The Steam Deck is four and a half years old, and gamers are clamouring for a Steam Deck 2. But Valve has insisted it needs a 'generational leap' in performance and efficiency before building the sequel. Leaks suggest AMD's Gainsborough chip could be the key, but is this the chip Valve’s been waiting for?

While there’s reason to be skeptical, the latest AMD drivers have leaked the codename for a semi-custom chip: Gainsborough. It's named after Final Fantasy VII's Aerith, and the chip appears to be designed for a specific customer, possibly Valve, on TSMC's N3P process.

Import/export records show AMD has already been shipping test equipment for the Gainsborough chip, suggesting it might be in testing. The chip is reportedly quite small, with a 25mm by 25mm FF6 package, the same size as AMD's next handheld chips, the Ryzen Z3 and Z3 Extreme. But will Gainsborough deliver the performance Valve needs, or is it just another step in the long road to a Steam Deck 2?

Moreover, while Gainsborough is a promising name, it’s worth noting that Valve didn't choose these codenames. AMD did, and it’s clear that these names don’t necessarily indicate a direct tie to Valve. The company was still figuring out how and when to make a Steam Deck 2 as of last month, and perhaps Gainsborough is just an interesting development in the broader world of handheld gaming.

In conclusion, Gainsborough could be the chip Valve’s been waiting for, but only time will tell. The Steam Deck 2 remains a mystery, and gamers will have to wait and see if this new chip will finally bring the next-generation handheld device we’ve all been dreaming of.