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.
