AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V in a gaming benchmark battle are remarkably tight, indicating that Intel's Lunar Lake is the most impressive chip the company has produced in years.
In a recent comparison of handheld gaming PCs, the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processors went head-to-head. The results show that both chips are remarkably close, with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme holding a slight advantage overall, particularly at lower power settings.
Performance Comparison
Benchmarking on MSI handhelds running these chips at two power targets—17 W (efficient mode) and 30 W (high-performance mode)—revealed some interesting findings.
At 17 W, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme averages around 42 frames per second (FPS) compared to Intel’s 38 FPS, representing an 11% lead in average frame rates for Ryzen. This indicates that Ryzen is stronger in efficient power use.
At 30 W, the gap narrows. Ryzen leads slightly in 5 out of 10 games, but is close to or matched by Intel in others, resulting in a modest overall advantage of around 5.7% better average performance for Ryzen.
Ryzen also boasts better 1% low frame rates in most games, suggesting smoother gameplay during demanding moments. Specific games like Monster Hunter Wilds and Assassin’s Creed Shadows show Ryzen significantly ahead by 20–27% at 30 W.
Architectural Differences
Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V uses a different architecture (4 high-performance + 4 low-power cores with 8 Xe2 GPU cores) versus Ryzen’s 3 Zen 5 + 5 Zen 5c cores with 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU compute units. This accounts for some performance and power-efficiency trade-offs.
Power Efficiency
While Intel may have a slight edge in power efficiency under some conditions, often comparable to the Steam Deck’s profile, Ryzen’s raw gaming performance is generally superior.
Comparison Table
| Aspect | Ryzen Z2 Extreme | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | |-----------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| | Power Modes Tested | 17 W & 30 W | 17 W & 30 W | | Average FPS (17W) | ~42 FPS | ~38 FPS | | Average FPS (30W) | Slightly higher (~5.7% better) | Slightly lower | | 1% Low Frame Rates | Generally better/smoother | Slightly lower | | Notable Game Leads | +20-27% in some titles | Close or parity in others | | CPU Cores/Threads | 3x Zen 5 + 5x Zen 5c (16 threads) | 4 P-cores + 4 E-cores (8 threads) | | GPU Compute Units | 16 RDNA 3.5 | 8 Xe2 | | Power Efficiency | Good but slightly behind Intel | Slight edge in efficiency |
Conclusion
The Ryzen Z2 Extreme offers stronger gaming performance, especially at lower power settings with smoother frame delivery. The Core Ultra 7 258V is very competitive and may have better power efficiency. Both are excellent for handheld gaming PCs, with differences often minor enough that choice may depend on other factors like price or device design.
Additional Information
- The Lenovo Legion Go is the best handheld gaming device with a big screen, while the Ayaneo Flip DS is the best compact handheld gaming device.
- The MSI Claw 8 AI is the best Windows handheld gaming device, but the new Claw A8 has not been tested for screens, feel, software, or battery life compared to the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
- Nick Evanson, a writer with a long history in gaming and computers, has written for various tech sites including Madonion, Beyond3D.com, TechSpot.com, and YouGamers.
- Intel's upcoming processor, Panther Lake, seems to resemble the Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake) more than the powerful Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake).
- In terms of gaming performance, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme is superior, especially at lower power settings, delivering smoother frame rates compared to the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V.
- While the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has a slight edge in power efficiency under some conditions, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme's raw gaming performance generally outperforms it.
- Comparing handheld gaming devices, the Lenovo Legion Go offers a larger screen, while the Ayaneo Flip DS is more compact.
- For Windows handheld gaming devices, the MSI Claw 8 AI is currently the best, but the new Claw A8's screen, feel, software, and battery life remain untested compared to the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
