Zotac Zone handheld expected specs, performance, prices, and more

A leak of the full specs sheet of the rumored Zotac Zone handheld gaming console has now surfaced. This comes in the backdrop of the revamped Asus ROG Ally X expected to launch this June. We are looking at a device with a similar set of promises, but some key differences set it apart as a rather interesting entry in this competitive market.

These latest leaks come from Videcardz, a well-known source for fresh scoops on all things PC hardware. Zotac has a superb reputation among gamers for its third-party add-in-card graphics cards and pre-built systems like the Magnus. So, a handheld from this Hong Kong-based manufacturer is only welcome.

The Zotac Zone might be the first handheld machine from third-party manufacturers to ditch the popular Ryzen Z1 Extreme for a more conventional Ryzen 7 8840U chipset. This processor is a recent launch and has some advantages in terms of overall performance.

Note: This article is based on leaks and speculation. Readers are advised to take the information herein with a grain of salt and await official confirmation.

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The Zotac Zone might be similar to the ROG Ally and Legion Go, but there are some interesting changes

The Zotac Zone would compete directly against the ROG Ally (Image via Asus)

At its core, the Zone will be powered by the 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 7 8840U CPU. The integrated graphics processor remains the same at an iGPU with 12 Compute Units (CUs) clocked at 2.7 GHz.

The device will be paired with 16 GB of LPDDR5X memory, which is quite similar to other offerings in the market, like the ROG Ally 2023 and the Legion Go.

The detailed specs list of the Zotac Zone compared to other modern handhelds are as follows:

	Zotac Zone	ASUS ROG Ally 2023	Lenovo Legion Go	Valve Steam Deck OLED
Architecture	AMD Zen 4 CPU, RDNA 3 GPU	AMD Zen 4 CPU, RDNA 3 GPU	AMD Zen 4 CPU, RDNA 3 GPU	AMD Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU
APU	Ryzen 7 8840U (8C/16T, up to 5.1 GHz)	Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8C/16T, up to 5.1 GHz) or Ryzen Z1 (6C/12T, up to 4.9 GHz)	Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8C/16T, up to 5.1 GHz) or Ryzen Z1 (6C/12T, up to 4.9 GHz)	AMD Sephiroth (4C/8T, up to 3.5 GHz)
SoC GPU	AMD iGPU 12 CU @2.7 GHz	AMD iGPU 12 CU @2.7 GHz, 4 CU @2.5 GHz	AMD iGPU 12 CU @2.7 GHz, 4 CU @2.5 GHz	AMD iGPU 8 CU @106 GHz
External GPU	USB 4	USB 4	USB 4	N/A
Memory capacity	16 GB LPDDR5X-7500	16 GB LPDDR5-6400	16 GB LPDDR5X-7500	16 GB LPDDR5-6400
Storage capacity	512 GB	512 GB	512 GB/1 TB	512 GB/1 TB
Storage type	M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD PCIe 4x4	M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD PCIe 4x4	M.2 NVMe 2242 SSD PCIe 4x4	M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD PCIe 3x4
Display	7" 1080p AMOLED 120Hz, 800 nits	7' 1080p, 120Hz, 500 nits, 7ms, VRR	8.8' 1600p IPS, 144Hz, 500 nits	7.4' 800p OLED, 90Hz
Battery	48.5 Wh	40 Wh	49.2 Wh	50 Wh
Default OS	Windows 11	Windows 11	Windows 11	Steam OS/Windows 11

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What is the expected performance of the Zotac Zone?

The Lenovo Legion Go is another interesting handheld with detachable controllers (Image via Walmart)

The upcoming ROG Ally X might likely be the most powerful of this bunch, given it is expected to pair 24 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, up to 1 TB of storage, and a massive 80 Whr battery cell. However, the device might cost more than those listed above.

Within a more affordable speculated price range of $600-$800, the 7-inch AMOLED display and the more recent Ryzen 7 8840U chipset might give the Zone an edge over the competitors.

The device bundles a 1080p screen. Given this is a fairly easy resolution to handle, we expect decent performance in all of the latest titles. The Zone might not be a massive leap over the Legion Go and the ROG Ally given the underlying GPU architecture is the same. Gaming performance, likewise, might be pretty similar.

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When is the Zotac Zone expected to launch?

As per the Videocardz exclusive, the device is expected to launch in the third quarter of this year. That is still quite a wide window, and we are yet to get detailed information about when to expect the handheld. Our bet is on September, which is when tech launches ramp up for the upcoming Holiday season.

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What is the expected price of the Zotac Zone?

The Steam Deck OLED is among the most popular handhelds today (Image via Valve)

We have no information on how much the Zone will cost. Given the specs are quite similar to existing devices like the ROG Ally 2023 and the Lenovo Legion Go, a price range of $600-800 seems plausible.

The AMOLED display on Zotac's handheld might make it a bit more premium than the rest. A decent guess would be $799 for the Zone. However, this is just a speculation and the actual pricing might vary.

Overall, new handheld gaming machines are always welcome. The market is slowly reviving itself after the departure of the PS Vita. This renewed interest can be largely attributed to the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck, proving gamers are still interested in powerful machines that can play the latest titles on the go.