Deck 2: It has been rumored that AMD is working on a new Ryzen APU codenamed “Little Phoenix,” and the Zen 4 CPU might end up in Valve’s Steam Deck 2.
Rumors say that AMD is working on a “Van Gogh Successor,” which might be the basis for a Steam Deck 2 Ryzen APU. An “extremely low power” version of the next-generation Phoenix point CPU is expected to be built using the new chip’s Zen 4 and RDNA 3 architectures.
The Steam Deck 2 APU has four cores, eight threads, and four WorkGroup Processors, according to Moore’s Law is Dead. An RDNA 2 alternative called Mendocino is comparable to Van Gogh in that it’s smaller than Valve’s current chip of choice but larger than this one.
Although “Little Phoenix” appears to be a wonderful fit for the Steam Deck 2, it does not imply that a portable sequel is imminent. Because the existing version of Valve’s portable powerhouse is still in great demand, it’s unlikely that the corporation is in a rush to develop a new handheld. According to reliable sources, the new APU project started late in the Phoneix development cycle, which means it won’t be available until next year at the earliest.
With the Ayaneo, Valve’s handheld isn’t the only gadget that utilizes an AMD APU. Since the Steam Deck 2 hardware successor has no stated release date, the new chip may arrive before the Steam Deck 2.
Valve CEO Gabe Newell said the company is working on a Steam Deck 2 that will be more powerful than the first. If a Little Phoenix APU-equipped variant does come to fruition, it will likely enhance the handheld’s capabilities and cost.
