Computex 2022 is fast approaching, and it was pretty much assumed that AMD would give us some early details on its next-generation Ryzen CPU platform. However, Gigabyte today confirmed the news in a press release, stating that it will come to Computex bearing gifts in the form of AMD X670 motherboards for Ryzen 7000 processors.
The company will showcase four new SKUs, which will be vying for a spot on our best motherboards for gaming list: the X670 Aorus Xtreme, X670 Master, X670 Pro AX, and the X670 Aero D. Gigabyte also confirmed that all of the motherboards will come equipped with a PCIe 5.0 slot for next-generation graphics cards and a new M.2 interface for the incoming crop of PCIe 5.0 SSDs (which will support bandwidth of up to 14 GBps).
We should also mention that the arrival of AMD 600-Series chipsets will usher in the first new CPU socket design for Ryzen desktop processors since AM4 launched in early 2017 (and eventually spanned five processor generations). The new LGA1718 AM5 socket will first serve as a home for Zen 4-based Ryzen 7000 "Raphael" processors built using a new 5nm process node.
In addition to the aforementioned native PCIe 5.0 support, Ryzen 7000 processors will support DDR5 memory, which first debuted with Intel's 12th generation Alder Lake processors in 2021. In what could serve as a wrinkle for customers looking to cut costs when upgrading to new Ryzen 7000 processors, our supply chain sources indicate that new X670 and B650 motherboards will exclusively support DDR5 memory. Naturally, this requirement will hit enthusiasts in their wallets, given the price premium of DDR5 over legacy DDR4 memory.
This is a departure from what Intel did with Alder Lake and its accompanying 600-Series chipsets. Alder Lake processors can support DDR4 or DDR5 memory, and many motherboard manufacturers have opted to produce DDR4-capable designs to satiate enthusiasts that have already invested in DDR4 modules.
Although there is sure to be plenty of excitement around AMD's incoming Ryzen 7000 processors and supporting motherboards, it's also likely that Computex 2022 will also see the announcement (or at least a teaser) of RDNA 3-based Radeon RX 7000 Series graphics cards.
"High-performance computing plays such an essential role in our daily lives, and AMD is committed to always push the envelope on performance and innovation," said Dr. Lisa Su earlier this month. "At this year's Computex, AMD will share how we accelerate innovation with our broad ecosystem of partners."
