AMD processor codename 'Gainsborough' appears in drivers, fueling Steam Deck 2 speculation

AMD's latest Adrenalin 26.9.2 graphics driver, released on September 29, includes an unknown processor codename: "Gainsborough." This mysterious component, found within the driver's database, has quickly ignited speculation about its intended purpose.

Test devices equipped with "Gainsborough" have reportedly been shipped from Asia multiple times in late July. Customs records indicate the chip utilizes a BGA FF6 package with 1179 contacts. Cross-referencing this information, industry watchers like Moore's Law is Dead suggest the processor might be a custom chip for the next iteration of Valve's Steam Deck, potentially the Steam Deck 2.

The speculation is partly based on the package specifications being similar to the custom APU found in the current Steam Deck OLED. Additionally, the original Steam Deck's custom APU was codenamed "Aerith," and "Gainsborough" is the surname of the "Aerith Gainsborough" character from Final Fantasy 7, hinting at a potential naming convention continuation. Reports suggest "Gainsborough" could be a semi-custom APU designed by AMD's S3 team, possibly using TSMC's N3P process with Zen 6c CPU cores and RDNA 5 GPU compute units.

It remains unclear why a custom chip intended for SteamOS/Linux would appear in a Windows driver, with industry speculation pointing to testing purposes. Valve has previously stated that a successor to the Steam Deck must offer a significant leap in performance and battery life while maintaining a competitive price point. Neither AMD nor Valve have officially confirmed the "Gainsborough" chip's role or the development status of the Steam Deck 2, and the final product specifications may differ from current estimates.