The Verge reports that AMD driver leaks have revealed a previously unknown chip codenamed Gainsborough, which some believe could be the processor for a future Steam Deck 2. The chip appears to be semi-custom and built on TSMC's relatively recent N3P process. Import/export records show AMD has already been shipping test equipment for validation, suggesting a potential customer may be evaluating it.
The name carries weight because the original Steam Deck chip was codenamed Aerith, and Gainsborough is Aerith's last name in Final Fantasy VII. However, The Verge notes that AMD chose those codenames, not Valve, so the name alone is weak evidence. Semi-custom chips can also be repurposed; the original Steam Deck chip was long rumored to have been designed for a Magic Leap headset before Valve adopted it.
Additional leaks point to AMD's next handheld chips, the Ryzen Z3 and Z3 Extreme, also measuring 25mm by 25mm, with the Z3 targeting 15 watts — the same power envelope as the Steam Deck. But 25mm is actually larger than the original Steam Deck's 19mm chip, and Valve said last month it was still figuring out "how and when" to do a Steam Deck 2. The Verge concludes there's reason to be skeptical that Gainsborough is the chip Valve has been waiting for.