Zotac swung by Computex 2025 with this snazzy handheld gadget, right? They’ve got this 7-inch AMOLED screen on it, which looks like a tiny masterpiece if you’re into that sort of thing. Packed in there is AMD’s Ryzen AI HX 370 APU from the fancy Strix Point line. But here’s a twist—no Windows or SteamOS this time. Nah, they’re kicking it with Manjaro Linux. The device goes by “Zone 2” now, but honestly, who knows what they’ll end up naming it?
Their previous gizmo, Zone 1, popped up last September, running on AMD’s older Ryzen 7 8840U – yeah, the one from December 2023. Zotac’s been taking it slow, unlike some others always rushing. They hinted at this new Zone 2 thing earlier at CES, and now it’s making a splash at Computex. They’re still playing coy about the final name and when it drops, but it’s likely coming soon-ish.
Under the hood, this new handheld is vibing with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 – think 12 cores, mixing Zen 5 and Zen 5c styles, plus the Radeon 890M GPU. Most are sticking with something like Ryzen Z2, but not Zotac. They’re going all-out with this beefier, probably pricier option. Oh, and RAM? Take your pick: 24 or 32 gigs of the speedy LPDDR5x stuff, alongside a massive 1TB SSD you can upgrade. Because, why not?
The screen’s another showstopper—1080p AMOLED, whatever that means in pixels, and a smooth 120 Hz refresh with 800-nits brightness and HDR. Basically, it’s trying to outshine the sun. It mimics a Nintendo Switch with a kickstand and chucks in all the joysticks and touchpads you could dream of. Plus, those fancy dual-stage triggers – yeah, those too.
But speaking of software choices, running on a locked-in Manjaro Linux version reflecting KDE Plasma 6, similar flow as SteamOS. Game compatibility might get a bit weird with multiplayer anti-cheat stuff, unless you switch to Windows or whatever other system. Flexibility, I guess?
Now, battery-wise, it’s got a 48.5Wh bad boy under the hood, lasting about as long as Zone 1. Connectivity? They slapped on everything including USB4 ports, a UHS-II microSD slot, 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth 5.2, and WiFi 6E. Around back, extra buttons and a cool mesh design for heat magic. Anticipate more news from Zotac about this launch, whenever they feel like it.
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