AMD’s B550 control circuit for the Ryzen 3000 series finds its way into HP computers

In the aftermath of AMD’s summer launches, many are eagerly awaiting news for lower price ranges. On the processor side, the B550 control circuit is expected, which can enable more affordable motherboards with support for PCI Express 4.0, while on the graphics front, smaller circuits in the Navi family are on the way.

Previous information claims that the control circuit B550 will not reach store shelves until the beginning of 2020, but now it looks like the launch is closer in time than that – at least for computer manufacturers. The data comes from the German retailer Alternate, which lists two HP desktops with AMD processors and the “Promontory B550A” control circuit.

Remarkably, the control circuit is called Promontory, which is the code name for AMD’s 300 and 400 series of control circuits. This could mean that the B550 is based on the same silicon and is thus a renamed control circuit. However, this does not necessarily mean that it will be completely without news.

Ahead of the launch of the Ryzen 3000 series, several motherboard manufacturers hit the big drum for older models to support PCI Express 4.0. There was talk then of the channels that go directly from the processor, which in theory means that no hardware support is required directly in the control circuit itself.

► AMD cuts PCI Express 4.0 support for older 400- and 300-series motherboards

The news came during Computex 2019, where AMD’s Robert Hallock told SweClockers, among others, that the company could not guarantee full support and functionality on older motherboards. As a result, AMD chose to completely cut the possibility with a newer AGESA version or firmware.

It is therefore very possible that the B550 itself does not offer any groundbreaking news against the 300 and 400 series control circuits, but that AMD chooses to certify support for PCI Express 4.0 for motherboards that are equipped with the control circuit.

All processors in the Ryzen 3000 series “Matisse” are equipped with 24 PCI Express 4.0, of which 4 communicate with the control circuit. There are then 20 pieces left, of which 16 can be used for plug-in cards (graphics cards), while the remaining 4 can be used for an M.2 slot.

► AMD’s control circuits B550 and A520 are designed by Asmedia

The fact that the AMD B550 is in fact a renamed control circuit is confirmed by an earlier report from Digitimes. The report stated that Asmedia, which manufactures the 300 and 400 series, has also been contracted for the B550. The same report also said that Asmedia could receive orders from AMD for future PCI Express 4.0 control circuits.

It is also worth mentioning that the computers from HP are equipped with the previously unknown graphics card “Radeon 5300 XT” with 4 GB GDDR5. Whether this is based on one of the upcoming graphics circuits “Navi 12”, “Navi 14” or is a renamed story directed at computer manufacturers to HP is, however, shrouded in obscurity.

Source: Computerbase