than the average processor (25.4 billion vs 4.95 billion). The average processor has 4.95 billion transistors.
  • 2x more L2 per core
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more L2 cache per core than the average processor (1 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core). The average processor provides 0.5 MB/core of L2 cache per core.
  • 2x larger L3 cache
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher L3 cache than the average processor (16 MB vs 8 MB). The average processor has L3 cache of 8 MB.
  • 16.7% more L3 per core
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more L3 cache per core than the average processor (2 MB/core vs 1.714 MB/core). The average processor provides 1.714 MB/core of L3 cache per core.
  • 33.3% larger L1 cache
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher L1 cache than the average processor (512 KB vs 384 KB). The average processor has L1 cache of 384 KB.
  • 2.73x higher memory speed
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (8,000 MHz vs 2,933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2,933 MHz.
  • 4x more memory capacity
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more maximum memory capacity than the average processor (256 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.
  • Newer PCIe version
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports a newer PCIe version than the average processor (4 vs 3.0).
  • 4 more PCIe lanes
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more PCIe lanes than the average processor (20 vs 16). The average processor offers 16 PCIe lanes.
  • Newer DDR support
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports a newer DDR generation than the average processor (DDR5 vs DDR4).
  • Better integrated GPU
    AMD Ryzen Z2 uses a better integrated GPU than the average processor (Radeon 780M vs Intel UHD Graphics 630).
  • 2.29x higher GPU clock speed
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a higher integrated GPU frequency than the average processor (800 MHz vs 350 MHz). The average processor has integrated GPU frequency of 350 MHz.
  • 1 more supported displays
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has more supported displays than the average processor (4 vs 3). The average processor supports 3 displays.
  • 53.1% lower boost power
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower boost power draw than the average processor (30 W vs 64 W). The average processor has a boost power draw of 64 W.
  • 37.8% lower base power
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower base power draw than the average processor (28 W vs 45 W). The average processor has a base power draw of 45 W.

Total
Platform
Performance
Cache & Architecture
Memory & PCIe
Integrated Graphics
Power & Thermal
  • Older TPM support
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports an older TPM version than the average processor (fTPM 2.0 vs PTT 2.0).
  • 13.4% lower Cinebench R20 single-core score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower Cinebench R20 single-core score than the average processor (419 vs 484). The average processor scores 484 in Cinebench R20 single-core.
  • Narrower media codec support
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports fewer media codecs than the average processor (H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode) vs H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode)).
  • 13.4% lower Cinebench R20 single-core score
    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower Cinebench R20 single-core score than the average processor (419 vs 484). The average processor scores 484 in Cinebench R20 single-core.
    What it is: A Cinebench R20 benchmark score that reflects single-core CPU performance.
    When it matters: When you care about lighter workloads, interface responsiveness, or software that still depends heavily on one fast core.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >600

    AMD Ryzen Z2 has a lower Cinebench R20 single-core score than the average processor (419 vs 484). The average processor scores 484 in Cinebench R20 single-core.419 vs 484
  • 2.12x more expensive
    AMD Ryzen Z2 is more expensive than the average processor (£530 vs £250).
    AMD Ryzen Z2 is more expensive than the average processor (£530 vs £250).£530 vs £250
  • Older TPM support
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports an older TPM version than the average processor (fTPM 2.0 vs PTT 2.0).
    What it is: The kind of TPM security support associated with the processor or its platform.
    When it matters: When operating-system requirements, device encryption, enterprise security, or platform trust features matter.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports an older TPM version than the average processor (fTPM 2.0 vs PTT 2.0).fTPM 2.0 vs PTT 2.0
  • Narrower media codec support
    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports fewer media codecs than the average processor (H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode) vs H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode)).
    What it is: The hardware media formats the processor can encode or decode directly.
    When it matters: When you stream, edit video, or rely on hardware media acceleration.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Ryzen Z2 supports fewer media codecs than the average processor (H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode) vs H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode)).H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode) vs H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode)
Total
Overall
Platform
Performance
Integrated Graphics

Graphic comparison of AMD Ryzen Z2 and other processors

Attribute category
Attribute
No results found

Third-party reviews

What customers like about AMD Ryzen Z2?

  • Significant efficiency gains at lower TDP (under 15W), leading to better battery life for handhelds
  • Strong performance in indie and less demanding titles at low power settings
  • Upgraded GPU architecture in the Extreme variant (RDNA 3.5) provides a smoother 1080p experience
  • Introduction of a dedicated NPU for AI features like upscaling and noise suppression in AI-branded models
  • Competitive entry-level pricing for the 'Go' and 'A' variants designed for budget handhelds

What customers dislike about AMD Ryzen Z2?

  • Confusing branding that mixes four different silicon generations (Zen 2 to Zen 5) under the Z2 name
  • Marginal performance improvements (10-15%) over the previous Z1 Extreme at higher wattages
  • The standard Z2 and Z2 Go are essentially rebrands of older architectures, which may lead to shorter support lifecycles
  • Early driver issues and software bugs reported in initial handheld launches
  • Potential for thermal issues and fan noise in smaller handheld form factors when pushed to turbo modes

Expert reviews

C
cpubenchmark.net
29/03/2026
AMD Ryzen Z2 - CPU Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen Z2 is a 4nm Zen 4 processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, optimized for handheld gaming, featuring a 3.3 GHz base clock, 5.1 GHz boost, and 15W-30W configurable TDP. It integrates an AMD Radeon 780M iGPU with 12 RDNA 3 compute units, offering roughly 6% better multi-threaded performance than the previous Ryzen Z1 Extreme, along with support for LPDDR5x-7500 memory....Read more

H
handheldboss.de
13/08/2025
Z1 vs. Z2 Extreme: Is the upgrade worth it?

According to HandheldBOSS, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme functions as an evolutionary successor to the Z1 Extreme, providing a "generational leap" in efficiency at lower TDPs (under 15W) rather than massive performance gains. While the Z2 offers higher GPU turbo speeds (2900 MHz) and faster 8000 MHz RAM support, it suffers from diminishing returns at higher wattages and remains...Read more

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