AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme

Specs

AMD lists eight CPU cores (three Zen 5 and five Zen 5c) and 16 threads, a 16 compute unit RDNA 3.5 GPU at up to 2.9 GHz, a 15 to 35 W range and a 50 TOPS NPU.

Performance in the ROG Xbox Ally X

Notebookcheck measured gaming results 14% higher than the Z1 Extreme ROG Ally X and 6% over the MSI Claw 8 AI+, with the 17 W Performance mode roughly matching the old model's 25 W Turbo mode. Tom's Guide found the gains over the Z1 Extreme minor at 35 W and clear at 17 W.

GamesRadar+ measured Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 74 fps against 43 fps on the original Ally X, and Cyberpunk 2077 at a 54 fps average at 1080p in 25 W Turbo mode, rising to 99 fps with upscaling and frame generation. Windows Central averaged 45 fps in Cyberpunk on the Steam Deck preset, and 83 fps with AMD's HYPR-RX enabled.

Tom's Hardware calls the bump nice but not extraordinary, and says current Ally owners need not upgrade.

Battery and heat

With the Xbox Ally X's 80 Wh battery, Notebookcheck recorded 2 h 13 min in Turbo mode, 3 h 12 min in Performance mode and about 4 hours in Silent mode. Windows Central got 5 h 6 min in Celeste at 13 W.

GamesRadar+ was surprised how quiet the fans were, with temperatures well under 70 °C, and Tom's Hardware's 15-run Metro Exodus stress test stayed consistent at about 63 fps.

Against Intel's Arc G3 Extreme

Intel's Arc G3 Extreme in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is faster. Engadget measured Cyberpunk 2077 at 95 fps on the Claw at 35 W, 1080p medium with XeSS performance, against 62 fps on the Xbox Ally X, and PC Gamer got about half an hour more battery life from the Claw in default mode.