Smach Z Returns with New Specs and Pre-orders Opening Soon

Smach Z, the Kickstarter PC gaming handheld that made waves back in 2016 and onwards is making its return with a promise to deliver with help from AMD’s new line of Ryzen embedded V-series of APUs.

Starting at $699, the Smach Z allows for PC gaming on the go and starting from March 15th; you can pre-order the device directly from their webshop. Those eager to get their hands on one can get a 10% discount if they’re amongst the first 10,000 to order.

Hopefully this time not vaporware, the Smach Z will be powered by the latest Ryzen based APUs from AMD. Using an Embedded V1605n SoC with Radeon Vega 8 graphics, the Smach Z will be available in two variants; the standard model or the Pro. Coming in with either a 4GB DDR 4 model, coupled with 64GB of SSD storage or 8GB DDR4 with a 128GB SSD - the 8GB model also features a 5MP camera.

Both units will also support up to 512GB of internal memory via an SD card, and feature USB-C, and a 6-inch 1080p touchscreen for a crisp PPI of 367. You can also have a choice of running the Smach Z with either SMACH OS based on Linux or Windows 10 Home.

According to Smach, the device is more than capable of running numerous high-end titles, at almost console quality levels. Below is a list of the titles tested to demonstrate the performance.

The Witcher 3 (720p Medium settings) ~ 40 FPS

Alien: Isolation (1080p Low settings) ~ 50 FPS

GTA 5 (720p Normal settings) ~ 60 FPS

League of Legends (1080p High settings) ~ 60 FPS

Rocket League (1080p Normal settings) ~ 60 FPS

Dark Souls 3 (720p Low settings) ~ 40 FPS

So, not the best results, but considering the size and specifications of the device, it’s admirable. For more check out the announcement trailer above and for more on the specs see the diagram below.