The same batch number might suggest that this isn't a huge change, either, especially with no release notes, and also given that the main Radeon GPU driver branch has moved to 23xxx, but that isn't confirmed by Asus or AMD here.
Reddit discussion over the news does suggest a level of relief among Asus ROG Ally owners for a new update, but it doesn't necessarily confirm AMD's plans for this chip, or Asus' for the handheld. AMD has itself, so far, made no comment about its plans for the Z1 Extreme, and hasn't replied to a request for comment so far. Asus, too, hasn't made any public comments about the lifespan of the Asus ROG Ally or ROG Ally X with the Z1 Extreme APU, but a driver update would suggest it hasn't completely abandoned one of its major handhelds just yet.
One way or another, these handheld gaming PCs will continue to work, even without updates, although they will lack the optimizations for new game releases that new GPU drivers provide. A good alternative continues to be a switch to a Linux-based OS like Valve 's SteamOS or Bazzite. These use their own open-source drivers, which don't rely on AMD and could be a lifeline as older handhelds become deprecated, as long as you're comfortable ditching Windows, even if like-for-like performance isn't something that can be guaranteed.
Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News , or add us as a preferred source , to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/asus-rog-ally-receives-timely-gpu-driver-update-despite-rumors-of-amd-ryzen-z1-extreme-deprecation-new-release-follows-recent-speculation-that-driver-support-for-some-windows-11-handhelds-had-ended#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
- Razer Iskur V2 NewGen gaming chair review: A much-needed ‘cooler’ update to an already solid chair
- Choose an Intel or AMD CPU and save up to $1200 on an RTX 5080-powered Omen Max 16 laptop — high-end gaming just got cheaper
- Best PC case fans tested 2026: Improve your airflow, silence your system, or add more RGB glow
- ATAboy bridges old IDE drives to the 21st century with Open Source USB host bridge — powered by a Raspberry Pi RP2350 and with custom "Award" BIOS menu
- Horror Awakens in the Cloud: GeForce NOW Unleashes Capcom’s ‘Resident Evil Requiem’
Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.