AMD has just introduced its new Ryzen Z2 Go APU, sparking plenty of questions about how it stacks up against the previous Ryzen Z1 series in terms of performance. Luckily, Fps VN has come to the rescue, sharing FPS test results for the Lenovo Legion Go S and the Asus ROG Ally X across a trio of games, each tested with different power settings.
The Legion Go S from Lenovo is equipped with the Ryzen Z2 Go APU. This unit sports half the cores found in the Z1 Extreme while utilizing a Zen 3+ architecture instead of Zen 4. Along with this, it comes with slightly lower base (3.0 GHz to 3.3 GHz) and boost (4.3 GHz to 5.1 GHz) clock speeds. Nonetheless, Lenovo picked this for its fresh gaming handhelds, leading many to wonder how it lines up against AMD’s last-gen powerhouse, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
Before we break down the numbers, let’s touch on the specs for both devices. Launched at CES 2025, the Lenovo Legion Go S is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor, complete with 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 memory. Its storage sits on a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD and it showcases an eight-inch, 120 Hz, 1920×1200 IPS display. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Ally X hit the scene in mid-2024 with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and 24GB of LPDDR5 memory. This device offers a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD and a bit more screen real estate with a seven-inch, 120 Hz, 1920×1080 IPS display.
The gathered data indicates that the Z1 Extreme on the Asus ROG Ally X usually edges out the Z2 Go found in the Lenovo Legion Go S. This was no shocker since the Z1 Extreme benefits from double the cores and higher clock speeds, not to mention a newer 780M integrated GPU compared to the Z2 Go’s 680M.
Interestingly, the FPS difference across all three games was relatively narrow, with the ROG Ally X averaging about 4 FPS more than the Legion Go S. These tests suggest the Ryzen Z2 Go is about 10% less powerful than the Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
We were initially surprised not to see a more significant gap, particularly considering the Ally X has 8GB more memory and a slightly smaller, lower-resolution screen, which should, in theory, be easier on the processor. Nonetheless, AMD and Lenovo’s optimization efforts mean the Z2 Go holds its ground admirably, given the constraints of handheld consoles.
For pricing, the Asus ROG Ally X comes in at $799, with the Lenovo Legion Go close behind at $729. Purely on numbers, the Z1 Extreme-powered Ally X offers superior performance. However, many gamers might gravitate toward the Legion Go for its larger screen and slightly friendlier price, especially when the FPS difference is hardly noticeable to the average user.
