In the past few years, AMD Ryzen chips have been the driving force behind most gaming handhelds on the market.
### AMD’s Dominance with 8 Million Handheld Units Projected by 2025
Handheld gaming devices aren’t new, but those capable of running PC games really took off after Steam introduced its Deck in 2022. Since then, what was once a niche has exploded, with big names like ASUS, MSI, and ZOTAC racing to release their versions.
One common thread among these devices is the reliance on AMD CPUs, with some exceptions like the MSI Claw 7/8 AI+. This trend began when Valve’s Steam Deck chose AMD’s custom Zen 2 CPU, leading other manufacturers to opt for AMD’s more powerful chips. Intel’s Meteor Lake only hit the market in late 2023, giving AMD a head start, while companies such as Lenovo and ASUS had already released their Legion GO and ROG Ally handhelds, respectively.
Despite Intel’s presence, most manufacturers have stuck with AMD’s Zen 4 chips, and now many are moving toward Zen 5 processors. Recent data from IDC shows that the bulk of handheld shipments from 2022 to early 2025 are AMD-powered, a point of pride for AMD. Saša Marinković, AMD’s Senior Director of Consumer Marketing, shared his excitement on X.
From Zero to Hero, in just four years. Vast majority of these handhelds are powered by @AMD pic.twitter.com/0Cjg90pdlN
— Saša Marinković (@SasaMarinkovic) February 25, 2025
I think it’s amazing.
This didn’t exist three years ago; we went from nothing, zero, to incremental category creation in the millions of units.
– Frank Azor, Consumer and Gaming Marketing, AMD
According to IDC’s research, nearly 6 million Windows and SteamOS-based handhelds have been shipped over the past three years (2023-2024), with a projection of 2 million more in 2025. Most of these devices feature AMD processors. The report mainly includes top-sellers like the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw 7.
Among these, the Steam Deck likely accounts for over half of the 6 million units sold. Although it’s the slowest in its class, its user-friendly SteamOS gives it an edge over its Windows-based competitors.
Intel has made significant strides with its Lunar Lake chips, but AMD’s forthcoming Strix Halo could pose a major challenge. If Intel’s Panther Lake series doesn’t deliver on iGPU performance, catching up with AMD might prove difficult. Meanwhile, AMD is rolling out its new Ryzen Z2 series, keeping the competition in the gaming handheld market fierce.
This information comes courtesy of sources like The Verge and Saša Marinković’s updates.
