Ryzen Z2 Go Reportedly Trails Ryzen Z1 Extreme by 10% — Legion Go S Competes with ROG Ally X

AMD’s launch of the new Ryzen Z2 Go APU has sparked plenty of curiosity within the gaming community, mainly due to comparisons with the Ryzen Z1 series. Thankfully, Fps VN provided some insightful data by conducting FPS tests comparing the Lenovo Legion Go S with the Asus ROG Ally X across three different games and power settings.

The Lenovo Legion Go S boasts the Ryzen Z2 Go APU, which, while it features half the cores of the Z1 Extreme, utilizes the Zen 3+ architecture instead of Zen 4. Its clock speeds are also slightly lower, with a base of 3.0 GHz compared to 3.3 GHz, and a boost of 4.3 GHz as opposed to 5.1 GHz. Despite these differences, Lenovo opted for this processor in their newest handheld gaming devices, leaving us intrigued about its performance against the previous powerhouse, the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme.

Before we delve into the performance results, let’s briefly compare the specs. Revealed at CES 2025, the Lenovo Legion Go S is powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Go and packed with 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 memory. It features a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD and an eight-inch 120 Hz, 1920×1200 IPS display. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Ally X, which emerged in mid-2024, comes equipped with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, includes 24GB of LPDDR5 memory, and offers a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, all wrapped around a seven-inch, 120 Hz, 1920×1080 IPS screen.

Now, let’s slide into the numbers. In Black Myth Wukong on medium settings at 720p and 15W, the Legion Go S managed an average of 36 FPS while the Ally X delivered 40 FPS. Increasing the settings to 1080p with Low FSR at 20W, the Legion Go S scored 30 FPS and the Ally X 32. At 30W, the Legion Go S hit 60 FPS, with the Ally X slightly ahead at 64 FPS. Similar trends were observed in Cyberpunk 2077 and Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, where the Asus device consistently outperformed the Lenovo by small margins.

The data indicates that while the Z1 Extreme on the Asus ROG Ally X had the upper hand due to its superior hardware specs—twice the number of cores, higher clock speeds, more L3 cache, and a more advanced 780M integrated GPU—the performance gap between it and the Z2 Go was smaller than expected, averaging only 4 FPS more across the games.

Given the spec differences, it was surprising to see such a narrow performance margin. The Ally X’s additional 8GB of memory and smaller, lower-resolution display were expected to give it a more substantial edge, but the Z2 Go’s efficient optimization for handheld constraints seems to play a crucial role.

When examining the price, the Asus ROG Ally X comes in at $799, only slightly above the Lenovo Legion Go S’s price of $729. Although the Z1 Extreme-powered Ally X outdoes its newer rival in pure performance terms, the relatively slight FPS advantage might not be pivotal for all gamers. The Legion Go’s larger screen and more attractive pricing could be enticing factors for many consumers.

In conclusion, AMD and its partners have finely tuned the Z2 Go to perform commendably within the confines of handheld consoles. The ultimate decision for users will likely come down to budget preferences and individual priorities, whether they value raw performance, a bigger display, or cost-effectiveness. For sure, both devices cater to different needs and preferences within the realm of mobile gaming.