Should I upgrade to an AMD Socket AM5 motherboard?

AMD released socket AM5 with its Ryzen 7000 Series CPU desktops in August 2022. This release updated the socket AM4 that AMD launched in 2016 for the Zen+ architecture, which was used until Zen processors. 3.

But with the release of the Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 chip and corresponding AM5 socket, should you upgrade to AMD's latest offering?

What is AM5?

Before discussing whether you should upgrade to AM5, we must define what it is. AM5 is AMD's latest socket design for its processors.

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Previously, AMD used socket AM4, using Pin Grid Array (PGA). This means that the AMD CPU has many pins on the underside, which you must plug into the AM4 socket. Because of this design, AMD processors using this socket are more susceptible to damage if you drop or misplace it on the socket.

However, the new AM5 switched to a Land Grid Array (LGA) design, similar to Intel. This makes the processor more resistant to damage, and also allows AMD to increase the pin density of AM5 compatible CPUs.

Which CPU uses AM5?

Since AMD has developed socket AM5 for its latest CPUs, you can only use Ryzen 7000-Series chips. This includes the Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 7 7700X, and Ryzen 9 7900X and 7950X.

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In addition to those CPUs, you can expect that any future processors that AMD will launch, including many Ryzen 7000-Series models and future Ryzen 8000-Series processors, will use sockets. AM5.

Which chipsets are compatible with AM5?

Now, if you are planning to buy one of the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 processors, you better also plan to buy an AM5 compatible motherboard. Currently, 4 chipsets support socket AM5 - X670E, X670, B650E and B650.

The X670 and X670E cater to the specialized market, while the B650 and B650E are more budget-friendly options for the AM5 socket. There are also rumors that AMD will launch the base A620 chipset in 2023, but we may have to wait until CES 2023 before there is any news on this.

With all these options, deciding which chipset you should choose can be difficult.

When was Socket AM5 released?

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We first heard about AMD's socket AM5 at CES 2022 in January 2022. The company then announced more details about it at Computex in May 2022. However, it wasn't until May. August 2022, the new socket AM5 launches with the Ryzen 7000 processor.

Socket AM5 can be said to have officially launched since Ryzen 7000 chips started selling on September 27, 2022. After all, you can't use the new Ryzen 7000 processors without it.

What advantages does AM5 have over AM4?

The increased pin density due to the switch to the LGA layout gives the AM5 some advantages over the AM4. This includes greater capacity and the ability to fit multiple contact pads on a smaller surface.

Furthermore, socket AM5 supports DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 technologies, allowing it to take advantage of the faster speeds these technologies offer. So, if you are planning to upgrade to a socket AM5 processor, you should buy new DDR5 RAM sticks, as DDR5 is physically different from DDR4 and is not backward compatible.

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You should also note that socket AM5 is backward compatible with AM4 coolers. This means you can reuse the air or water cooler you used on your Ryzen 5000 CPU, allowing you to save some money when building a new AMD PC.

How long will Socket AM5 last?

If you plan to upgrade your computer regularly, you should be concerned about future compatibility. Thankfully, AMD does a pretty good job in this regard. For example, AM5's predecessor, AM4, is guaranteed to be supported until 2020.

Since its launch in 2016, users know they can reliably upgrade their AMD processors for four years without having to worry about buying a new motherboard. That's right, it was only in 2022 that AMD launched Ryzen 7000 series processors with socket AM5, meaning AM4 supported more than 6 years of processor development.

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So if you bought a Ryzen 1000-series chip in 2016, you can still upgrade to a much more powerful Ryzen 5000-Series CPU in 2022 without replacing the motherboard.

During the launch event, AMD pledged to support socket AM5 until 2025, giving it a shelf life of at least 3 years. However, judging by what AMD did with AM4, you can expect this socket to be compatible with the company's latest chips after that date.

Should I upgrade to AM5?

If you're an AMD fan, upgrading to AM5 isn't a matter of "if" but "when." Since AMD will use this chipset in the future, you will eventually have to upgrade, whether you like it or not.

However, upgrading to AM5 is a good choice if you're running an older CPU, such as the Ryzen 2000 series or 9th Gen Intel Core processors from 2018. But unless you really need the extra power, You should hold off on upgrading to AM5 if you have a newer chip, such as a Ryzen 4000-Series or 10th Gen Intel Core CPU.

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AM5 is the future for AMD CPUs

Socket AM5 allows AMD to create more powerful CPUs that compete with Intel's powerful 12th and 13th generation Intel Core processors. By switching to LGA designs, AMD's processors compete with Intel products in terms of processing power while maintaining a compact form factor and low power consumption.

It also ushers in new technologies, like DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, allowing AMD users to enjoy the fastest RAM and SSDs available today. And if you choose the Extreme chipset, you also get a PCIe 5.0 graphics slot, thus ensuring that you can use it without needing to upgrade your motherboard once GPU manufacturers, like NVIDIA, Intel and AMD,implementation.

Marvin Fry

Update 28 December 2023