I tried the updated Zotac Zone handheld and one big change makes it a true Steam Deck rival
While we did get to go hands-on with the new AMD-powered MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM, this particular handheld is from Zotac. Last year at Computex, the Zotac Zone really impressed me with its symmetrical thumbsticks, gorgeous 7-inch AMOLED display, Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers and a few other nifty features I hadn't seen before.
In fact, I liked it so much, I even considered picking one up for myself. However, it was hard to come by and all of that initial hype died down quickly since the original Zotac Zone arrived quite late in the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U's life cycle.
Now though, Zotac is back with a brand new version of its Zone handheld that builds upon what worked with the original while making one major change that won't only potentially make it cheaper but will also help when it comes to game performance.
Everything I liked about the original Zotac Zone is still here from its symmetrical thumbsticks to the trackpads below them like on the Steam Deck. Likewise, both thumbsticks also have a turnable dial at their base which you can use to quickly adjust things like the device's volume without having to reach around to the volume buttons up top.
One thing that I thought was particularly cool about the original Zotac Zone is how I was able to use the dial underneath the right thumbstick to scroll through menus in Horizon Forbidden West. These dials can also be customized to your liking and I'm sure this new powerful Zone will retain this unique feature.
Another thing that immediately set the Zotac Zone apart from other handhelds is that — just like on the PS Vita — it has a front-facing camera. From taking video calls to live streaming while you play, I always thought this was a neat addition that I'd like to see other handheld gaming PCs copy. One difference between the original and this new model though is that the camera has been moved from the handheld's left to right side which feels a bit more natural, at least to me.
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
Graphics
AMD Radeon 890M
RAM
24-32GB LPDDR5X
Storage
1TB NVMe M.2 2280 SSD
Display
7-inch AMOLED
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Battery
48.5 Wh
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Ports
2 x USB4, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack, microSD card reader
Dimensions
12.2 x 5.3 x 1.6 inches
OS
Manjaro Linux, Steam Gaming Mode
Besides its new all-white design, the biggest change hardware-wise when it comes to this updated Zone handheld is that Zotac is giving its internals a major refresh. It sports a much faster Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip with Radeon 890M graphics, a 48.5Wh battery, 1TB SSD, a microSD card reader and a pair of USB4 ports.
While the new Zotac Zone's specs are pretty much finalized, a company rep on the show floor asked me what I thought would make more sense memory wise: 24GB or 32GB of RAM. There are now several handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X and the new MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM that ship with 24GB of RAM. However, at the moment, only the Lenovo Legion Go and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ Polar Tempest Edition can be outfitted with up to 32GB of RAM.
There could very well likely end up being two models of the new Zone but with 32GB of RAM and a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Chip, this updated handheld is going to be able to run almost everything you throw at it, especially considering the other big change Zotac is making.
Let's face it, putting Windows 11 on a handheld is expensive for manufacturers and it also makes using the device to play games a whole lot more tedious. Microsoft's latest operating system just wasn't designed with handheld gaming in mind whereas Valve built SteamOS for this very purpose from the ground up.
Well, with the new Zone, Zotac is ditching Windows for Linux and this could be a game changer for the updated handheld. Not only is Linux a more lightweight operating system overall, tons of the best PC games have already been optimized for it thanks to the Steam Deck.
Unlike the Steam Deck which is based on Arch Linux, the new Zotac Zone will run Manjaro Linux. While Arch is more bleeding edge and gets updates faster, Manjaro has a more user-friendly experience.
Similar to the Steam Deck, you'll be able to access a full Linux desktop environment on the Zotac Zone. Then when you want to game, you can switch over to Steam Gaming Mode where you'll have a more game-friendly UI which is almost identical to the one on the Steam Deck.
With the two buttons under the touchpad on the right of the Zotac Zone, you'll be able to bring up a quick menu while playing games. The Home button brings up Zotac's own quick menu while the button with three dots brings up the same quick menu you'll find on the Steam Deck. It's always nice to have options right?
The decision to make the switch from Windows to Linux is a welcome one and with all that extra power under the hood, this updated Zotac Zone handheld is already looking really promising.
The original Zotac Zone was one of my favorite devices at Computex last year. In fact, we even gave it our award for best gaming handheld since the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus was locked away in a glass case and I didn't actually get a chance to go hands-on with it until CES 2025.
Keep in mind that the upgraded Zotac Zone I got to try this year at Computex is still a prototype, so we might see some changes in the final model. I'm just hoping that this time around, it will be more readily available as it could easily end up being one of the best Steam Deck alternatives if it's priced competitively. Still, with no Steam Deck 2 currently in the works or on the way, the Zotac Zone running Linux will give you the Steam Deck-like experience with a lot more power for all the latest games.I'll be keeping a close eye on this one myself as I've always wanted to put the Zotac Zone through its paces in a home environment and not on the crowded C
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