If you read the
review of the new Ryzen 3, the news
you know: contrary to forecasts and
auspices, AMD has announced that future Ryzen 4000 desktop CPUs will be based on
Zen 3 architecture, will only work on motherboards with B550 chipset
and X570 (and obviously future and possible 600 series chipsets). Although we still have some hope that the situation will
change, for now AMD has put this decision in black and white
blog post, in which he nevertheless recalls the effort made for
make socket AM4 the basis of its platform for four years.
"In 2016, we made a rather bold commitment with you:
continue to support Socket AM4 until 2020. This is a great one
promise, especially based on how people were used to others
platforms, "wrote Robert Hallock, head of technical marketing for AMD for
consumer processors. Indeed if we think that socket AM4 has done its thing
Appearance with quad-core Bristol Ridge APUs, based on Excavator architecture a
28 nanometers, there is only applause for AMD, especially if we think the basics
everything goes back to about 9 years ago, when the works for
conceive the new Ryzen offer. Today we have processors up to 16 cores based
on 7 nanometer Zen 2 architecture, complete with support for the new PCI standard
Express 4.0.
Click to enlarge
Nonetheless, and while acknowledging all the merits to AMD
are due, we expected at least the B450 and X470 motherboards
would support future Ryzen 4000 CPUs. Maybe not all the processors in the
series, or with
some castrated functionality, but a basic support s, and instead it will not be
cos. Only X570 motherboard owners and future B550 buyers,
after updating the BIOS, they will be able to install future CPUs.
"AMD has no plans to introduce support
Zen 3 architecture for older chipsets. Where we would like to enable
full support for any processor on any chipset, memory chips
flashes that store BIOS settings and support have no limits
capacity. Because of these constraints, and the unprecedented longevity of the socket
AM4, there will inevitably be a time and place where one will be needed
transition to free up space: AMD 500 series chipsets represent that
moment".
In several news we have written that we expect a change
of sockets in 2021, but on the subject Robert Hallock did not want to unbalance.
"How long will the AM4 soket last from here on? It will depend on the timing of
input and output technologies. Such technological changes generally dictate
changes in the pin number or layout of the processor package, which
would require a new socket. We have no specific details to share in
about this roadmap or timing right now, but we know that
important to keep you updated, and we will. "
Although AMD's statements appear lapidary, perhaps
not all lost for those who own a B450 and X570 motherboard, or better
some specific models. As you can see, the slide released by AMD does not indicate the
B350 chipset as compatible with Ryzen 3000, but several manufacturers have
however updated their motherboards allowing the installation of that series
of CPU.
However, keep in mind that behind the choice of
AMD there may not be just a mere compatibility issue, but also the
willingness to strengthen relationships with card manufacturers
mother. Gi, because if you propose yet another CPU compatible with motherboards gi
on the market, thus curbing the potential sales of new models, the partners
they may have something to say. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that the choice is
gained also in the face of a consideration of this type, which can
obviously arouse a little mood in the fans, but that anyway
understandable if you put yourself in the shoes of a company and not at all unusual if
let's look at what Intel has done in the past.
