Zotac’s booth at Computex 2025—now that’s a sight, lemme tell ya—had this amazing handheld gadget. A 7-inch AMOLED screen? Yep, and it’s sporting AMD’s Ryzen AI HX 370 APU, which is a mouthful, but kinda exciting if you’re into that sorta thing. Instead of the usual Windows or SteamOS, they picked Manjaro Linux. Weird choice? Maybe. It’s called Zone 2 at the moment, but they’re cagey about what it’ll eventually be named, or how much it’ll set you back.
I remember the Zone 1 from last fall, kind of a big deal. Packed with the Ryzen 7 8840U from late 2023—feels like just yesterday, right? Zotac moves at their own pace, not rushing like everyone else. They teased us with this new version at CES, and here it is again at Computex. Someone from Zotac mumbled something about the name not being final, but who knows, names sometimes stick like gum on a shoe.
So, this Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 it’s got under the hood? Think 12-core business (4 Zen 5 + 8 Zen 5c), a Radeon 890M iGPU with 12 CUs, whatever those are, and a 50 TOPS NPU. Sounds speedy. Others stick to Ryzen Z2 Extreme, but Zotac? Nah, they’re going big—or going home, I guess. Choose between 24GB or 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and there’s a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD you can swap if you feel the need.
Got distracted by the display for a sec. Oh right, it’s got a 1080p touchscreen, 120 Hz refresh rate, 800-nits brightness, HDR support—the works. Reminds me of the Nintendo Switch with that kickstand for gaming on a table, like anyone does that. Touchpads, hall-effect joysticks, dual-stage triggers, even a radial dial below the sticks. Fancy, huh?
Running this beast is an unchangeable Manjaro Linux with a KDE Plasma 6 desktop. Sounds like SteamOS, meaning Proton’s handling game compatibility. But watch out for multiplayer games with anti-cheat stuff—might be a bumpy ride. You can swap in Windows or whatever OS, if you’re so inclined.
This thing runs on a 48.5Wh battery—similar battery life to the Zone 1, they claim. It’s got a UHS-II microSD slot, USB4 ports galore, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2. Flip it over and find extra buttons, trigger toggles, and a mesh for the heat. Details on pricing or launch? Still a mystery. Keep an eye out for more news as Zotac builds up to their global reveal—whenever that happens.
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