AMD may have a new platform for upcoming Ryzen CPUs — AM5+ socket and Granite Ridge CPUs listed in a microcode extraction tool
AM5+ platform could come with new features.
AMD is reportedly working on a revamped version of its AM5 socket, the socket AM5+. The MC Extractor tool, a program that parses microcode binaries of AMD and Intel CPUs, recently added detection of AM5+ and AMD processors with the 00B40Fxx CPUID, as hardware detective HXL noticed.
The tool has 'Adjusted AMD microcode pattern for AM5+' and adds 'AMD microcode CPUID 00B40Fxx detection.' Speaking of 00B40Fxx CPUs, the tool can detect 00B40F40 and 00B40F00 processors. HXL believes that 00B40Fxx CPUs could be AMD's codenamed Granite Ridge or Fire Range processors, but this is speculation.
While simultaneously mentioning the unreleased CPU and socket may mean that AMD's processors with the said identification will use the AM5+ socket, this may not be the case at all, which is unrelated.
An avid reader will probably ask what Socket AM5+ is in this case. The most logical answer is that it will replace the original AM5 sometime in 2026 and beyond. In this case, AM5+ will add certain new features, such as different voltages, different power supply circuitry, different PCIe bifurcation, new interface capabilities (e.g., USB4 version 2, DisplayPort with UHBR20), or something else.
It should be noted that while we traditionally call CPU sockets by the number of pins they have (in the case of AMD's AM5, which will be 1718 pins), modern CPU sockets tend to have more pins than they use. Therefore, the socket AM5+ could be just the socket AM5 with some extra pins enabled. Meanwhile, AM5+ CPUs will probably have a mechanical key to ensure they are not installed into an AM5 motherboard.
The critical aspect of AM5+ is that it is poised to reuse as many AM5 mechanical features as possible to lower costs for AMD's partners. Also, AMD might try to ensure backward compatibility of AM5+ motherboards with AM5 processors, which helps to quickly launch the platform across different market segments.
Meanwhile, AMD has publicly stated that it will support the AM5 socket through 2025 and beyond, so it is safe to say that Zen 5-based processors launching this year will use the established socket. That said, it is reasonable to expect the emergence of AM5+ sometime in 2026.
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.
-
UnforcedERROR Reply
It'd be after two, theoretically.peachpuff said:Am5 already outdated after one generation? -
Alvar "Miles" Udell Something tells me it's going like this:Reply
"Support for 2025 and beyond!*"
*Support means security BIOS updates, not that the socket will be obsoleted. -
funguseater AM4 was the outlier here, most other sockets have had +versions and were backwards compatible to the non-+ version.Reply -
TJ Hooker Reply
The source for this article believes even Granite Ridge/Zen 5 could be on AM5+. I'm skeptical, but if that were true that would mean AM5 only got one generation. Unless you count Ryzen 7k X3D as a 2nd gen, which would be a stretch.UnforcedERROR said:It'd be after two, theoretically. -
Zerk2012 AMD had stated the AM5 would be supported into 2025 so I would expect at least the 8XXX to be AM5.Reply
How long the AM4 support lasted will probably never happen again. Board manufactures are in the business of selling new boards. -
Toopy Reply
Better not be, after years of intels socket jumping I gave up for some time. Finally decided to upgrade my aging 3770k system last year and went to AM5. I gave up trying to keep up with intel after going from 775 to 1366 to 1155 in 3 architecture changes.rluker5 said:Is this going to be like the AM3+ AM3 AM2+ ?
And my O/C’d 3770k still ran the latest AAA games decently with a latest gen gpu.
One of the compelling reasons to go back to AMD since the old a64 days, along side better power, performance etc.. was how long AMD stuck with AM4. -
dk382 Zen 5 requiring a new socket would be a huge misstep if that happens, but I think we can expect that to still be normal AM5. Though people shouldn't be fooled into thinking that "support" for a socket means new architectures released for that socket. Technically, AMD is still supporting AM4 in 2024 with the release of new products like the 5700X3D. We could see a new architecture launch in 2025 for the AM5+ or AM6 sockets, but AMD could still fulfill their promise by releasing new CPUs using existing architectures for AM5 as well.Reply -
usertests Good news for FUD spreaders. Maybe AMD should release a statement to quell the rumors.Reply