ZOTAC has unveiled its latest ZONE handheld gaming console, equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 8840U processor, set to launch in September for $800 in the US.
ZOTAC Zone: The Ultimate Gaming Console with AMD Falcon Point APUs, LPDDR5X Memory, and a Stunning AMOLED Display
2024 is undeniably the year of handheld PC gaming devices, with virtually every major and minor brand offering their take on the design. Now, ZOTAC has introduced its new gaming handheld, aiming to stand out from the competition. Here are the specifications.
The ZOTAC Zone gaming handheld will feature the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U APU, which includes 8 cores based on the Zen 4 architecture, clock speeds up to 5.1 GHz, 16 threads, and a Radeon 780M integrated GPU with 12 compute units.
This chip is configurable between 15-30W and has become a popular choice for the handheld market, seen in its Ryzen 7040 and Ryzen Z1 variants, which are essentially the same with minor tweaks. The Ryzen Z1 offers additional power management for low-power platforms like handhelds, while the Falcon Point Ryzen 8040 APUs feature higher AI TOPs.
Other specifications of the ZOTAC Zone gaming handheld include 16 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 7500 MT/s. It also features 512 GB of M.2 NVMe SSD storage based on the PCIe 4.0 standard and uses a 2280 slot design that is upgradable.
The display on the ZOTAC Zone is impressive, featuring a 7-inch FHD (1920×1080) AMOLED panel with multi-touch capabilities and a maximum brightness of 800 nits. The device is powered by a 48.5 WH battery. I/O on the ZONE includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 USB4 ports (Displayport 1.4 + PD 3.0), and a UHD-II MicroSD card reader. The Zone also boasts additional features like a 2-stage adjustable trigger layout and radial dials. There’s a front-facing camera, and the touchpad has a dual design. Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 support.
ZOTAC will include its One Launcher software suite, which provides a unified interface to access all your games within the Microsoft Windows 11 operating system. The software suite will also offer other key features like control customization and quick settings for the device.
Regarding the design, the ZOTAC Zone handheld has a matte black finish that slightly resembles the Steam Deck, with dimensions of 310x135x40mm. ZOTAC has indicated that the launch is planned for September of this year, and the pricing should be around $800 for the base model.
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By Andrej Kovacevic
Updated on 6th June 2024