Handhelds Powered by AMD Ryzen APUs Achieve Massive Sales, Yet Steam Deck Remains the Top Choice

Over the past few years, one thing has become clear in the world of gaming handhelds: AMD Ryzen chips are dominating the market.

AMD Looks Set to Lead as 8 Million Handheld Units are Projected to Ship by 2025

Handheld gaming devices might have been around for a long time, but their transformation into portable powerhouses capable of running PC games only truly took off after the release of Steam’s Deck in 2022. Fast forward three years, and we’re witnessing a rapid expansion, with well-known brands such as ASUS, MSI, ZOTAC, and others jumping into the fray.

A noticeable trend across most of these handhelds is their reliance on AMD CPUs, with a few exceptions like MSI’s Claw 7/8 AI+ models. Right from the beginning, Valve’s decision to employ a custom AMD Zen 2 CPU set the stage, prompting most manufacturers to opt for AMD’s faster chips. Even though Intel’s Meteor Lake landed at the end of 2023, companies such as Lenovo and ASUS had already launched their Legion GO and ROG Ally, firmly placing their bets on AMD.

Despite Meteor Lake’s availability, AMD’s Zen 4 chips have been the preferred choice, and an increasing number of companies are now turning to Zen 5 processors. Recent statistics from IDC on handheld shipments between 2022 and early 2025 highlight AMD’s dominance, with most devices running on AMD processors. Saša Marinković, AMD’s Senior Director of Consumer Marketing, didn’t shy away from expressing this achievement on social media.

"From Zero to Hero, in just four years. The vast majority of these handhelds are powered by @AMD," Saša Marinković noted proudly on Twitter.

Frank Azor from AMD’s Consumer and Gaming Marketing team reflected on this accomplishment: "I think it’s amazing," he remarked. "This didn’t exist three years ago; we went from nothing, zero, to incremental category creation in the millions of units."

IDC’s market research indicates that almost 6 million Windows and SteamOS handheld devices were shipped over the past three years (2023-2024). For 2025, projections suggest another two million units, with AMD chips continuing to lead the charge. The report covers the best-selling models, including Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw 7.

Remarkably, more than half of these 6 million units are believed to be Steam Deck sales, possibly surpassing the 4 million mark. Despite being the least powerful in terms of gaming specs compared to its competitors, the Steam Deck’s smooth and user-friendly SteamOS interface has given it an edge over Windows-based alternatives.

While Intel has made strides with its Lunar Lake chips, AMD’s potential introduction of its Strix Halo to handhelds could present a formidable challenge for Intel unless its next series, Panther Lake, matches Strix Halo in integrated GPU performance. Meanwhile, AMD’s new Ryzen Z2 series is also set to heat up the competition, keeping the gaming handheld market as dynamic as ever.

News Sources: The Verge, @SasaMarinkovic