Microsoft’s ROG Xbox Ally uses (almost) the same processor as Valve’s Steam Deck
Microsoft’s standard ROG Xbox Ally handheld uses an SOC that’s almost identical to Valve’s Steam Deck OLED
Microsoft’s upcoming ROG Xbox Ally handheld features AMD’s “new” Ryzen Z2 A CPU. This chip has now been confirmed to be the “AERITH PLUS”, a modified version of the AMD APU found in Valve’s Steam Deck handheld. While the Microsoft/ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X will use a much newer/higher-end AMD SOC, their standard ROG Xbox Ally will be very similar to the chip used in Valve’s Steam Deck.
AMD’s Ryzen Z2 A “AERITH PLUS” CPU features four AMD Zen 2 CPU cores and a GPU with eight AMD RDNA 2 GPU compute units. This is identical to the chip used inside Valve’s Steam Deck. The difference with AMD’s Ryzen Z2 A is its TDP limits and clock speeds. Valve’s Steam Deck supports CPU clock speeds of 2.4 GHz to 3.5 GHz with power draws between 4W and 15W. AMD’s Ryzen Z2 A can run its CPU at between 2.8 GHz and 3.8 GHz with a configurable TDP of 6W to 20W.
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Ryzen Z2 A = 20W "AERITH PLUS"@Olrak29_ 😜
— Ruby_Rapids (@RubyRapids) June 10, 2025
(Ruby Rapids on Twitter/X)
The ROG Xbox Ally uses an outdated CPU, but that will drive pricing down
AMD’s Ryzen Z2 A chip doesn’t use AMD’s newest technologies. AMD’s current-gen CPU/GPU architectures are Zen 5 and RDNA 4, not Zen 2 and RDNA 2. While the technology inside the ROG Xbox Ally is outdated, it is similar to the hardware inside the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in terms of architecture.
With Ryzen Z2 A, AMD and Microsoft are likely aiming for low pricing. This chip doesn’t utilise a leading-edge lithography node, and its design costs have already been recouped. Valve’s original Steam Deck launched in early 2022. Note that Aerith Plus is merely a refined version of this chip. If Microsoft and AMD were to design and build an entirely new CPU, it would likely cost significantly more.
If Microsoft wants its ROG Xbox Ally series to be a success, it would be a good move to price their baseline model below Nintendo’s new Switch 2 console. Note that Valve can sell a 256GB Steam Deck for £349. That said, ASUS and Microsoft will likely want higher margins than Valve…
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