Zotac Zone

[BSim500]

Personally, I don't think RAM capacity is an issue. Battery life is. If I could get 2-3 hours on full blast in the latest AAA games at high graphics, I'd see some merit in the low RAM argument.
And if you put Windows at fault, just get a Steam Deck - it's cheaper, and you'd have to limit the Zotac Zone's power consumption to Steam Deck levels to get a decent battery life anyway.

Many games will run on 16GB RAM + APU, but to give a real world example - when I played around with an APU on 16GB RAM, I found various Indies like Quern Undying Thoughts, The Forgotten City, etc, crashed at 1080p (uses 6GB VRAM + 5-7GB RAM as the game goes on + 2-3GB W11 = you're right on the limit of 16GB even without anything running in the background). Even games that were 2-3GB under the limit noticeably stuttered more + had longer level load times when revisiting areas, etc, vs 32GB RAM due to Windows File Cache having almost no space to cache the frequently accessed game files, so more data has to be constantly re-read from disc instead of RAM. I'm definitely not one of those people here who buys a 16GB VRAM GPU then immediately starts strutting around with "OMG, 8GB GPU's are completely worthless for gaming", but there are absolutely Indie games that use 5-6GB VRAM (and almost as much RAM for the game) even at 1080p, without even looking at AAA's. Windows 11 and whatever client (Steam, Galaxy, Playnite, etc) you're using all throw another 3-4GB weight on top of that. DRAMless NVMe? Another +100MB for HMB, etc. It all adds up.

I agree with you that they're at their best for lightweight games due to battery life, but I think the complaint many have is the specs in relation to the price / restrictions. If I were buying a handheld with 16GB RAM tomorrow and had to limit choice of gaming to only lightweight stuff, then I'd probably go for a £350-£480 Steam Deck. As soon as you drift into £800-£850 pricing territory though, that's only just short of a Black Friday gaming laptop deal, or the £950 I'd rather spend on a MinisForum v3, same 8840U, double RAM, double SSD, and 14" vs 7" is a whole lot more pleasant for web browsing / office / watching Netflix in bed, etc, outside of gaming, but still "hand-holdable" with a lot less bulk than a normal laptop. Seems to be "nice idea but that pricing is stuck between a rock and hard place".

 

[AusWolf]

If I were buying a handheld with 16GB RAM tomorrow and had to limit choice of gaming to only lightweight stuff, then I'd probably go for a £350-£480 Steam Deck. As soon as you drift into £800-£850 pricing territory though, that's only just short of a Black Friday gaming laptop deal, or the £950 I'd rather spend on a MinisForum v3, same 8840U, double RAM, double SSD, and 14" vs 7" is a whole lot more pleasant for web browsing / office / watching Netflix in bed, etc, outside of gaming, but still "hand-holdable" with a lot less bulk than a normal laptop. Seems to be "nice idea but that pricing is stuck between a rock and hard place".

That is exactly my argument.

Let's say we give the Zotac Zone 32 GB RAM.
1. You fire up a game that needs it, and roughly 50 minutes in, poof, your battery went dead.
2. You limit power to 15 W to extract more battery life out of it, but then, why didn't you buy a Steam Deck instead? You can't properly utilise the 32 GB RAM anyway because the APU is too weak at that point.

If you want a handheld with 32 GB RAM, then you should have one with a bigger battery and/or more efficient APU first. Once that's a done deal, only then we can talk about a RAM upgrade, imo.

 

[BSim500]

That is exactly my argument. If you want a handheld with 32 GB RAM, then you should have one with a bigger battery and/or more efficient APU first. Once that's a done deal, only then we can talk about a RAM upgrade, imo.

Sure and I was partly agreeing with you. What I disagree with is the argument "No-one can talk about games that crash in 16GB unless they shove in a 100Whr battery first" for the simple reason that people can and do play on handhelds plugged in / use power banks when out and about (because shoving a 100Whr battery into a handheld just results in complaints that they're too bulky to hold for long), and if you're going to charge £800, 16GB is the first thing I'd increase for a device that many will want to last a good few years into the future when spending that much.

 

[lexluthermiester]

What I disagree with is the argument "No-one can talk about games that crash in 16GB unless they shove in a 100Whr battery first"

No one said that.

The argument has been about 16GB vs 32GB. Some are arguing that 16GB is not enough and that systems like these need more. Others are arguing that 16GB is just fine. Battery life has been mentioned but is ancillary to the argument.

16GB is the first thing I'd increase for a device that many will want to last a good few years into the future when spending that much.

Except that it won't. With a soldered on SOC with set/fixed specs, the extra RAM is not going to make, or break, such a system. For the entire range of handheld systems on the market 32GB is more than ANY of them need.

 

[AusWolf]

Sure and I was partly agreeing with you. What I disagree with is the argument "No-one can talk about games that crash in 16GB unless they shove in a 100Whr battery first" for the simple reason that people can and do play on handhelds plugged in / use power banks when out and about (because shoving a 100Whr battery into a handheld just results in complaints that they're too bulky to hold for long), and if you're going to charge £800, 16GB is the first thing I'd increase for a device that many will want to last a good few years into the future when spending that much.

Let's agree to partly agree, then.

Sure, a powerbank makes the situation a lot better, although I'd still like to see a bit more APU efficiency before a RAM upgrade first.

 

[Gooigi's Ex]

So blah blah blah then? Push off.

You first

What majority? I see two groups here: one says 16 GB is enough, one says it's not.

That’s cute, two groups with one person each side. Very cute…

Personally, I don't think RAM capacity is an issue. Battery life is. If I could get 2-3 hours on full blast in the latest AAA games at high graphics, I'd see some merit in the low RAM argument.
And if you put Windows at fault, just get a Steam Deck - it's cheaper, and you'd have to limit the Zotac Zone's power consumption to Steam Deck levels to get a decent battery life anyway.

And guess there’s a device called the ROG ALLY X that’s has 80whr battery that DOES EXACTLY THAT AND it has 24GB of VRAM.

My goodness y’all are something else

 

[AusWolf]

That’s cute, two groups with one person each side. Very cute…

Then the question stands: what majority?

And guess there’s a device called the ROG ALLY X that’s has 80whr battery that DOES EXACTLY THAT AND it has 24GB of VRAM.

I haven't looked into it that much (I'm not in the need for such an expensive handheld), but if that's true, then it's cool. It only puts the Zotac Zone into the shadow in more ways than one.

 

[Gooigi's Ex]

Then the question stands: what majority?

If your point is that there is no majority and this question will stand. If you’re actually serious about the question, there is no majority and minority between two people. Would need another person for your question to make sense.

 

[AusWolf]

If your point is that there is no majority and this question will stand. If you’re actually serious about the question, there is no majority and minority between two people. Would need another person for your question to make sense.

Exactly. Yet, you said 16 GB isn't enough for the majority of people. You mean the majority of 2 people?

 

[trsttte]

That’s stretching out an image/video. What I’m talking about is recording in that same ratio but at a higher resolution and then post process it into 16:9. Recording in 4:3 and post processing it into 16:9 or 21:9 is just stretching out the 4:3 format and that looks terrible. The software can’t process beyond what the 4:3 format is capable of. To get that true 21:9, you have to record or take a pic in that format.

You clearly don't know what anamorphic format is and how anamorphic lenses work, that's fine, most people don't nor ever heard those terms (what you're talking about is simply croping and reframing, anamorphic format is something else entirely)

 

[lexluthermiester]

You first

No.

My goodness y’all are something else

Yes, "something else". Good term!