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Leaked AMD 'Gainsborough' APU Hints at Steam Deck 2 Hardware Testing

A leaked AMD 'Gainsborough' APU points to possible Steam Deck 2 hardware testing, though timing and performance remain uncertain.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-20 23:53

TechPowerUp spotted the entry, which lists a six-core, 12-thread APU with a 2.4GHz base clock and 24GB of system memory in the test configuration, according to TechRadar. The link to Valve is based on the codename: Valve used Final Fantasy VII-inspired names, Aerith and Sephiroth, for Steam Deck silicon before, and Gainsborough is Aerith's surname, GPU leaker Kepler noted. TechRadar described that connection as tenuous.

The benchmark entry shows the chip reaching 3,508 points in Furmark at 1024 x 768 resolution, TechRadar reported. That is slightly above the current Steam Deck's 3,323 points, although the Steam Deck figure was recorded at 1280 x 800. TechRadar said the test is very early and uses drivers that are far from final, so the Gainsborough APU is likely to perform better once the chip and drivers are finished. Some gamers nevertheless argued that the result looks lacklustre and would not be enough for a generational upgrade, according to the report.

TechRadar also raised doubts about timing. The CPU is expected to debut in late 2027 or 2028, which the report said feels early for a Steam Deck 2 given the RAM crisis and the need to keep the retail price down. When Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais most recently discussed the Steam Deck 2, he was guarded about a possible launch timeframe and the hardware sounded up in the air, TechRadar reported.

The leak does not rule out Valve exploring Gainsborough for a Steam Deck 2 launch toward the end of the decade, according to TechRadar. The report said the evidence should be treated with more caution than an average rumor, but it still suggests Valve is beyond tinkering with ideas for the next-generation handheld and is actively testing potential hardware.