EXPO 1.2 officially released two days ago with Asus' X870 models being among the first recipients of the new feature. The company is expanding support to more X870 and even B850 models with beta BIOS builds, while teasing that older X670 and B650 motherboards are also due for an upgrade. EXPO 1.2 brings a range of improvements with the main feature being CUDIMM support, allowing for significantly higher DDR5 memory speeds.

Unlike standard UDIMMs that needs to constantly talk to the CPU's memory controller, CUDIMM comes with a CKD (Client Clock Driver) that lets the RAM maintain signal integrity and stabilizes memory operation at higher frequencies. EXPO 1.2 adds partial support for CUDIMM, allowing them to run in "bypass mode" that limits the speeds to around 6,000 MT/s despite being capable of achieving up to 9,000 MT/s.

Ryzen 7000, 8000G, and 9000 series processors don't natively support CUDIMM. So even though the motherboard will recognize it with new AGESA updates, the memory controller won't let the system boot without the bypass mode. Native CUDIMM compatibility is reportedly planned for next-gen Ryzen CPUs based on the Zen 6 architecture. In contrast, Intel's Arrow Lake chips have native CUDIMM support.

CUDIMM also brings Ultra-Low Latency mode for DDR5 memory, reducing it by five to seven nanoseconds. MRDIMM support is also being added for data center and server CPUs that should allow for much higher throughput. A more interesting feature for consumers is perhaps the added support for module geometry that can understand how the ICs are arranged on individual DDR5 sticks. This could enable HUDIMM support on AM5.

EXPO 1.2 is currently available on only AMD's latest 800-series motherboards across different vendors, but Asus has implied that older 600-series models, such as X670 and B650, could also get the updates soon. The screenshot above is from the ROG forums hosting the beta BIOSes, so this is not an official confirmation but a positive sign nonetheless for early adopters of the platform. Apart from the obvious CUDIMM omission, users should still be able to benefit from EXPO 1.2's other improvements.

After months of consistent decline, Intel’s consumer CPUs have enjoyed a small but significant spell of market share growth, at least according to the latest Steam Hardware Survey (January 2026 data). The latest statistics raise a couple of key questions. Firstly, could this mark the beginning of an Intel comeback? Secondly, why might Intel platforms be more attractive in the current PC market?

So, the change in share is quite small, at 0.25% up in Intel’s favor, in January 2026 data. We know the SHWS hasn’t got the strongest reputation for rigorous statistical accuracy, despite the size of the user base. Nevertheless, it is entertaining to ponder whether something larger is happening in the CPU market, and why the balance could be shifting.

An Intel comeback?

Though Intel has broken its downtrend in this latest set of survey statistics, it isn’t possible to say whether this is truly a change in fortunes. As Aristotle (probably) said, “one swallow does not a spring make.” So, one result doesn’t provide a lot of certainty for extrapolations.

We’d need three months of data to confirm a popularity plateau, resistance point, or reversal of fortunes for Intel in the gaming CPU market. That means we are still a long way off the establishment of a reliable trend.

Why might Intel gain market share in 2026?

If we assume that Intel is once again going to consistently grow its consumer CPU market share, it is interesting to look at its current strengths and recent platform announcements.

Ahead of the RAMpocalypse, PC DIY forums and social media generally seemed to steer builders toward AM5 plus DDR5 for creating a potent ‘future-proof’ PC system. After several months of exploding RAM pricing, this particular path to PC Nirvana has lost its glossy shine.

In the PC DIY space, pricing and availability may have worked in Intel’s favor over recent months. The iconic PC chipmaker’s 13^th and 14th-generation processors appear to have remained in stock, often discounted. They can be used with cheaper DDR4 RAM (that upgraders may already have), with plentiful well-priced DDR4 motherboards (e.g. B760) still at retailers. Moreover, these remain decent platforms for most gamers, who will typically be performance-limited by their GPU choice. We've also seen some fairly drastic and generous discounts on Intel's current generation processors, with Core Ultra 200 series chips bundled with motherboards, coolers, popular games, or even just slashed in price in the second half of 2025.

A cultural shift from future-proofing to buying the best value $/FPS system today seems to have taken hold in Q4 2025 and persists to this day.

At CES 2026, we also noticed more positives for Intel. Its next-gen Panther Lake chips for laptops were far more warmly welcomed than AMD’s Ryzen AI 400 series refresh. This won’t have started to trickle through to Steam survey results, of course, but Intel traditionally has stronger laptop-maker support, and Panther Lake should ensure that isn’t eroded in 2026.

It’s almost that exciting time of the hardware world again, where brands gear up to unveil the latest innovations at CES 2026. Hot on the heels of MSI and Gigabyte, who have launched their Max and X3D refreshes, Asus is stepping into the spotlight with its much-anticipated Neo series of motherboards.

Asus released an 18-second teaser video showcasing its upcoming products, which aim to compete with the best motherboards on the market and are likely to be unveiled at the big tech event. The new Neo versions of the ROG Crosshair, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and ProArt series will deliver substantial quality-of-life upgrades to AMD’s AM5 platform, currently home to some of the best CPUs available.

While "Neo" signifies new or recent, these upcoming AMD motherboards will likely continue to build upon AMD’s existing 800-series chipsets. Asus is focusing on delivering significant quality-of-life improvements—think next-level wireless connectivity, advanced cooling solutions, and user-centric enhancements.

One of the Asus Neo motherboard shots shows a set of pogo pins located right beside the AM5 socket—a feature rarely seen on desktop boards. These spring-loaded electrical connectors, commonly found in consumer electronics like battery docks and smartphone chargers, stand out because they’re labeled “AIO_POGO.” The pogo pins suggest Asus may be introducing an innovative new way to eliminate cable clutter for AIO liquid coolers.

Traditionally, these coolers rely on PWM or USB connections for power and monitoring, often resulting in a tangle of wires around the motherboard. By integrating the AIO_POGO connector, Asus could enable a plug-and-play solution for AIO coolers, streamlining installation and reducing the number of visible cables. The connector aligns perfectly with Asus’s BTF (Back to Future) initiative, which aims to reduce and ultimately remove any traces of wires in a build.

Another subtle yet potentially game-changing detail emerges from the teaser video, tucked away within the M.2 slot of the Neo motherboard. A partially obscured label reads “3D VC M.2,” strongly suggesting that Asus could implement a vapor chamber cooling solution for M.2 SSDs.

While the first PCIe 5.0 SSDs were notorious for generating heat, that's no longer an issue if you cool them properly. By leveraging vapor chamber technology—already proven effective in high-end graphics cards and CPU coolers—Asus could offer dramatically enhanced thermal performance for SSDs, ensuring sustained peak speeds and greater hardware longevity. It gives Asus a compelling marketing angle, but it remains to be seen how much thermal performance uplift it can deliver.

Asus made waves with the introduction of its NitroPath DRAM Technology, first unveiled alongside AMD's 800-series chipsets to dramatically boost support for ultra-high-frequency DDR5 memory. Initially reserved for flagship models like the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero, ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming WiFi, ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme, and ROG Strix Z890-E Gaming WiFi, NitroPath was a hallmark of top-tier performance. Asus is seemingly bringing NitroPath to the entire Neo motherboard lineup. This expansion means more users can unlock maximum memory speeds and stability.

The final reveal from Asus’s teaser video signals a pivotal design shift: the company is seemingly moving away from its controversial Q-Release Slim mechanism. For those who might not recall, Q-Release Slim was an ambitious buttonless PCIe slot system that allowed users to remove a graphics card by simply tilting it upward. While the concept initially promised convenience, it quickly became infamous among PC builders after reports surfaced that it could damage graphics card's PCIe connector.

Responding to widespread criticism, Asus revised the design, removing a problematic metallic frame from the expansion slot. Now, learning from past missteps, it appears that Asus is returning to a more traditional—and proven—button release mechanism for the Neo motherboards’ expansion slots.

CES 2026, the world's largest consumer electronics show, is only a week away. We'll surely learn more about Asus' Neo motherboards very soon.

A few weeks ago, AMD's Ryzen 5 7500X3D processor was spotted on a UK retailer's website for the first time, sporting a fresh OPN code that all but confirmed it was a new processor. Today, we have our first set of Geekbench listings that again hint at its existence and give us some insight into the specs we previously speculated about. This development comes on the heels of a rumored Ryzen 7 9700X3D that was uncovered on GeekBench yesterday, indicating AMD is ready to diversify its popular X3D lineup soon.

The above scores are from the second of two listings spotted by BenchLeaks, with the 7500X3D netting 2,549 points in the single-core test and 11,826 points in the multi-score test. Those numbers roughly align with the existing Ryzen 5 7600X3D, which has a slightly higher clock speed but otherwise shares the same silicon, albeit possibly with a newer stepping. Speaking of, we're looking at a six-core, 12-thread CPU based on AMD's Zen 4 microarchitecture, packaged on TSMC's 5nm node.

From the listing, we can see it's running at a 4.0 GHz base clock with a boost speed of 4547 MHz (4.5 GHz), which makes sense since the 7600X3D can go up to 4.7 GHz. In terms of cache, the 7500X3D is rocking 96 MB of L3 cache — 64 MB of which comes from the 3D V-Cache stacked atop the CCD — for a total of 102 MB, the same as the 7600X3D. GeekBench doesn't show TDP figures, but it's reasonable to assume that it'll remain at 65W. All of these stats are backed up by the first listing for the same chip, which scored slightly lower in both benchmarks.

This performance is exactly what we expected from a toned-down 7600X3D, and in real-world gaming tasks, you might not even be able to tell the difference. The 7600X3D was a Micro Center exclusive for a long time before acquiring broader availability, so we hope the 7500X3D fares better from the get-go. Unfortunately, there's a major thorn in this X3D chip's side: RAM pricing.

DDR5 memory has skyrocketed in prices over the past few months, with the same kits costing more than double today. The AI boom has stolen most of the manufacturing capacity from consumer-oriented, affordable DDR5 (and even DDR4) RAM sticks, and as data centers and AI GPUs become increasingly ambitious, we believe the situation will only get worse.

Even if the 7500X3D is well-priced, finding a suitable memory kit could be a nightmare. Also, it's unlikely that anyone interested in a 7500X3D would already have DDR5, since this chip represents the lowest entry point to X3D on the AM5 platform, so budget users will be affected the most. Still, the 7500X3D looks solid on paper at the moment and will likely be announced at CES 2026 in a couple of months.

When we talk about mobile chips, it's usually within the confines of a laptop chassis, or something like a gaming handheld. Very rarely does a SoC break free of its portable enclosure, but when it does, it's seldom as interesting as this. Tianba (via momomo_us), a Chinese PC hardware brand owned by Aoostar, has just unveiled its new MoDT (mobile on desktop) motherboards, which feature top-of-the-line mobile CPUs designed for use in a tower configuration. It comes in two options: either a Ryzen 9 9955HX or a 9955HX3D—the flagship mobile gaming CPU from AMD right now.

For some context, yes; desktop motherboards equipped with mobile processors (meant initially for laptops) are a thing, and they're pretty common in China. The appeal of such a setup largely boils down to the cost savings of a mobile chip. Moreover, any processor in a laptop is usually thermally constrained, even with the most extravagant cooling, so giving it the proper desktop treatment with an air or liquid cooler will unlock the full potential of the SKU.

The downside, of course, is that you're locked in forever. The CPU is soldered onto the motherboard, so if you ever plan to change it, you will have to replace your entire motherboard with a new one. That being said, every other part of Tianba's motherboard is otherwise standard. First of all, it's in the mATX form factor, so it's relatively compact, and the design looks sleek with silver accents across the black PCB.

There's a full-length x16 PCIe 5.0 slot for the GPU, along with two Gen5x4 M.2 slots for the SSDs. The motherboard supports dual-channel memory with its two DIMM slots, and Tianba is advertising a vapor chamber heatsink with "strong heat dissipation." More importantly, there's a 10-phase VRM which puts this motherboard in line with most midrange B650s you can get off the shelf. The company did not provide further details on the connectivity, so we are unsure how many fan or RGB headers are onboard.

Returning to the chip options for this, the Ryzen 9 9955HX and 9995HX3D are essentially identical, apart from the 3D V-Cache found in the latter. They're 16-core, 32-thread CPUs with 54W TDPs and boost clocks of up to 5.4GHz. The main difference lies in the amount of cache, as the 995HX3D features 144 MB of L3 cache, while the 9955HX has only half of that at 72 MB. But even that's plenty, as in most tasks, these chips will be neck-and-neck with each other while comfortably beating every other gaming CPU.

There are some new signs of life in the next-gen AMD Ryzen development cycle. On Monday, Finalwire added “preliminary support for next-generation AMD desktop, server and mobile processors.” Yes, that means the system utilities development software team will have received some early information morsels about 'Ryzen 10000 series' processors, if AMD follows the expected naming convention that is. Twitter/X user HXL spotted the update, but at the time of writing, there has been yet another update to the latest beta mentioning processors such as the Intel Core Ultra 3 (AKA Arrow Lake-H/S) series.

As you can see, the first beta of the next-gen AIDA64 is graced by the preliminary support for AMD’s next-gen chips. However, before we go on, readers should be warned to rein in any excitement. Looking back at AIDA64's history, such an announcement typically comes around a year ahead of any product launch. Therefore, if this plays out as expected, 'Ryzen 10000' chips will likely be central to AMD’s product launch plans at Computex 2026.

Medusa Ridge coming to desktop

Even though it may be a year off, we have a few leaks-based information morsels about the 'Ryzen 10000' lineup that are worth summarizing here. On the desktop side of things, probably of greatest interest to our PC enthusiast audience, leaked info from March suggests upcoming Zen 6 architecture processors will remain compatible with the AM5 socket. These CPUs are apparently codenamed Medusa Ridge.

It would indeed be a great nugget of news for AM5 platform adoptees if it were to be confirmed that 'Ryzen 10000' chips would be compatible with the existing socket. Moreover, the potential move to 12-core chiplet dies (CCDs) with the next generation could be a major step for consumers.

We think it is likely that AMD will use TSMC's N3P (3 nm-class) process for its Zen 6-based products in 2026. With AMD’s 3D V-Cache packing processors proving to be a powerful lure to gamers, it is also expected to deliver Zen 6-based Ryzens into the X3D subfamily.

Will the 'Ryzen 7 10800X3D' be the next ‘gaming legend’ from AMD’s stables? Check out our Ryzen 7 9800X3D review to see the devastating mix of price and (gaming) performance it will have to eclipse.

Medusa Point on mobile

One of Gigabyte's B650 (AM5) motherboards now lists support for AMD's unreleased and likely soon-to-launch Ryzen 9000G series APUs, as reported by VideoCardz. This suggests that AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9000G APUs will probably be supported on existing 600 and 800 series motherboards, of course, with a necessary BIOS update. That being said, names, specifications, and pricing still remain unconfirmed.

We first heard of AMD's Ryzen 9000G processors in late March, with leakers suggesting they'd employ Gorgon Point silicon. These APUs succeed AMD's incumbent Phoenix-built Ryzen 8000G lineup, which first debuted in January 2024. As for the underlying silicon, there are some nuances since Gorgon Point is rumored to be a refresh of Strix Point (Ryzen AI 300), alleged to offer single-digit performance increments across the board.

Gigabyte has inadvertently published a list of supported memory modules for unreleased Ryzen 9000G APUs on its B650M GAMING WIFI6E motherboard. This marks the second unofficial confirmation that these APUs will slot into existing AM5 motherboards. Nothing is official until AMD gives the official green light, so we'll still mark this as a leak.

AMD has halted production on its B650 chipset, according to Chinese tech forum Bobantang. The B650 has been the midrange chipset for the AM5 socket since its introduction in 2022 and has been one of the most popular options for PC users upgrading to AM5 processors.

In the original forum post (accessed via ITHome), the author claims that AMD has begun the shutdown stage of B650 production, and has informed its board partners of the change. While mass production has ended, supply of the chipset and motherboards using it is expected to remain high beyond this production halt.

The amount of RAM you need for your system often depends on the use case scenario. Are you going to use it for pure gaming, school, work, or demanding software applications? Although you can currently still get away with using 16GB for most gaming and application needs, taking a look at your resource monitor shows you that 32GB is the new comfortable margin. Today's deal is on RAM, which is ideal for a gaming system if you're using a Ryzen CPU on the AM5 platform, where 6000MHz RAM sticks are the sweet spot for performance and price.

Find today's deal at Newegg, where you can pick up the 32GB Patriot Viper Venom DDR5 6000 RGB RAM offer for just $79. The 32GB RAM has 2x 16GB RAM sticks, which is preferred for an AM5 setup.

The Patriot Viper Venom RGB sticks feature RGB lighting that you can sync up with your motherboard or lighting software for a colorful disco experience. The 2x 16GB sticks have 288-pin connections with timings of 36-36-36-76 and a CAS latency of CL36 and 1.25 voltage.

So if you're looking for a good deal on a RAM upgrade for your existing build, or even a new gaming rig, then you can't go wrong with this deal. You can get DDR5 6000 RAM with tighter timings, but the actual speeds and performance will be unperceivable outside of benchmarking software, and the cost is usually a lot more. However, if you can find CL30 RAM sticks at the same price, then that would be a better option.

Don't forget to look at our Newegg coupon codes for April 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Newegg.

Asus has released a new BIOS update for select AMD motherboards, introducing the "Turbo Game Mode" designed to optimize gaming performance on a range of Ryzen processors. This mode is aimed at users seeking the best possible experience from AMD’s high-core CPUs by adjusting core usage. Specifically, it disables one of the CPU’s two chiplets (CCD) and turns off Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT), optimizing single-threaded performance for games that do not benefit from high core counts.

As confirmed by Computer Base, the update is said to be available for Asus's ROG X870E Crosshair Hero motherboard. However, other models like the X670, B650, and A620 lineup are also being updated. By disabling the second chiplet, the Turbo Game Mode should reduce potential latency, enhancing efficiency in games that perform better with fewer, faster cores. This approach allows users to quickly toggle between game-focused performance and multi-threaded setups for other tasks.

To enable the feature, users simply need to update their BIOS and activate the setting through the BIOS interface, making it easy to switch back and forth based on specific workload needs.

Last month, Gigabyte announced a similar BIOS update for its AMD motherboards which includes their “X3D Turbo Mode”. As per Gigabyte, this feature can help boost the performance of AMD's Ryzen 7000X3D, Ryzen 9000X3D, and Ryzen 9000 processors by up to 20%—35%. The company said that the X3D Turbo Mode is a set of 'unique optimization parameters' that can improve the performance of AMD's CPUs.

Unlike Gigabyte, Asus doesn’t specifically mention ‘X3D’ in their release notes. It does however mention the inclusion of AMD’s AGESA AM5 1.2.0.2a firmware update for the AM5 platform, aimed at bringing "performance enhancements, for its upcoming Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs including the recently launched Ryzen 7 9800X3D." Similarly, MSI has also started rolling out motherboard BIOS updates including the 1.2.0.2a firmware without any additional tweaks.

Thermaltake has published a list of coolers it currently markets for Intel LGA1700 chips, which are also compatible with the upcoming LGA1851 Arrow Lake chips. The list includes 17 air coolers, 49 all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers, and five water blocks, so if you’re upgrading your Alder Lake, Raptor Lake, or Raptor Lake Refresh chip to one of Intel’s latest CPUs, here is official reassurance that you can carry over your Thermaltake cooling solution to your new processor and motherboard.

We’ve been quite sure for almost a year now that LGA1700 coolers are compatible with Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs despite the socket sporting 151 more pins. However, it’s still nice to receive confirmation from Thermaltake stating that a wide range of its recent products are going to be compatible with the LGA1851 socket.

Thermaltake isn’t the first cooling brand to confirm the compatibility of its LGA1700 solutions with the upcoming LGA1851. Noctua was the first to do so, perhaps by accident, and it was soon followed by Azza. Arctic has also confirmed the compatibility of its Freezer 36 coolers with Intel Arrow Lake CPUs.

But aside from cross-compatibility between LGA1700 and LGA1851, Thermaltake also confirmed that the Ryzen 7000-series versions of the listed coolers are also compatible with AMD’s just-launched Ryzen 9000 processors. Not a big surprise, as they share Socket AM5. This compatibility is a boon for PC builders who like staying on the bleeding edge of technology, as it will allow them to reuse their existing coolers when upgrading their PCs.

Savings on cooling might seem minuscule in the greater scheme of things, especially when we consider air coolers, but a dollar saved here and there can soon turn into real money. However, there are some rumors that Intel's Arrow Lake chips might run quite hot, so cooler quality could be more important than ever. Hopefully, more Arrow Lake info will be available soon to definitively answer questions about thermals, and if currently available coolers will easily cope.

AMD officially introduced its Ryzen 5 7600X3D on Friday, another relatively inexpensive processor for mainstream gaming builds. The chip will be a Microcenter exclusive for $299 and is also available in a bundle that offers solid value. The new processor is the cheapest X3D CPU in the Ryzen 7000 range, packing six cores and 96 MB of L3 cache to maximize gaming performance.

AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X3D has a recommended price of $299.99, making it the company's most affordable Zen 4-based CPU with a 3D V-Cache. Only an actual review will reveal whether this one is a better choice than a Ryzen 5 7600X, which has higher clocks, an unlocked multiplier, and costs $229. But the new unit certainly promises to be a decent competitor for inexpensive, non-overclocked gaming desktops.  

AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X3D processor features six Zen 4 cores with simultaneous multithreading that operate at a fairly high 4.10 – 4.70 GHz. Of course, the key feature of the CPU is its massive 96 MB L3 cache, up from 32 MB L3 in the case of the Ryzen 5 7600X. Like other AM5 processors, the new CPU has two DDR5 memory channels supporting 128 GB of DDR5-5200 memory and 24 usable PCIe 5.0 lanes. 

The new processor has a 65W TDP and is drop-in compatible with AM5 motherboards featuring A620, B650, B650E, X670, and X670E chipsets. You can overclock the memory, but the chip has a locked multiplier, so the CPU cores cannot be overclocked as easily as unlocked parts. However, many motherboard vendors have BIOS workarounds for other X3D processors that impart at least some performance improvement. 

The Ryzen 5 7600X3D will only be available from 28 Micro Center retail locations in the U.S., greatly limiting its availability. Micro Center will also offer a 3-in-1 bundle consisting of a Ryzen 5 7600X3D CPU, an Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus Wi-Fi motherboard, and a 32 GB DDR5-6000 dual-channel memory kit for $449.99, which is $182 cheaper than buying these components separately. 

"We are excited to once again partner with AMD to bring cutting-edge processor technology to our customers," said Warren Beneson, Chief Merchandising Officer at Micro Center. "The Ryzen 5 7600X3D represents a significant step forward in making high-performance, cache-rich processors more accessible to a wider range of PC enthusiasts."

If you like putting together and building your own computers, then you know that one of the most essential parts of the PC build apart from the CPU and GPU is the motherboard. Today's deal is a modern motherboard from Asus that uses the AM5 (LGA 1718 socket) platform that supports AMD Ryzen 7000-series processors and should support the very latest Ryzen 9000-series processors, although there may be a BIOS update needed for optimal performance and compatibility.

This deal is available at Newegg where the Asus Prime X670-P WiFi motherboard is now $135 - reduced from its original MSRP price of $229. The cost of hopping onto the AM5 train has dropped since its launch with the price of Ryzen processors and DDR5 RAM dropping considerably. With AMD launching Ryzen 9000-series CPUs in the coming weeks and months, this is a great time to hop on board. 

Features of the Asus Prime X670-P WiFi include 3 x M.2 slots with heatsinks, large heatsinks on the VRMs, WiFi 6 and included antenna, 2.5Gb Ethernet, support for USB4, and PCIe 5.0.

There are plenty of rear USB ports located on the rear IO plate of the Asus Prime X670-P WiFi, 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C. There's also a front panel header for USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C. If you have a case with a good view of the inner workings of your PC then there's also stylish RGB edge lighting on the motherboard with onboard RGB headers for other RGB solutions.

AMD is preparing to launch its next-generation desktop CPU and motherboard series. The current flagship consumer motherboard chipset from AMD is the X670 (E), which we’d expect to be succeeded by the X760 (E). However, recent leaks suggest AMD will skip ahead and dub the next chipset X860 (E), running in parallel with Intel's 800 motherboard chipset series like the Intel Z890 flagship. Both x86 CPU vendors will thus simultaneously be offering 800 series chipsets - which shouldn't but may cause more confusion among customers.

Most major motherboard manufacturers will display their newest AMD and Intel motherboards at Computex 2024 in early June. On the AMD side of things, expect these motherboards to be compatible with the upcoming Ryzen 9000 series of CPUs, codenamed Granite Ridge.

According to Benchlife, the chipsets used with the Ryzen 9000 CPUs will be called the 800 series. This is the same as Intel’s new motherboard chipset, so the major CPU manufacturers will both have flagship motherboards using 800-series nomenclature.

It will be important to remember, though, that the similarity will mostly end with the numbering scheme. Each manufacturer’s newest motherboards will feature entirely different sockets. They’ll also support different processors. Just like motherboard / CPU combinations going back as far as I can recall, you won’t be able to socket an Intel CPU in an AMD motherboard, or vice versa.

Of course, this naming can always change between now and the actual release. AMD has, after all, made numerous changes in the naming for its Strix Point mobile Zen 5 platform. At one point, it was rumored to be named the Ryzen 9050 series. The latest rumors, however, claim that has changed to the Ryzen AI 300 series.

Despite the upcoming new AMD chipset, it seems some motherboard manufacturers are still improving upon the first-generation AM5-socket motherboards. Benchlife received a new, as yet unreleased, Gigabyte B650E Aorus Pro X USB4. While the motherboard sounds like it would be obsolete almost upon delivery, the specifications for the board tell a different story.

In fact, Benchlife notes that the “B650E Aorus Pro X USB4 motherboard matches the specifications of most AMD X870 motherboards.” It also features a reinforced PCIe slot supporting up to a maximum weight of 58 kg. I can’t for the life of me figure out why you’d need your PCIe slot to withstand so much weight, but there you have it.

Gigabyte hasn’t officially announced the new motherboard yet, but a teaser video on X (formerly Twitter) makes it clear something is coming soon.

Delidding AMD's AM5 processors produces some great results for their cooling, which is why more enthusiasts are at least considering giving it a try. To cater to those PC builers, EK on Thursday introduced a special water block for that is specifically designed for custom cooling loops involving delidded Ryzen 7000-series AM5 CPUs, including X3D-badged processors with 3D V-Cache. 

The EK-Quantum Velocity² Direct Die D-RGB – AMD Ryzen Edition incorporates a custom-designed cold plate that aligns precisely with the CPU chiplets and I/O die of AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors to maximize cooling efficiency. In addition, EK adjusted the fin structure of the water block and now it directs more coolant flow over the CPU chiplets, where it is most needed to boost cooling. 

To address the potential structural vulnerabilities caused by removing the integrated heat spreader (IHS), the water block comes with standoffs at the corners that facilitate a more secure and precise fit over the CPU compared to traditional methods that rely on direct contact with the IHS.  

The EK-Quantum Velocity² Direct Die D-RGB – AMD Ryzen Edition water block is constructed with a clear acrylic top encased in a black-anodized aluminum frame, drawing design inspiration from the EK-Quantum Vector² RX 7900 XTX Radeon Edition, and, as the name suggests, has addressable RGB LEDs. Meanwhile, the unit is compatible with EK's Velocity² platform and, therefore, a wide range of pumps and accessories. 

For enthusiasts looking for some additional assistance with delidding, EK offers the EK-Quantum Velocity² Direct Die D-RGB – AMD Ryzen Edition Signature Edition which includes specialized delidding tools and accessories from Thermal Grizzly. Among these tools is the Delid-Die-Mate, designed for safely removing the CPU's IHS, and the TG Shield, a compound that protects against potential short circuits caused by liquid metal spillage. 

The EK-Quantum Velocity² Direct Die D-RGB – AMD Ryzen Edition products will be available through the EK Webshop and its Partner Reseller Network. The regular EK-Quantum Velocity² Direct Die D-RGB – AMD Ryzen Edition can be preordered for $269.90, whereas the Signature Edition with bundled delidding tools costs $269.90. Separately, the Thermal Grizzly Ryzen 7000 Delid-Die-Mate and Thermal Grizzly TG Shield cost $69.90 and $14.90, respectively.

Sometimes new drivers point to products that aren't yet released, but for whom launch is imminent. This may be the case with AMD's Ryzen 9000-series products, as the company's chipset driver V6.03.19.217, released by Asus this week, included mentions of the Ryzen 9000 platform management framework (PMF), according to X user @9550pro.

Release notes for AMD's chipset driver V6.03.19.217 for its AMD X670E-based motherboards this week indicate that, in addition to AMD's Ryzen 6000-, 7040-, 8000-, and 7736-series platforms, the software package also supports AMD's (as of yet) unreleased Ryzen 9000-series platforms. This doesn't necessarily mean AMD's Ryzen 9000-series processors are just around the corner, but it at least indicates the company is prepping for launch. 

AMD's current-generation Zen 4-based products for high-performance desktops belong to the Ryzen 7000-series range, while Zen 4-powered processors with integrated Radeon graphics for mainstream desktops belong to the Ryzen 8000-series family. Therefore, AMD's next-generation Zen 5-based CPUs are poised to find themselves in a brand new product family — which will likely be the Ryzen 9000-series lineup.

AMD has publicly stated it will continue to support the AM5 socket until at least through 2025, so its Zen 5-based processors set to launch this year will use the existing socket and existing motherboards. So it's not surprising that AMD and its motherboard partners are getting ready to support Zen 5-based CPUs (most likely, Ryzen 9000-series) on existing platforms, such as the AMD X670E. 

Note that AMD's chipset drivers tend to start adding support for new processors months before they're released — we saw this with the the Ryzen 8000-series accelerated processing units in late 2023. AMD is expected to release Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000-series offerings this fall, so it's about time for the company to start prepping for launch. Computex 2024 is just weeks away, and we wonder if AMD and its partners are getting ready to showcase Ryzen 9000-based machines at the Taipei-based tradeshow. 

AMD's Zen 5-based processors are expected to increase performance compared their predecessors in various workloads, so high-end desktop enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting them.

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.

Asus has rolled out new Beta BIOS for its Republic of Gamers (ROG) and Strix X670E motherboards to support the upcoming Zen 5 'Granite Ridge' CPUs. The update also contains the new AGESA 1.1.7.0 update. This BIOS update could indicate the inevitable Zen 5 launch is just a matter of weeks away. Additionally, AMD has switched its AGESA naming scheme from ComboAM5PI to FireRangePi.

Asus has rolled out the new Beta BIOS for seven of its X670E series AMD AM5 Motherboards. 

• ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO
• ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE 
• ROG CROSSHAIR X670E EXTREME
• ROG STRIX X670E-A GAMING WIFI
• ROG STRIX X670E-E GAMING WIFI 
• ROG STRIX X670E-F GAMING WIFI BETA
• ROG STRIX X670E-I GAMING WIFI BETA

According to other leakers, the upcoming Ryzen 9000 'Granite Ridge' Zen 5 CPUs are expected to arrive by between April and June 2024. We reported about AMD's plans to release multiple Granite Ridge CPUs, including a pair of 170-watt eight-core chips and a six-core 105-watt CPU. It would seem that a whole family of AMD 9000 Series CPUs might be unveiled and potentially ready for retail during Computex 2024.

At the time of writing, other X670E AM5 motherboards from MSI and Gigabyte/ Aorus are yet to receive BIOS updates. But with the new AGESA update ready to be implemented, it shouldn't take too long for respective motherboard manufacturers to roll out updates. Even though the Granite Ridge CPUs are not available to the general public, companies, system integrators, and quite possibly reviewers may already have access to samples.
In November 2023, Dell conveniently revealed its upcoming desktops with AMD 9000 series CPUs. It is likely major PC system builders have already prepared systems and marketing materials in advance so we should be seeing new prebuilt desktops with the Granite Ridge CPUs. 

It is highly likely that AMD Zen 5 CPUs are already in mass production and have been for some time. This would make sense as motherboard makers like Asus have already started rolling out BETA BIOS. It is hoped that the upcoming AMD Zen 5 CPUs will have 10 to 15% IPC over Zen 4 variants without 3D Vertical Cache while providing higher DDR5-6400 memory compatibility. 

The headlining purpose of AMD's Beijing AI PC Innovation Summit yesterday was to launch the Ryzen 8040 series and 8000G desktop solutions for the Chinese market. We reported on the fresh Hawk Point info from the event, but there was a slide we didn't spot during the two hours of footage. Twitter's HXL shared the image below, showing Spencer Pan, AMD SVP and President of Greater China, revealing that the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F are being prepared for launch.

Based on prior AMD (and Intel) SKUs, the F suffix indicates that these processors lack onboard graphics. Perhaps the iGPU failed some tests in the chip plant, and instead of these parts going to landfill or being converted into shoes, we have some F suffix chip options. The F suffix chips usually offer a modest discount compared to their fully-fledged brethren. PC DIYers who insist on discrete graphics typically aren't that bothered about missing an iGPU.

The above slide shows that the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F are part of AMD's plan of "attacking every price point." It looks like a wide range of Ryzens will be maintained for this purpose, ranging from the Athlon 3000G through Ryzen 5000 series parts, plus these new Ryzen 8000 desktop APUs (sans graphics) that will provide more options for owners or buyers of AM5 motherboards.

We don't have official specs for the newly revealed Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F desktop processors, but it would be reasonable to assume they are similar to the AMD Ryzen 8000G Series 65W Phoenix APUs (without onboard graphics).

For example, the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G (review link) has an 8C/16T CPU configuration using the Zen 4 architecture, with boost speeds up to 5.1 GHz and a TDP of 65W. It also has a powerful Radeon 780M (12 CU) GPU using the RDNA 3 architecture. We wouldn't be surprised if all the CPU-related specs remain the same, but no onboard graphics option exists.

While there are AMD Ryzen 5 8600G, Ryzen 5 8500G, and Ryzen 3 8300G desktop APUs, there isn't a corresponding Ryzen 5 8400G to guestimate Ryzen 5 8400F specs and features. However, if pushed, we would say it is likely that the new Ryzen 5 part will have a 6C/12T (or possibly 6C/6T) Zen 4 architecture CPU configuration sans graphics.

Last but not least, the new Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F chips may be China-only products, so we don't have to ponder over what kind of a discount they will be sold for vs. G-suffixed parts. HXL has a hunch that these are only being prepared for sale in China, but it isn't certain. Remember, AMD's China-only parts can sometimes escape beyond the Great Wall - we now have Radeon 'Golden Rabbit Edition' GPUs available at retailers in the West.

Traditionally, the way AMD and its partners have positioned B650-based motherboards placed them either into a mainstream category or into a category of high-end products where they competed with B650E or even X670. It Looks like ASRock has decided to change this practice a bit and introduced its B650 Steel Legend Wi-Fi that offers premium features for gamers, but maintaining a relatively affordable $200 price tag.

The ASRock B650 Steel Legend Wi-Fi comes in a matt grey and white color theme and supports all AMD's AM5 processors released to date, including the range-topping Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Ryzen 9 7950X CPUs for gamers as well as the upcoming Ryzen 8000G-series accelerated processing units. The motherboard is outfitted with a 14+2+1-phase voltage regulating module (VRM) featuring 80A Dr.MOS stages and solid-state capacitors to ensure stability and overclocking potential for those who need it.

Expandability looks promising. The B650 Steel Legend Wi-Fi has four slots for DDR5 memory modules, a PCIe 5.0 x16 slots for graphics cards, an M.2-2280 slot for PCIe 5.0 x4 SSDs, two M.2-2280 slots for PCIe 4.0 x4 drives, a PCIe 3.0 x16 for another add-in-board, a PCIe 4.0 x1 slot, and four SATA ports. 

As for connectivity, the B650 Steel Legend Wi-Fi has virtually everything one might need, including a Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth adapter, a Dragon-badged 2.5 GbE port, three display outputs (DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode), a plethora of USB Type-A connectors (including USB 3.2 Gen2x2, USB 3.2 Gen2, USB 3.2 Gen1, and USB 2.0), audio jacks, and S/P DIF.

Traditionally for ASRock's premium motherboards, such as the Steel Legend, there is support Nahimic Audio software enhancements by SteelSeries and Polychrome RGB addressable RGB LEDs and appropriate connectors.

ASRock did not specifically disclosed launch date for its B650 Steel Legend Wi-Fi, though it is reasonable to expect it to hit the market in the coming weeks or months.

Gigabyte has released a raft of new BIOS updates for its AMD AM5 motherboards. The firm says that with a new BIOS applied, its X670, B650, and A620 motherboards will support AMD’s forthcoming next-generation AM5 APUs. Moreover, the next-gen desktop APUs, probably dubbed the AMD Ryzen 8000G series processors, “will be launched at the end of January 2024,” says the firm.

Inviting its AM5 motherboard owners to “Gear Up for the AM5 Next Gen. APU,” Gigabyte’s updated BIOS files are available with immediate effect. We downloaded some to check (a new BIOS for the 670E Aorus Pro X, and one for the Gigabyte B650I AX), but poking around the files found in the downloads didn’t reveal any further tasty information.

Reports currently suggest that there will be four socket AM5 APUs within the initial lineup. These parts are expected to fuze the charms of the Zen 4 CPU architecture plus RDNA 3 graphics architecture – much like Phoenix mobile APUs. Earlier in the week we reported on the configuration of this introductory quartet: the Ryzen 3 8300G, Ryzen 5 8500G, Ryzen 5 8600G, and Ryzen 7 8700G. This information should be quite reliable if it comes from the AGESA Combo AM5 PI 1.1.0.0 firmware, as claimed.

Above you can see that the launch lineup for Phoenix/2 on desktop provides some interesting options for PC builders and DIYers. There is what should be a cheap and cheerful Ryzen 3 8300G at the low end, with 4C/8T mixing Zen 4 and Zen 4c cores, plus Radeon 740M graphics. However, the most desirable new part is tipped to be the new Ryzen 7 8700G with 8C/16T Zen 4 cores, plus its Radeon 780M with 12 CUs (768 SPs).

Our previous report cited insiders saying AMD had yet to finalize its release schedule, but just days later major PCs and components maker Gigabyte has provided a pleasingly narrow launch window (end of January 2024). The timings line up with a reveal event at around CES 2024 time (Jan. 9-12, in Las Vegas), followed by availability a week or two later.

According to a a tweet from @harukaze5719, AMD is looking to bring a new CPU alternative to its AM5 platform. Allegedly launching this week, AMD's Ryzen 5 7500F seems to take a page from Intel's book when it comes to naming, as the "F" code denotes a CPU whose integrated graphics are absent (or, mostly, disabled). Being a Ryzen 5, the 7500F is expected to carry 6 working Zen 4 cores, although sources expect the chip to clock in slightly slower (around 100 Mhz slower) than the Ryzen 5 7600 (we reviewed the 7600 here, by the way). 

VideoCardz claims that a Korean retailer has announced that this CPU is to launch this week, but the source tweet has since been deleted. As this is a leak, take the news with a pinch of salt.

Due to the architectural changes AMD made to its Zen 4 architecture, the graphics subsystem is no longer attached to the CPU chiplets themselves. Instead, Zen 4 saw the integrated GPUs moving from the CPU tiles to the I/O chiplet, ensuring the minimizes wasted CPU die space in its Zen 4 wafers.

The product itself is an interesting one, and seems built to hit a sweet price/performance ratio for anyone that plans on using a discrete GPU solution. Of course, the absence of an integrated GPU does limit the users' flexibility - I can't count the number of times I used an integrated GPU to try and pinpoint issues with my systems (and graphics cards). But the fact remains that more consumer choice is best: users can make their own decision on whether that's worth the extra $10 or not.

Most of this information comes courtesy of Harukaze (via Twitter), as well as a benchmark on PugetBench, where the Ryzen 5 7500F was paired with an X670E motherboard and 32 GB of DDR5-4800 memory.

• ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. ROG STRIX X670E-F GAMING WIFI (1303)
• AMD Ryzen 5 7500F 6-Core Processor
• 32GB (2x16GB) 4800MHz
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (31.0.15.3168)
• Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (22621)

It's expected that the Ryzen 5 7500F will retail for around $10 less than the GPU-enabled (and 100 MHz faster) Ryzen 5 7600, whose retail launch price of $229 is typically discounted to $219.

Noctua on Tuesday introduced its NM-DD1, a special kit that allows installation of the company's coolers on delidded AMD processors in AM5 packaging. This kit can be purchased direct from the manufacturer, or you can 3D print the needed spacers and source your own fasteners. The kit was co-developed with Roman 'Der8auer' Hartung, a professional overclocker and an exotic cooling expert.

One of the ways to enhance cooling for overclocked AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors is to remove their integrated heat spreader (delidding them) and attach the cooler directly to the dies. According to Noctua, this ensures more efficient heat transfer from the heat-generating CCD chiplets to the cooler and reduces CPU temperatures by 10C – 15C. Such a boost in thermal headroom can be leveraged to significantly reduce fan speeds and related noise levels, increase CPU turbo boost frequencies, or increase the overclocking potential.

Standard coolers are not designed for use with delidded CPUs, which complicates the endeavor. But Noctua's direct die kit for AMD's delidded processors greatly simplifies the task. Of course, the greatest concerns associated with removing the IHS are the risks of damaging the processor during the delidding process and voiding the warranty. Those risks remain, but at least using Noctua's coolers with delidded CPUs is simpler.

The NM-DD1 kit contains spacers placed beneath the heatsink's securing brackets to counterbalance the height of the removed IHS and extended custom screws for reattachment of the brackets with the spacers installed. The other hardware required for delidding must be purchased separately. To further improve cooling performance, the NM-DD1 can be coupled with Noctua's recently introduced offset AM5 mounting bars, potentially leading to an additional 2C drop in temperature.

"Delidding and direct die cooling will void your CPU's warranty and bear a certain risk of damaging it, so this certainly isn't for everyone," said Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). "However, the performance gains to be had are simply spectacular, typically ranging from 10 to 15°C but in some cases, we have even seen improvements of almost 20°C in combination with our offset mounting bars, so we are confident that this is an attractive option for enthusiast users. Thanks to Roman for teaming up with us in order to enable customers to implement this exciting tuning measure with our CPU coolers!"

The NM-DD1 kit can be obtained exclusively from Noctua's website for €4.90. Alternatively, customers can 3D-print the kit's spacers at home using STL files from Printables.com. For assembly, either four M3x12 screws (for NM-DDS1) or one M4x10 screw (for NM-DDS2) will be needed.

AMD's latest Ryzen 7000-series processors based on the Zen 4 microarchitecture have been heavily criticized for their high temperatures. The use of expensive high-performance coolers is a radical way to ensure proper cooling, but Noctua now offers a bit cheaper way to reduce CPU temperature by up to 3°C: offsetting CPU mounting by 7mm using special bars.

The core complex dies (CCDs) of AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors — the hottest components of the CPU — do not reside in the center of the unit, but are skewed toward the socket's south side. Adjusting the heatsink's location over the CCDs and maximizing contact pressure there significantly boosts thermal performance, Noctua found.

While results may fluctuate due to factors such as heat flux densities, tolerances of the CPU and radiator, and thermal paste application, the offset mounting can still result in considerable core temperature reductions of 1–3°C on high-end AM5 processors, Noctua said. These improvements can help to effectively cool the CPU, achieve higher boost clock frequencies, or lower fan speeds and noise levels. Lowering temperatures and increasing boost frequencies makes a lot of sense as Ryzen 7000-series processors are ranked among the best CPUs for gaming and are used for gaming under high loads.

"We have experimented with offset mountings ever since AMD introduced its first chiplet processors that had the hotspot shifted toward the south side of the socket, but on AM4, we only saw relatively small improvements in the range of 0.5°C–1°C", says Roland Mossig, chief executive of Noctua CEO. "With the new AM5 platform and its different heat-spreader design, we managed to achieve typical improvements in the range of 1°C–3°C, so we think that this will be a very interesting performance upgrade for Ryzen 7000 users!"

Noctua offers a variety of offset mounting kits for AM4 and AM5 coolers depending on their mounting pitch (83mm vs. 78mm) and architecture (single tower vs dual tower). The company plans to offer four mounting kits: NM-AMB12, NM-AMB13, NM-AMB14, and NM-AMB15. 

Noctua's offset mounting bars can be purchased either through Noctua's official website or Amazon. They cost €3.90 when bought directly and €4.90 when obtained from Amazon, which essentially means that Noctua only charges for shipping. Starting in Q4, these mounting bars will be bundled with Noctua coolers.

The NM-AMB12, NM-AMB14, and NM-AMB15 bars are compatible with contemporary cooler models and are immediately available for purchase. The NM-AMB13 bars for older models will be available in a couple of weeks.

During a Meet the Experts webcast with retail channel vendors, AMD has confirmed some important aspects of the design of its Ryzen 8000 series processors for desktops, specifically workstations and value server. In brief, these AM5 socketed chips are going to mix both the next-generation Zen 5 CPU architecture with an incremental upgrade to the graphics architecture, dubbed Navi 3.5.

During the webcast, a roadmap for AM5 spanning from 2022 was shared (PDF link). It shows the final throes of the AM4 platform, with the Ryzen 5000 series mixing Zen 3 and Vega graphics. The current Ryzen 7000 desktop processor series mixing Zen 4 CPU cores and Navi 3.0 graphics were sensibly placed under the 2023 banner. Meanwhile, we see AMD confirm for the first time the following: AMD Ryzen 8000 series processors for AM5 will debut in 2024, packing Zen 5 CPU cores and Navi 3.5 graphics.

With the Ryzen 8000 series of chips now firmly on the horizon, those patient enough to wait out another generation for upgrades / new PC builds have something definitive to wait for. Importantly, the slide also confirms that AM5 will soldier on into 2026, and at this rate, we could be seeing two further Ryzen desktop generations before the socket gets usurped by a shiny new socket, which may or may not be called AM6.

Previous next-gen AMD Ryzen desktop roadmaps have suggested that what we now know as the Ryzen 8000 series will be codenamed ‘Granite Ridge’ (or ‘Strix Point’ for laptops). Moreover, these chips will feature up to 16 Zen 5 CPU cores across two CCDs. Also nestling on the SoC will be the Navi 3.5 GPU, which we are guessing will be a die shrink of Navi 3 for improved clocks / efficiency – but largely the same features.

An interesting congruent aspect of the newly shared slide is that it claims the current gen Ryzen 7000 series of processors for AM5 use ‘Navi 3.0’ graphics, but in fact those chips seen so far in 2023 use RNDA 2 (Navi 2.x) integrated GPUs. Are we going to get a refresh later in the year, so that this roadmap becomes more accurate? Time will tell.

Asus has added an XMP/EXPO warning notice to its latest motherboard BIOS updates. Traditionally, these kinds of notices have been added to alert users to the dangers of CPU overclocking. However, in the wake of the AMD Ryzen burnout saga, Asus has decided to make it exceedingly clear that XMP and EXPO are memory overclocking functionalities. Obviously, Asus, in this particular case, and as spotted by Twitter's HXL, wants to do its best to make its customers aware that overclocking isn't covered by the warranty. 

Pictured above is an example notice from a recently updated Asus motherboard. HXL notes that this is BIOS 1410 for an unspecified Asus motherboard. The key phrase is: "Enabling XMP/EXPO to change memory/voltage outside of Intel or AMD-published specifications can be considered overclocking." It goes on to say that XMP/EXPO speeds are not guaranteed due to a wide range of system variables. The message is that all overclocking, whether for the CPU and/or memory, void warranty coverage.

Is it fair for Asus to add this memory overclocking warning? Firstly, memory overclocking, be it XMP or EXPO, has never been covered by warranty by either Intel or AMD. However, Asus was probably as surprised as many others seeing burned-out and bubbled-up AMD CPUs appear. Moreover, there hasn't previously been a clear, practical link between CPUs/motherboards getting damaged due to memory overclocking. There is quite a complex set of power relationships at play causing the damage we have witnessed.

Asus has a large roster of engineers and other experts who should be sniffing out these kinds of issues before they hit consumers. It has been shown that the severe CPU and motherboard damage is easily reproducible without esoteric settings, and we know Asus had overclockers pushing the newest AMD CPUs and motherboards for quite some time before general availability. Moreover, Asus is a big promoter of EXPO memory overclocking, with advertising, product pages, and FAQs highlighting EXPO advantages — which need updating with appropriate warnings.

To understand why the ASUS overclocking warnings have been extended to memory overclocking, you can check out our article from last week, which includes the latest information from AMD and partners about the new BIOS files created to fix hardware-endangering issues. In brief, AMD has delivered AGESA updates to motherboard partners, which will put a 1.3V limit on SoC voltage when an EXPO memory overclocking profile is engaged. AMD has stated that a 1.3V limit won't materially impact overclocking headroom.

Overclocking in any form wasn't previously supported, but the new BIOS notices make it very clear that features like XMP / EXPO are actually overclocking technologies. It is probably a matter of time until other vendors follow Asus with similar notices and pop-ups in their BIOS and utilities.

Motherboard makers have been swift to respond with firmware updates, now that AMD has released an official statement regarding the worrying spate of ‘Ryzen burn out’ issues. Today we have seen all the major AM5 motherboard partners release or announce mitigating motherboard BIOS updates. Thus, we have statements from the likes of Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and Biostar to share with you, and we will look at what each vendor has to say about their updates. We will cover these updates in alphabetical order.

Asus AM5 Updates

Asus chose to provide a community update via Twitter, which isn’t surprising, as this firm inconsistently spreads announcements across the main Asus site, Asus ROG, Edge Up, and various random social media channels. Senior Technical Marketing Manager Juan Jose Guerrero reminds us that Ryzen 7000X3D processors don’t allow for CPU ratio or core voltage tuning, but support PBO2 and EXPO. It is these technologies that increase SoC voltage to ensure the processor can cope with the demands asked, stably.

In brief, Asus’s answer is to limit the maximum available SoC voltage to 1.3V.  This statement of intent was issued earlier today, and the Asus exec said users should be able to find a new ‘safe’ BIOS with the 1.3V limit “within the next 24 hours.”

Biostar AM5 Updates

Biostar is one of the smaller AMD partners, and it has updates for three motherboards ready to go, the X670E Valkyrie, Racing B650EGTQ, and B650M-Silver. That is the firm’s entire existing lineup, but it has three other AM5 boards in the pipeline.

A news blog post details how Biostar has created a BIOS update that “restricts direct voltage to CPU Vcore Voltage, CPU SOC Voltage, and CPU MISC Voltage.” The intent is to make voltage limit changes “preventing over-voltage and reducing the risk of damage to the 7000X3D series CPUs,” says Biostar. Interestingly, the new BIOS file we checked (X67AE413.BST for the Valkyrie) was nearly two weeks old.

Gigabyte AM5 Updates

In a news blog post today, Gigabyte says that it has worked closely with AMD to “release the new beta BIOS regarding to the recent concerns of potential motherboard damaged issues with Ryzen™ 7000X3D-series CPUs.” Like the other motherboard makers, Gigabyte says that it has implemented some more restrained SoC voltage settings to reduce the risk of damage. However, it is quick to assert that users will still enjoy “the foremost performance of Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs.”

Users will find Gigabyte’s beta BIOS downloads for its 23 AM5 series motherboards are available immediately.

MSI AM5 Updates

MSI HQ Technical Marketing chose to make a community announcement about its BIOS changes via reddit. Within its post, MSI says that MSI motherboard users haven’t experienced the issue where the SoC voltage boosts as high as 1.5V. However, in the interests of absolute safety, MSI has followed AMD’s latest guidance and “disabled the 7000X3D Core over-voltage feature.”

If you own an MSI AM5 motherboard, the maker asks that you continue to “be cautious with CPU voltage usage.” MSI assures its reddit community readers that when AMD releases a solution to the current issues, it will “promptly update” its BIOS files again.

In summary, if you are an AM5 platform user, please be careful with your voltages at this time, apply these updates, and await further developments.

In case you are blissfully unaware of the AMD Ryzen burnout issues, a good place to start to catch up is our article AMD Ryzen 7000 Burning Out: EXPO and SoC Voltages to Blame (AMD Responds), which contains all the latest info and official statements.

MSI boasts an update for its AMD X670 and B650 motherboards that will “reduce boot times by 50%.” Unfortunately, the PCs and components maker hasn't gone into the technicalities of its new “Memory Context Restore” BIOS option, but it was gracious enough to provide a chart and system configuration details.

No one likes waiting around, so shaving several seconds off a PC’s cold boot time will be a change welcomed by many PC users. MSI’s test system was pretty powerful, featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor, MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WIFI motherboard, and the Kingston 2x16GB EXPO DDR5-6000 kit.

In the chart above, you can see MSI’s “Memory Context Restore,” A / B testing results. Remember, this was exactly the same system, outlined in the above paragraph, before and after a simple BIOS setting toggle. To be clear, MSI has inserted this option in the OC settings of its Click BIOS interface. The time measured is the period between pushing the power button and the appearance of the Windows 11 desktop. 

MSI has blogged about this new “Memory Context Restore” now, but this isn’t the debut of this boot-speeding feature on MSI motherboards. According to MSI’s blurb the same feature has been present in previous BIOS revisions, but it is implied it was “not stable” enough for practical use.

Other Motherboard Brands

Looking at information regarding other motherboard brands, we see AMD users with Asus and Gigabyte/Aorus motherboards are also using “Memory Context Restore” with varying degrees of success. Last month an Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero user complained that this feature was oddly toggleable in two separate areas of the BIOS (one “hidden”), and when it was turned on it would cause Windows 11 blue screens.

There is quite a lengthy thread about Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX boot times, which started on TechPowerUp late last year. One of the TPU staff members noted that Gigabyte’s Memory Context Restore option could halve boot times compared to ‘auto everything.’ Gigabyte also keeps this particular setting buried very deep within the BIOS options, and at the time of writing it was here: Advanced BIOS (F2) > Settings Tab > AMD CBS > UMC Common Options > DDR Options > DDR Memory Features > Memory Context Restore. Perhaps it isn’t truly ready for prime time, but users seem to be satisfied.

Though we haven’t got technical documents explaining the precise functions behind Memory Context Restore, we assume it is reusing EXPO memory configuration testing / training / verification data on subsequent boots when the option is on. Thus it wouldn’t cut a new system’s first boot time, nor cut the boot time for a first boot after adding new EXPO overclocked memory or completing a BIOS reset.

To sum up, if you have the latest AMD X670 or B650 BIOS for any brand, it may be worth digging through the menus and turning on Memory Context Restore to see if it works stably for you.

When Gigabyte's enterprise unit revealed last week that AMD would introduce a successor to its Ryzen 7000-series CPUs this year, it made quite a splash among enthusiasts. But the company has removed the claim about the launch timeframe of AMD's Ryzen 8000-series products and changed the wording of its press release since then, as noted @9550pro and ComputerBase. 

"[We] do not know when the Ryzen 7000 successor will be released," Liam Quinn, a spokesman for Gigabyte, told TechRadar, confirming that the phrasing was a mistake. "[We will] make a comment on the press release to clarify but keep our original wording." 

AMD's official roadmap slides released in mid-2022 indicate that the company planned to release CPUs based on its Zen 5 and Zen 5c microarchitectures by 2024 (the year in the bottom right corner of AMD's roadmap slides typically indicates 'by the beginning of' rather than 'by the end of,' unless AMD changed something in its way of presenting data), which means that it was reasonable to expect Zen5-powered Ryzen 8000-series processors this year. 

In fact, AMD's public client roadmaps clearly indicate that its Zen 5-based Strix Point CPU for notebooks and Granite Ridge CPU for desktops will be released by 2024. This is perhaps why Gigabyte stated this in its press release.

However, a Zen 5/Zen 5c launch in late 2023 would not exactly fit AMD's cadence of releasing new microarchitectures for client PCs roughly every two years. Furthermore, given the slow demand for PCs, releasing an all-new CPU family this year might be counterproductive. To that end, even if AMD previously had plans to launch Zen 5-based products in calendar 2023, such plans might have changed by now.  

"The next generation of AMD Ryzen desktop processors that will come out later this year will also be supported on this AM5 platform, so customers who purchase these servers today have the opportunity to upgrade to the Ryzen 7000 series successor," the original press release read. 

"The next generation of AMD Ryzen desktop processors will also be supported on this AM5 platform, so customers who purchase these servers today have the opportunity to upgrade to the Ryzen 7000 series successor," the altered statement reads.

Despite AMD's announcement last September that motherboards for the new Ryzen 7000-series processors and AM5 platform would eventually cost $125, the high prices of AM5 motherboards have persisted even after six months since the launch, which has contributed to the slow adoption of the platform by the general public. AMD's A620 chipset promises to radically cut costs of AM5 mainboards and it looks like ASRock will be the first company to an A620-based platform. 

VideoCardz on Monday published the first pictures of ASRock's A620M-HDV/M.2 motherboard revealing what is to expect from a typical platform based on AMD's low-cost platform for AM5-based machines. To cut down the cost of its A620M-HDV/M.2, ASRock equipped it with an inexpensive 3+1+1-phase voltage regulating module (VRM) that uses solid-state inductors and capacitors but which can hardly enable overclocking (even if A620 supported it), reduced the number of DIMM slots to two, and omitted PCIe 5.0 support both for graphics and for storage (as per AMD's recommendations for A620-based platforms).

While some enthusiasts may consider the exclusion of overclocking as a con, it should be noted that AMD's Ryzen 7000X3D-series do not support overclocking in general, yet offer market leading performance in games. That said, AMD's A620 platform could be a good choice for gamers in budget, especially considering that the fact that there are no client GPUs that use a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface (and it looks like they are not going to hit the market for at least a year) and PCIe 5.0 x4 SSDs do not seem bring too many benefits to DirectStorage-enabled games when compared to drives with a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface.

As for other expansion options available on the A620M-HDV/M.2, they comprise of a PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2-2280 slot, an M.2-2230 slot for Wi-Fi adapters, two SATA ports, and two PCIe x1 slots . In addition to these, it also features a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a GbE connector, four USB 2.0/3.0 Type-A ports, and audio jacks.

ASRock's A620M-HDV/M.2 will not be the company's only A620-powered solution in the company's stable. The company is prepping nine of such motherboards, according to an entry in the EEC customs database. Based on the model names of ASRock's motherboards, the company intends to offer AMD A620-based motherboards only in Micro-ATX form-factor. This seems to be a logical move as most inexpensive PCs these days use this form-factor. 

As usual, there is one thing that should be noted about all EEC filings: while they may reveal products that are planned to be released, they are not indicators that these products will actually ship. Changes to the EEC customs database may be made days before launch or months before launch.

When AMD launched its first Ryzen 7000 processors, in the flurry of technical announcements and publicity enthusiasts were told they would be able to grab a new AM5 motherboard "starting at $125." Finally, several months down the line, ASRock has at last fulfilled that promise with the ASRock B650M-HDV/M.2, reckons AMD’s CVP and GM of Ryzen channel business, David McAfee. Of course, it is right to wonder what ASRock may have done — what it may have sacrificed — to hit this important price point.

AMD’s Ryzen 7000 desktop processors haven’t quite been the sales success they could have been, and this is largely down to the thorny old issue of pricing. After admirably sticking with the AM4 platform for years, across multiple CPU generations, it finally came the time to change the bath water.

The design of the powerful Zen 4 processors made necessary some premium choices on the motherboard side of the equation. AM5 motherboards required relatively costly options such as a revamped power delivery system, they arrived with a new socket mechanism and retainer, and the platform didn’t allow for users to keep their old DDR4 RAM. At the higher end, there were even more extra costs to bear, with some models requiring multiple chipsets to deliver their full portfolio of expected features.

Turning our focus back to the ASRock B650M-HDV/M.2, it's no surprise that this is a pretty basic AM5 offering. It's a Micro-ATX formfactor, with just two DIMM slots and two M.2 slots capable of housing a 2280 storage device (one PCIe Gen 5x4, another PCIe Gen 4x4). Its VRM power design is basic too, with only some small, budget-style heatsinks visible.

Some users may also feel the pinch of just seven USB ports (four of which are USB 2.0). In a similar vein, there are just four SATA drive connectors. Onboard sound is the pretty old Realtek ALC897 chip, and of course there is no RGB here.

On the plus side, it's pleasing to see this motherboard offers 2.5 Gigabit LAN. Another positive is that the graphics card slot is reinforced for strength. It's also great that the easy and convenient BIOS flashback feature is present. ASRock’s B650M-HDV/M.2 has both HDMI and DP ports ready for the iGPU output, and there's a pre-installed I/O shield — one less thing to deal with when assembling modern PCs.

Interestingly, there are antenna mounting points if you decide to fit a Wi-Fi card, and an M.2 WiFi slot on the motherboard exists for precisely this purpose. So potentially you could grab something like this WiFi 6E adapter for $36 and use it with the ASRock board. Of course, in effect you'd then be spending $161 on your AM5 motherboard, which sort of defeats the purpose of having a cheap starting price in the first place. Still, the flexibility is nice to have.

Hopefully other motherboard makers will follow in ASRock’s footsteps soon, and it will be interesting to see how they compete. Those who are looking for a complete new platform and aren’t sure whether they are choosing AMD or Intel will want to look at the competitive features of Intel LGA1700 motherboards (for Alder Lake / Raptor Lake) too. Take a look at our Best Motherboards 2023 for Gaming, by Socket and Chipset for more details about the pros and cons of the various options.

While AMD's top-of-the-range X670E chipset for AM5 motherboards offers expandability by allowing daisy-chaining of the chipsets, it is rather hard to build a Mini-ITX motherboard featuring this dual-chip core logic. But it looks like Asus has found a solution: its ROG Strix X670E-I motherboard for AMD Ryzen 7000-series processors places the second chipset chip (Promontory 21) on an add-on PCIe card, as shown in an image published by Uniko's Hardware. 

One of the peculiarities of AMD's latest 600-series chipsets is that B650E and B650 rely on a single Promontory 21 chip, whereas the I/O-rich X670E and X670 daisy chains another Promontory 21 chip using a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface to add more PCIe lanes, USB ports, and other input/output interfaces. But the second Promontory 21 chip doesn't have to be installed on the motherboard itself. Asus, for example, installs it on a special PCIe 4.0 x4 add-on card that enables an additional M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot and I/O controllers. 

By using the dual-chip X670E chipset and an additional Promontory 21 chip, Asus frees up PCIe lanes of the primary X670E platform controller hub (PCH) for Intel's JHL8540 controller that enables two USB 4 Type-C ports with a 40 Gbps throughput as well as DisplayPort support (the chip connects to PCH using a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, so the maximum raw bandwidth is about 3.938 GB/s in both directions), a Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2 adapter, a 2.5GbE controller, and multiple USB ports.  

Since AMD's Promontory 21 chip fully supports I/O virtualization features like IOMMU, using it to connect a PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD to the host promises predictable performance for both the drive and peripherals connected to the second Promontory 21 PCH. 

In total, the Asus ROG Strix X670E-I supports two M.2 slots (one with a PCIe 5.0 x4, another with a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface), two SATA ports (using another bundled add-on card), two USB4 Type-C connectors, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, six USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C connectors, and five USB 2.0 ports. Also, the unit has a 2.5 GbE (enabled by the Intel I225-V controller), and an advanced audio subsystem powered by the Realtek ALC4050 codec and ESS Sabre 9260Q DAC. 

Speaking of the audio subsystem, it is necessary to note that to fully take advantage of it one will need to use the company's bundled ROG Strix Hive adapter which also has two USB ports. 

Interestingly, Asus is not the only company that decided to place a Promontory 21 on an add-in card. Recently, Level1Techs demonstrated ASRock's X670 Xpansion Kit card for the company's B650 motherboards, transforming them into X670 mainboards. The card has a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface that carries the Promontory 21 chip to add two M.2 slots, one USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, three USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A connectors, two SATA connectors, and a 10GbE port (using the Marvell AQtion AQC113C controller).  

The expansion board requires UEFI support, so it cannot be installed on platforms whose firmware does not support it. Level21Techs installed it into a custom ASRock B650 LiveMixer motherboard with an appropriate UEFI, so the X670 Xpansion Kit card worked fine. While the card's PCIe 4.0 x4 interface will be a performance bottleneck when the board is fully populated with a couple of SSDs, connected to a 10GbE network, and with several high-performance USB devices plugged into it, I/O virtualization support should help to ensure flawless operation and predictable performance.

It appears that AMD is ready to get serious about its ongoing motherboard pricing problem, and finally deliver cheaper motherboards for its latest Ryzen 7000 Zen 4 AM5 processors. According to HKEPC, AMD is preparing two versions of an upcoming A620 motherboard chipset, aimed at budget-minded consumers. 

The current entry-level AM5 motherboards use the B650 chipset with standard PCIe 4.0 support for graphics and NVMe storage. Stepping up to the B650 Extreme gets you native PCIe 5.0 support. Taking a quick trip over to Newegg, we see that the least-expensive B650 motherboard is the Gigabyte B650M DS3H, priced at $159.99. The next-cheapest is the ASRock B650M PG Riptide WiFi, with a price tag of $174.99.

A620 motherboards could push prices closer to the $125 mark that AMD first mentioned during the announcement of the Ryzen 7000 processor platform. HKEPC reports that the first A620 chip is codenamed Promontory 21. Later, AMD will switch to Promontory 22, which will have the same hardware specifications as its predecessor. We don’t know why AMD intends to launch two feature-identical versions of the A620. But, it could be that the latter is cheaper to produce but won’t be available in time to meet AMD’s launch window.

Given AMD’s need to hit lower price points, it seems likely the A620 will be a PCIe 4.0-only chipset. This would allow AMD’s partners to design motherboards with fewer layers (as the additional layers to support PCIe 5.0 would be unnecessary) to keep costs down. However, buyers of future A620 motherboards won’t be able to escape the added cost of DDR5 memory, versus the far-cheaper DDR4 memory that's supported by rival Intel platforms. AMD is DDR5-exclusive with all its 600-Series Ryzen 7000 chipsets.

A620 motherboards should find their way into the retail market shortly, as Eurasian Economic Commission listings revealed the following motherboards earlier this month, according to Videocardz.

• Asus TUF GAMING A620M-PLUS D5
• Gigabyte A620M D3H
• Gigabyte A620M DS3H
• Gigabyte A620M S2H
• Gigabyte A620M H
• Gigabyte A620M K

These motherboards represent just a tiny trickle of what will likely become a larger stream of A620 motherboards that will come our way in the months ahead. 

The cheapest AM5 processor in AMD’s arsenal to pair with the A620 is the Ryzen 5 7600, which has an MSRP of $229 (its Ryzen 5 7600X counterpart retails for $249) and comes bundled with a free digital download of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.

As foretold by its latest roadmap, Noctua has released the NH-L9a-AM5 low-profile AMD coolers. The new product, available in both Noctua’s traditional brown and cream color combo or chromax.black, finally brings the successful NH-L9 series of low-profile CPU coolers to AMD’s latest generation platform. Moreover, this 37mm tall cooler for ultra-compact and SFF builds is claimed to be ideal for AMD’s recently released 65W Ryzen 7000 series CPUs.

These coolers aren’t 100% new, but new editions of the tried and trusted low-profile NH-L9 series are made necessary by AMD’s AM5 mounting design change. The original NH-L9a coolers for AM3 and AM4 were simply too different to be fitted to the AM5 platform with a mounting kit upgrade, and luckily AMD assures that it will be sticking with AM5 until at least 2025. Similarly, Noctua had to provide new NH-L9i cooler SKUs for Intel’s LGA1700 socket platforms in November 2021.

To provide some background to the Noctua NH-L9 series pedigree, we reviewed the Noctua NH-L9i with factory-installed Intel LGA 115x mounts way back in 2014. Throughout the lineage outlined above, the NH-L9 series has offered a premium low-profile air cooling solution for compact PC builds such as HTPCs, Mini-ITX and/or SFF systems. 

On the topic of suitable processor pairings, Noctua boss Roland Mossig says the new NH-L9a-AM5 products “can easily cool the new 7900, 7700, and 7600 at ultra-quiet fan speeds.” Mossig adds that the new coolers offer plenty of headroom above and beyond the standard 65W TDPs of the example processors. He adds, "we’ve actually been running up to 130W on the Ryzen 7950X and 7900X.”

Nevertheless, we must warn readers that the CEO’s comment about using the NH-L9a-AM5 on a Ryzen 9 7950X or 7900X is beyond the official specification. The screenshot below shows that Noctua’s online compatibility center warns that these processors are “incompatible” with the new low-profile cooler, as the “cooler cannot handle base clock.”

Noctua’s new NH-L9a-AM5 provides 100% RAM and PCIe compatibility within the confines of a tightly packed system. The optimized NF-A9x14 92mm fan supports fully automatic speed control via PWM at speeds between 600 and 2,500 RPM. The max noise it will produce is claimed to be 23.6dBA, but using the supplied NA-RC7 Low-Noise Adaptor (L.N.A) can cut this to 14.8dBA (with a cut to max fan speed of 1,800RPM).

The new Noctua NH-L9a-AM5 SKUs are available immediately, and you can grab the regular and chromax versions from the official Noctua Amazon stores worldwide. Unfortunately, however, I couldn’t find them listed on the Noctua Amazon US store at the time of writing. Therefore, the suggested pricing is UR 49.90 / USD 44.90 for the traditional Noctua color version or EUR 59.90 / USD 54.90 for the chromax.black edition.

AMD has already received much criticism for using a unique design for the integrated heat spreaders (IHS) of its Zen 4 processors. So now enthusiasts are trying to find ways to improve cooling. One of the hacks is to remove the IHS altogether, but a bit less risky method is to reduce the heat spreader's thickness by grinding it down or, in other words, lapping the CPU.

JayzTwoCents (via Andreas Schilling) grinded off the heat spreader of his Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.8mm and reduced the temperature of the processor from around 94 to 95 degrees Celsius to approximately 85 to 88 degrees Celsius at the same 5.10 GHz all-core frequency, depending on the thermal paste used. Furthermore, pushing all cores to 5.40 GHz increases its temperature to 90.65 degrees Celsius. The simple modification requires a special frame from Roman 'der8auer' Hartung, a grinding tool, and a lot of time and sweat, but the reward seems quite promising. Unfortunately, it voids the processor's warranty.

AMD equipped its latest Ryzen 7000-series processors with a very thick (3.6 mm) heat spreader to make them compatible with coolers designed initially for its processors in AM4 form factor. While compatibility means that owners will not have to spend money on new expensive coolers, the thermal conductivity of an IHS that is believed to be over 1 mm thicker than typical heat spreaders also makes it difficult to cool down these CPUs, which means higher temperatures, lower boost clocks as well as inferior overclocking potential. AMD says it is safe for its Ryzen 9 7950X to hit 95 degrees Celsius, but enthusiasts disagree.

Roman 'der8auer' Hartung, a renowned overclocker and engineer, has demonstrated how delidding an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X reduces its temperature by up to 20 degrees Celsius. But delidding is a relatively risky process. Moreover, a delidded CPU requires a modified cooling system mounting mechanism, as CPU coolers are for processors with an IHS.

Making IHS thinner is a whole different story. If done right, it seems less risky, but it requires more time, some skills with a grinding tool, and additional tools to clean the chip up after grinding (and then dry it). Also, it does not necessarily necessitate a heavily modified retention mechanism of the cooler. Of course, one will still need to find the right combination of washers and screws, but it is easier than changing the whole retention mechanism.

Because both delidding and grinding voids warranty and removal of the heat spreader lower temperature by up to 20 degrees Celsius, whereas grinding off 0.8 mm from the IHS drops the temperature by 7 to 10 degrees Celsius, delidding is a preferable mod. Yet, even a thinner heat spreader protects the die from accidental damage, so it all comes down to an individual choice.

Team Group has launched a new AiO cooler which extends to chill not just your CPU but also your SSD. The descriptively named T-Force Siren DUO360 aRGB CPU and SSD AiO Liquid Cooler features a number of other key attractions — including compatibility with the latest CPUs / sockets like Intel LGA 1700 and AMD AM5, as well as claims that it can reduce your PCIe Gen 5.0 SSD temperatures by >50%.

Available in a frosty-looking white finish, the T-Force Siren DUO 360 aRGB CPU and SSD AiO cooler has a 360mm radiator and triple 120mm fans — about as powerful as is available for mainstream consumers today. With compatibility guaranteed for upcoming Intel 13th Gen Core ‘Raptor Lake’ CPUs, and the new AMD Ryzen 7000 ‘Raphael’ CPUs, it could be a good match for a higher end processor kicking out considerable heat under stress.

Another ‘hot’ component destined to be popular in the new / next-gen systems are M.2 SSDs that connect via a PCIe Gen 5.0 interface. These are attractive thanks to their potentially superb transfer speeds, but they can get hot under sustained loads — which raises the issue of thermal throttling. Many modern motherboards come with heatsinks for M.2 SSDs now, but enthusiast-grade PCIe 5.0 drives will likely require active cooling to ensure consistent performance. Thus, having an SSD cooling plate integrated with your AiO is a pretty attractive idea.

Team Group has done some of its own testing to measure the benefits of the SSD cooling provided by the T-Force Siren DUO360 aRGB CPU and SSD AiO Liquid Cooler using a bare T-Force Cardea SSD PCIe Gen4 x4 and a bare unnamed PCIe Gen5 SSD. The cooler seems to do a pretty good job of reducing both SSDs' temperatures while idle and while under full load.

The design appears competent overall, and the official specs show that appropriate components and materials have been used for this kind of device. Fan specs, speeds, and noise characteristics are all acceptable, and the cooling blocks are made of aluminum and both feature a copper contact plate. Team Group backs its product with a two-year warranty. 

The cooler has also been designed with some visual flair. In addition to the striking white livery, there are addressable RGB zones a-plenty. Each of the three hydraulic bearing fans has its own set of aRGB LEDs; there's also a circular dual mirror aRGB water block mounted to the CPU; as well as a detachable magnetic aRGB modules that can fit on the SSD water block (or anywhere else you like).

The lighting effects delivered by this T-Force AiO cooler can be controlled and synced with all the usual mainstream systems: Asus Aura Sync, ASRock-Polychrome Sync, Biostar Advanced Vivid LED DJ, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and so on. Some of Team Group’s official product photos show the 360mm AiO in an attractive, mostly-white build.

The T-Force Siren DUO360 aRGB CPU and SSD AiO Liquid Cooler will be available starting in November, and will cost $399.

Cooling specialist Thermalright has launched a new accessory for early adopters of the AMD Ryzen 7000 platform. It's pitching its new AMD AM5 Secure Frame at PC DIYers and enthusiasts looking to optimize their CPU socket. The design certainly has some unique AMD Raphael appeal, as it is precision-made with a notched design to prevent any thermal grease from oozing into your CPU’s crevices.

CPU frame accessories have gained some favor with Intel PC DIYers in 2022 due to how the LGA1700 socket and processors (Alder Lake, Raptor Lake) are designed. Products such as the Thermal Grizzly Contact Frame, or, indeed, some Thermalright designs, are said to lower Alder Lake CPU temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Celsius by preventing CPU integrated heat spreader (IHS) flexing and bending. 

As far as we know there is no need for this type of support frame on the AMD AM5 platform. AMD’s new CPU has an extremely thick IHS, but it comes with other drawbacks.

Thermalright doesn’t offer any explanation about why Socket AM5 users will be attracted to its new AM5 Secure Frame, which is available in black or red. It released the product without fanfare (or a press release) and the product page is extremely spartan, with just a smattering of tech specs. However, the design plainly features an internal void that echoes the shape of the new Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. The notches, as long as the design is precise enough, will act very much like the Noctua Paste Guard for Ryzen 7000, but with a much more rigid and premium design.

The AM5 Secure Frame is made from a block of aluminum alloy, with black or red finish. It measures 75 x 56 x 7.5mm and weighs 45g. Thermalright bundles it with 2g of its TF7 thermal grease and an L-shaped screwdriver for fitting. A warranty of six years is provided, but we don’t currently have pricing and availability. For reference, Thermalright's latest Intel LGA1700-BCF CPU 'Bending Corrector Aluminum Frame' is listed for $14.99 on Amazon, so it will likely be priced similarly.

Thermalright doesn’t offer up any purported benefits for using the new AM5 Secure Frame, which is an interesting new marketing ploy. Hopefully, we'll get to see some independent third party reviews or investigations regarding its qualities soon.

The cooling experts at Noctua have announced a new product designed to prevent accumulations of thermal paste in the nooks and crannies of AMD’s latest Ryzen 7000 series ‘Raphael’ processors. Noctua’s NA-TPG1 works simply enough, functioning as a barrier, hugging the contours of the AM5 processor with its precisely cut from polycarbonate form. It is designed as a physical barrier to any errant thermal paste which may emerge when a CPU cooler is installed.

AMD’s latest AM5 socket processors certainly are easy to distinguish with their eight thick legs, but PC enthusiasts and DIYers are worried about thermal paste squeezing out and getting stuck in the crevices when a cooler is strapped on. We know of no particular issues a little bit of non-conductive thermal paste might cause other than it looking somewhat unsightly. Nevertheless, a tidy and clean PC build is always preferred.

The Noctua NA-TPG1 is made of “highly heat-resistant polycarbonate,” according to the cooling accessory maker. In addition, its “tight seal” around the irregularly shaped Ryzen 7000 heatspreader should ensure no leakage.

As users may swap and repaste their CPUs and coolers from time to time, Noctua’s standard NA-TPG1 offering comes with a ten-pack of NA-CW1 cleaning wipes. In addition, there are two different SKUs; one with a bundled tube of NT-H1 thermal paste and another with a tube of NT-H2 thermal paste. If in doubt, Noctua published a guide to applying thermal paste to one of AMD’s new Ryzen 7000 CPUs in late August.

Noctua says the above-mentioned product combos will become available in December. This is pretty quick for the Austrian firm, which is well known for delaying products on its roadmap for years. The SKUs and pricing are listed below:

• NA-TPG1 thermal paste guard: EUR/USD 7.90
• NA-TPG1 with NT-H1 3.5g AM5 Edition: EUR/USD 9.90
• NA-TPG1 with NT-H2 3.5g AM5 Edition: EUR/USD 13.90

For further information about thermal paste choice, and our evaluation of Noctua formulations, please check out our Best Thermal Paste for CPUs 2022 guide, which considers more than 90 brands/formulations.

Igor’s DIY solution

The worry of thermal paste getting where it shouldn’t on AM5 platforms was enough for Tom’s Hardware Germany alumni Igor Wallossek to write a page about preventing the issue in a DIY manner. If you follow the link you will read and see photos of Wallossek’s painstaking process of cutting and applying electrical insulation tape – for the same result of using a NA-TPG1, but instead using some materials you might already have at home.

As AMD is rolling out its next-generation Ryzen 7000-series 'Raphael' processors, die hard overclockers are already finding ways to cool down these CPUs and push them to the limit. As reported by ExtremeTech Legendary overclocker Roman 'der8auer' Hartung this week delidded AMD's 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X processor and discovered that direct-die cooling lowers chip temperature by approximately 20 degrees Celsius under heavy loads. 

Lowering CPU temperature by about 20 degrees Celsius in Cinebench (a resource heavy benchmark) enabled der8auer to increase the clocks on all 12 cores to 5.50 GHz by increasing the voltage by 30 millivolts. Even at 5.50 GHz on all 12 cores, the CPU temperature was only 74.9 degrees Celsius, which means that the processor has quite some headroom for further overclocking. 

Integrated heat spreaders (IHS) are there to protect a fragile CPU die (or dies) and ensure decent contact with a cooling system in normal conditions. But IHSs as well as their thermal interface materials (TIMs) that attach them to dies are not always ideal from a thermal conduction point of view. Removing IHS can lead to more efficient cooling and better overclocking results, if you are brave enough to attempt it. Delidding (removing the IHS) a CPU usually leads to 10 – 15 degrees Celsius temperature reduction. In case of Der8auer's AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, the temperature difference in Cinebench R20 was about 20 degrees Celsius, well beyond typical expectations. There are possible explanations for this. 

First up, AMD's IHS for AM5 CPUs is extremely thick, perhaps in a bid to maintain compatibility with previous-generation (AM4) coolers. Secondly, Roman 'der8auer' Hartung used his own liquid metal thermal grease that is not yet available and which is supposed to outperform existing liquid metal-based pastes as well as solder that AMD uses for its CPUs. New thermal interface is not going to dramatically lower temperature by itself, but a combination of direct-die cooling and new thermal grease can bring surprising results. 

Since AMD only started to sell its Ryzen 7000-series processors on September 27, there are no off-the-shelf tools to delid these CPUs (so the overclocker had to custom-make one), there are no custom frames to hold a cooling system (again, he had to invent his own), it is hard for an average enthusiast to replicate Hartung's experiment. Nonetheless, the numbers speak for themselves. Lowering temperature by 20 degrees Celsius and pushing all twelve cores to 5.50 GHz is a big deal. Hartung says that eventually the delidding tool as well as custom AM5 frame for delidded CPUs will be available from his website.

4/17/2023 Update:
Since the initial launch of AMD's first Ryzen 7000  motherboards, there have been plenty of complaints from PC builders (and us) that AMD's latest motherboards cost too much. But recently, a few B650M motherboards launched in the $125 range, and even more-affordable A620 boards are also on the way (though they lack PCIe 5.0 and official overclocking support). Be sure to check out our best motherboards page, as we are in the process of testing and reviewing some of AMD's more affordable motherboard options.

Lining up with AMD’s Ryzen 7000 CPU announcements, many motherboard partners are showing off their new X670E/X670-based motherboards, featuring the new AM5 socket, to go along with the new Zen 4 chips. The new motherboards come with a slew of updates and improvements to support the new CPU platform. This includes moving from DDR4 to DDR5 (no DDR4 options, unlike Intel), a shift from PCIe 4.0 to PCIe 5.0, and upgraded power delivery to support the socket capable of using up to 230W.

I look forward to all the new hardware bits and functionality, but I get most excited about the new designs board partners come up with. Over the coming months, we’ll review many of these boards, with the best models earning spots on our best motherboards page.

Until we get started with reviews, we’ve created a list of Ryzen 7000 motherboards, with as much information directly from partners as possible. Many details, including the all-important price, will arrive later. So there’s some speculation on our end below. We’ll provide everything we have regarding official facts and update the information here as we get it.

AMD’s X670 Chipset: AM5 goes LGA, PCIe 5.0 and DDR5

Just as with our Z690 overview article earlier this year, when we started this one, AMD had not released the full details of the X670 chipsets. But what we do know is AMD has moved away from the PGA (Pin Grid Array) socket to an LGA (Land Grid Array) socket, like Intel processors. The new socket contains 1,718 pins, 18 more than Intel’s LGA 1700 socket for its Z6x0 motherboards and Alder Lake processors. The good news is that AM4-compatible cooling will fit the AM5 motherboards. Many mounting kits work natively, though some will need new ones for best results. Reach out to the company that made your cooler to confirm compatibility.

Along with the flagship-class X670E chipset, AMD is also releasing X670 (no “E”), B650E and B650 chipsets. X670E supports all the new bells and whistles, including PCIe 5.0 slots and storage, along with AMD EXPO memory technology (essentially an AMD-specific version of Intel’s XMP). X670, on the other hand, supports EXPO, but only PCIe 5.0 on the NVMe storage (not the PCIe slot). The other chipsets, B650E and B650, offer users a less-expensive path into the new AM5 platform. The “E” variant has comprehensive support for PCIe Gen 5 (slot and NVMe storage), while the ‘base’ X650 chipset only supports PCIe 5.0 on storage/NVMe. Both chipsets support overclocking the processor and memory.

The B650E motherboards target the mid-range to higher ‘budget’ options, so there will likely be some pricing overlap between the higher tier B650E and X670, as they share some of the same internals, including PCIe redrivers and the necessary space to support them. While most motherboard partners haven’t disclosed pricing, AMD did mention that AM5 motherboards will be available for as low as $125. However, we imagine this is likely the MSRP of the least expensive B650 motherboard(s). That said, we expect a price increase compared to X570 and perhaps even Z690, regardless of the chipset tier. It’s nice to see graphics cards coming down in price, but getting into a new DDR5 platform will cost you.

Along with the jump to DDR5, AMD is also releasing AMD EXPO (EXtended Profiles for Overclocking) memory technology, a one-click overclocking profile for Ryzen 7000 series memory. Similar to integrated XMP profiles for Intel, you’ll have EXPO profiles to select in the BIOS to run your kit at the rated speeds. AMD partnered with several memory manufacturers, including ADATA, Corsair, Geil, G.Skill and Kingston to help bring DDR5 memory kits to the market with the new features. According to AMD, upon launch on September 27th, you should see at least 15 kits of DDR5 with AMD EXPO functionality at speeds up to DDR5-6400. We’ve already covered kits from G.Skill and TeamGroup.

One of the more unique features of the X670E boards is their dual PCHs. The chipset (actually a chipset, defined as multiple chips) uses two Promontory 21 (PROM21) chips. Instead of exclusive access to the CPU for each, the two chips connect to each other through four PCIe 4.0 lanes, which then connect to the CPU directly, sporting the same PCIe 4.0 x4 bandwidth as X570 for DMI. Combined, the chipset provides three PCIe 4.0 x4 interfaces (12 lanes total) and eight PCIe 3.0, the latter reserved for slower connectivity like networking. Board partners have the flexibility to configure the PCIe 3.0 to SATA ports, which yields a mix and match of six SATA plus two PCIe (x4 + x4).

A benefit of using a multi-chip configuration (both 7W TDP, note), is that they can be spread out and cooled passively, forgoing the fans that many despised (few with good reason, as they weren’t noisy) on the first batch of X570 motherboards. Thankfully, we haven’t seen any chipset fans on Micro ATX or larger boards, but we do expect to see them used with high-end Mini-ITX motherboards since real estate is so limited on those tiny boards. Check out our article from a few months back for more detailed information. AMD hasn’t released an official chipset diagram at this time, but we have one for the Aorus Master, which gives you an example of how things can be split up.

On the USB front, the chipset offers quite a bit of native USB connectivity. X670/X670E supports up to eight USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports and another four ports that can be configured as two USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) ports. If that isn’t enough, the chipset also supports up to 12 more USB 2.0 ports.

Some high-end boards support USB Power Delivery (PD) and output up to 60W at 20V/3A. Not only can you fast charge your smartphone with these ports, but larger devices like tablets and some laptops, too. To support that much power, you’ll need to plug a spare 6-pin PCIe connector to plug into the board. Otherwise, you’ll be limited to the 20V/1.5A and 30W. For the midrange B650 chipset, just one of the PROM21 chips is used. On some boards, you’ll find USB 4 support via an ASMedia ASM4242 controller, which outputs two USB 4 ports from four PCIe 4.0 lanes via the CPU, while also supporting DisplayPort v1.4 (thus video) through the interface.

Moving to networking, there isn’t too much of a change here, especially when compared to the updated B550 boards (or Intel Z690), which added 2.5 GbE port(s), with high-end boards using up to 10 GbE. The new chipset also includes integrated Wi-Fi 6E, akin to Intel’s CNVi implementation, which is included on most boards.

Here’s a look at how X670 compares with AMD’s previous mainstream flagship chipsets. You’ll notice some question marks remain; remember that we don’t have an official chipset diagram from AMD. We’ll update any information below once we have official information from AMD.

AMD X670E/X670, B650E/B650 and X570 Chipset Specifications

AM5 CPUs

We’ve already covered the Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 details, so we won’t get into all of the CPU nitty gritty here and keep it high level. AMD will release four new Zen 4 Ryzen series (Code name “Raphael”) processors at launch. Up top is the 16-core $699 Ryzen 9 7950X flagship, followed by the 12-core $549 Ryzen 9 7900X, a $399 8-core Ryzen 7 7700X, and finally, the budget chip of the group, the $299 6-core Ryzen 5 7600X. Pricing is solid overall, with the Ryzen 7 7700X the only processor increasing in price, by $100, over the last-generation Ryzen 7 5700X it replaces. The 7950X is $100 less than the 5950X’s launch price, while the 7900X and 7600X cost the same as the 5700X and 5600X launch prices. While that’s a positive across most SKUs, the real cost increases will almost certainly come from the motherboard and the shift to DDR5. It does though, seem likely that DDR5 prices will continue to fall, especially on lower-end kits.

The new CPUs are built on TSMC’s 5nm process node for the Core Compute Die (CCD) and a 6nm process for the I/O die (IOD). Although the core/thread counts remain the same, Zen 4 also doubles the L2 cache (L3 remains the same). Along with the clock speed increase, this helps with overall performance. With the new architecture though, TDP and power goes up. The Ryzen 9 chips have a TDP of 170W, with peaks (PBP/MTP) allowed up to 230W, a healthy increase from Zen 3. The Ryzen 7 7700X and 7600X both sport 105W TDPs, but their PBP/MTP power limit is currently unknown. In short, you’ll probably need a good cooling solution to get the most out of these chips (same as Intel), and you may need to spring for a new power supply.

The good news is that with the power increase comes a significant performance uplift. According to AMD, the processors achieve up to 13% improvement in IPC (Instructions Per Clock). Along with the notable IPC increase, AMD also raised the ceiling on clock speeds, boosting up to a blazing 5.7 GHz on two cores. Some simple napkin math results reveal around a 29% improvement in single-threaded performance over Zen 3. AMD also notes up to 45% more performance in multi-threaded applications. AMD also claims it’s 11% faster in games, 44% faster for compute functionality, and 47% greater efficiency than the Intel Core i9-12900K. Of course, these chips will obviously be competing with 13th Gen Raptor Lake chips, like the Core i9-13900K. The new AMD processors also support AVX-512 and, for the first time in a long time, include integrated graphics based on the RDNA 2 architecture. Note though, that the integrated graphics here are basic, meant primarily to handle displaying the desktop, not running games.

Unlike Intel, AMD chose to go all in with DDR5 and so does not support DDR4 on its new platform. Since DDR5 is available in greater volume and prices are coming down (though still a lot higher than DDR4), this was arguably a good choice on AMD’s part. The highest in-spec frequency for the existing AM5 SKUs is DDR5-5200. But AMD did share that DDR5-6000 will be the sweet spot for Zen 4.

X670 (and rumored B650) Motherboards: The Full List (So Far)

With the chipset details out of the way, we’ve provided a list of all X670 and X650 motherboards kown so far below, doing our best to ignore unsubstantiated rumors and leaks. As usual, not all partners responded or had updated web pages in time for publication, so there's a strong chance that some things will change. We’ll break things out on the following pages and offer some thoughts on the respective launch lineups after. Unfortunately, pricing is an essential piece of information that no vendors have provided yet. But we’ve filled in the tables with what data we have. Any models listed in bold are confirmed through the board partner, while any that are not bold and italicized (most B650), are unconfirmed but heavily speculated around the web.

X670/B650 Motherboard Product Stack by Partner

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ASRock

• Improved aesthetics and power delivery
• Wi-Fi 6E on most boards
• PCIe 5.0 storage/slots (X670E)

At the time we wrote this article, ASRock sent information regarding its X670 boards, but the B650 SKUs were not included, as they will launch in mid-October. From the details we have, you’ll see some familiar SKUs like the Taichi, Steel Legend, Pro and PG lines, as well as some new variants such as the 20th Anniversary Taichi Carrara and the entry-level PG Lightning. We’ve also spotted the B650 LiveMixer board on the web as well, but nothing is certain. Although we don’t officially see Micro ATX or ITX X670 boards, we imagine the lineup will fill up quickly after launch. Worth noting: ASRock says it will not have any X670 (non-”e”) SKUs, only X670E. The thinking is that X670 is the high-end while B650 fills that mid-range space.

All boards we have images of show an updated appearance, looking much different than the X570 and even Z690 versions. The new Taichi Carrara has a high-end marble appearance that’s truly unique to motherboards, while the ‘base’ Taichi, one of the better-looking boards around, also gets an improved aesthetic.

Outside of looks, the X670E boards all include PCIe 5.0 slot(s), a PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket, and more robust power delivery. Some even include USB 4 Type-C, a first on consumer motherboards.

Three of the boards (Steel Legend, Pro RS and PG Lightning) also support their new Blazing M.2 fan heatsink, replacing the basic heatsink already in place with a larger and actively cooled version. With the new PCIe 5.0 drives likely running as hot or hotter than many PCIe 4.0 drives, this could be a worthwhile accessory to prevent throttling of future ultra-fast storage devices. On the networking front, ASRock also keeps Killer-based networking on the Taichis, with Realtek and Intel on others.

Pricing information was not shared, but like all other boards, we expect a price increase over X570 and even Z690. Will we see an X670E Aqua? How about an OC Formula (or an Aqua OC)? What about venerable budget models like the Extreme? We can only wait and hope–and save up.

Asus

• Updated aesthetics 
• Teamed Power Architecture (on most boards), up to 110A
• AI Overclocking Based on CPU quality and Cooler Efficiency
• 2.5GbE and 10GbE NIC Available along with Wi-Fi 6E

At launch, Asus (officially) brings to market seven motherboards that cover all of its product lines. You’ll see ROG SKUs (Crosshair Extreme/Gene/Hero and Strix Gaming), TUF (Gaming X670E-Plus WIFI), Prime (X670E-Pro WIFI, and ProArt (X670E Creator) models. What’s missing in the initial launch is official word of smaller Micro ATX and Mini-ITX size boards, along with several ROG Strix Gaming models. As time goes on, we’ll likely see the complete product stack fill out, and we haven’t even talked about the less-expensive X670 and B650 SKUs.

Like the rest of the board partners, Asus’ new X670E boards sport an updated appearance, PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support, 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 6E on most SKUs (10 GbE on the Extreme), as well as updated power delivery to support AMD’s new Zen 4 processors including the flagship Ryzen 9 7950X. On the Crosshair Extreme, for example, Asus uses 20 phases for Vcore with 110A MOSFETs, the highest value we’ve seen so far. I don’t imagine most VRMs getting in the way of stock or overclocked operations on X670E/X670 parts.

Along with the Dynamic OC Switcher we saw on the X570 Extreme, the Crosshair X670E Extreme/Gene/Hero now has Ryzen Core Flex, a set of ‘highly configurable’ algorithms for control over the CPU. You can set a slew of variables, including temperature limit, EDC, PPT and other settings to change based on core temp, current, or voltage through a simple dropdown in the UEFI. This functionality is courtesy of an onboard clock generator that separates from the Infinity Fabric, NBIO, PCIe, and memory.

Generically, all Asus X670/B650 boards support the new AMD Extended Profiles for Overclocking (EXPO), just like the rest. They also support AEMP (the previous-gen workaround to bypass PMIC on the RAM) and the familiar DOCP. Asus lists memory support up to DDR4-6400, but this will vary by board.

In all, Asus has plenty of X670E options available at launch that should work for most users. While we’re missing an X670E ITX board out of the gate, we’ll certainly see that down the line. The less expensive options, including B650 boards, we’ll also see sometime after mid-October. I hope we see an overclocking-focused board like the Apex, plus ITX boards soon, as they are some of my favorites. We’ve listed what Asus provided below.

Biostar

• Up to 22-phase design
• Wi-Fi 6E capabilities on all boards 
• Updated and improved appearance

At this time, we know Biostar is releasing one X670E-based board. So far, we haven’t seen a mention of the less expensive GTA board that compliments the Valkyrie. Like the other partners, Biostar updated its design, power delivery and implemented all of the PCIe 5.0 goodies, including slots and M.2 sockets. The flagship Valkyrie sports a robust 105A 22-phase VRM to support the new chips, a quality audio codec and a slew of rear IO USB ports (nine), including a 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port (no USB 4 here). Outside of that, we again hope to see improvements in the UEFI BIOS implementation. Although functional, Biostar’s offering is not up to par with the others.

EVGA

It still feels odd mentioning EVGA and AMD in the same breath, but here we are again. Late in the game, and a surprise to almost everyone, EVGA launched their first-in-a-long-time AMD-based motherboard in the X570 Dark. After our review, we determined it was a quality entrant in the X570 space, so we’re looking forward to seeing something down the line from EVGA. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how the company functions after its dramatic exit from its partnership with Nvidia.

Gigabyte

• 70-105A VRMs
• Daisy Chain + Shielded Memory Routing
• 2.5 GbE-plus NICs on all models (up to 10 GbE)
• Wi-Fi 6E on all X670E/670 Aorus models
• Four M.2 sockets 
• Updated styling

Gigabyte joins the X670 party with four boards at launch from the gaming-centric Aorus line. The first Ryzen 7000 falcons are the X670E Aorus Xtreme, X670E Aorus Master, X670 Aorus Pro Ax, and the X670 Aorus Elite AX. Later, the company will likely release the more budget-oriented Gaming X and UD series. Though nothing was mentioned officially, we’ve also seen some leaks on the Aero line (designed for Creators) as well. Surely the product stack will fill out over time and include Micro ATX and Mini-ITX boards.

The Aorus X670E/X670 boards also step up their VRM game, with the Aorus Pro AX and Elite AX offering a twin (mirrored configuration with the controller) 16-phase VRM with 90A and 70A SPS MOSFETs, respectively. The high-end Master uses a ‘direct’ configuration with 16 phases (105A SPS MOSFETs), while the flagship Xtreme uses 18 phases and the same 105A SPS MOSFETs as the Master. Although I haven’t tested the platform yet, I’d imagine the CPU thermals will again be the performance limit, as opposed to the motherboard.

Surprisingly, we don’t see the latest Realtek codec (ALC4080/4082) on the high-end boards here. The ALC1220-VB2 is a fine audio solution that most find more than acceptable, but to not see the latest and greatest on a flagship-class board was a bit disappointing. From the specifications Gigabyte provided, these all look like well-equipped and good-looking motherboards. Let’s hope the price is as good as it was with most of the company’s Alder Lake-capable motherboards. I also wish to see the Waterforce board down the road, as that was a real beauty with a great set of specs to back it up. I was also partial to the overclocking-focused Tachyon.

MSI

• 80A to 105A VRMs
• 2.5 GbE LAN and Wi-Fi 6E or 6E for all Models
• Memory support up to DDR5 6666+(OC)
• Front Gen 2x2 Type-C port for all X670 models
• Gen 2x2 Front panel port supports PD to 20V@3A 60W
• New styling

MSI officially starts off X670 with four SKUs. From the flagship on down, on launch we’ll see the MEG X670E Godlike, MEG X670E Ace, MPG X670E Carbon WIFI, and the Pro X670-P WIFI for creators. Unofficially, we’ll see several B650-based boards as well, but that’s down the line a bit. While we don’t have any details now, the various sites have several models, including the Carbon, Edge, Tomahawk/Mortar and Pro series that we’re all familiar with. MSI looks to have a complete lineup, including ITX and Micro ATX motherboards, as expected.

Like other board partners, MSI started by updating its power delivery to support the power-hungry AM5 processors. The listed X670E/X670 boards range from 14 to 24 phases dedicated to Vcore with up to 105A MOSFETs in the Godlike. In addition to the beefed-up power delivery, MSI updated the thermal design of the heatsinks (Wavy fin) with Cross heatpipes, eight or 10-layer PCBs, a screwless M.2 Shield Frozr with EZ M.2 Clip, front USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support PD 60W, 10G LAN on MEG motherboards, and finally the M-Vision Dashboard (a 4.5-inch IPS touch panel).

MSI didn’t stop with the hardware either, making some aesthetic tweaks. The Godlike and Ace still rock the black or black-and-gold theme, while the Carbon WIFI and Pro lines also receive a couple of appearance updates. One of the things I noticed in MSI’s lineup (and most partners so far) is a reduction in the number of integrated RGBs. Gone are the days of excessively gaudy illumination across almost the entire lineup. That’s been replaced by more tactfully implemented designs. If you’re left wanting more, you can always add lights via headers.

At launch, MSI only has a few boards listed, but will surely release a wide range of motherboards to fill out the product stack before too long. We’ll see several more B650E/B650 in a month or so and additional boards from X670E/X670 like the Unify series we’ve seen on Intel. For those looking for an ITX or Micro ATX board out of the gate, you’ll have to wait a bit (at least until October). On paper, we like what MSI has to offer and can’t wait to get these on the test bench.

NZXT

We reached out to NZXT for information, but they also didn’t respond in time for publication. We expect to see the company in the market again with an X670 SKU. If their naming convention remains the same, we should see an N7 X670E model. We’ve seen some articles listing an NZXT part, but at the moment, it’s still a rumor. In the past, the NZXT boards were based on an ASRock part, and we don’t expect that to change, especially considering the rumors have come from a list of ASRock boards. With Z690, we saw a more budget-oriented N5 SKU, and perhaps we’ll see that with AMD as well.

Compared to Z690, early X670 information was disappointingly sparse. Officially, there are 22 boards, compared to the over 50 (most of which were confirmed) we saw with the launch of Alder Lake. Even though the number of boards isn’t that high, there’s something above for most builders. with more coming down the pike. As usual, none of the board partners mentioned pricing before launch, but we know they will be higher than X570 and probably around Z690 price points (if not higher). We’ll try to fill in the blanks as we get more information.

Only testing will tell if AMD’s claimed 13% IPC increase for these AM5 “Raphael” CPUs will retake the gaming crown from Intel. AMD sure thinks they have a winner, and from the leaked benchmarks, it looks like a nice performance increase with a significant clock speed bump. Seeing 5.7 GHz-plus out of the box is quite a feat. With the great PC equinox coming up, Intel/AMD/NV all releasing CPUs and Video cards within a couple of months of each other. If you combine that with the falling price of existing GPUs and SSDs, the end of 2022 is shaping up to be a great time to build a new PC.

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One of the most popular premium PC cooling companies has announced news that will be of interest to those considering an upgrade to an AMD Ryzen 7000 series ‘Raphael’ processor. Today, Noctua formally confirmed that all its Socket AM4 (PGA1331) compatible coolers and mounting kits will support Socket AM5 (LGA1718) platforms you might be planning to build.

Currently there is one exception: The NH-L9a-AM4 low-profile cooler and the NM-AM4-L9aL9i mounting-kit, aren’t AM5 friendly at the time of writing. Noctua isn’t going to be deterred from achieving a 100% record though, as it says that it will be making available a new NM-AM5-L9aL9i kit, available free-of-charge to the CPU cooler owners, starting from the end of October. Moreover, a new version of the NH-L9a cooler that already includes AM5 mounting hardware is planned for Q1 2023.

As part of its news release, Noctua included a statement from its CEO, Roland Mossig, who boasted that Noctua has been offering free of charge mounting upgrade kits to AMD customers since AM2 was cutting edge in 2006. All of the company's coolers that support multiple sockets, as they have been sold since 2019, will "already support AM5 out of the box." Whether you need a free mounting upgrade or not, Noctua underlines that coolers up to 15 years old will be able to handle the newest AMD desktop platform.

If you need more information on which coolers support which sockets, check the Noctua Compatibility Center at ncc.noctua.at. This resource has a search field at the top, so you put your hardware choice into the box, or you can simply click through lists of CPUs, motherboards, cases or RAM modules to see if they are compatible with your Noctua cooler. The tool allows users to start at the other end of the equation, selecting their Noctua cooler and checking what hardware it is compatible with. As of this writing, the tool wasn't up to snuff with AM5 info, but that might have something to do with the timing of AMD Ryzen 7000 (Socket AM5) CPU and motherboard availability. AMD launched its first Ryzen 7000 CPUs over three weeks ago, but they don’t go on sale until next Tuesday, September 27.

If you do need a free mounting upgrade kit, (perhaps you bought your Noctua cooler before 2019) head on over to the Noctua website and upload your purchase receipts (Noctua cooler + motherboard or CPU). If you don't have your proof of pu rchase Noctua offers the same mounting kits for $7.90 via Amazon.

Two European retailers on Wednesday listed ASRock's family of motherboards based on AMD's X670E chipset and designed for the upcoming Ryzen 7000-series processors. However, unlike all AMD X670E-powered mainboards we have encountered, some of ASRock's X670E platforms are not prohibitively expensive, according to two retailers.

For AMD's upcoming Ryzen 7000 processors in AM5 packaging, ASRock will offer five motherboards based on AMD's X670 Extreme chipset and, for now, will not offer any vanilla X670 platforms, as the company revealed in early August. Instead, the family includes two dreadnoughts, X670E Taichi Carrara and X670E Taichi mainboards aimed at devoted enthusiasts and overclockers without budget limitations, and X670E Steel Legend, X670E Pro RS, and X670E PG Lightning for everyone else.

Indeed, ASRock's flagship X670E Taichi Carrara and X670E Taichi mainboards are the most expensive in the company's family as they cost €693 ($578 without VAT) and €661 ($550 without VAT) in France, according to a screenshot published by @momomo_us, a hardware leaker with an excellent track record. Admittedly, over half a thousand dollars is still quite a lot for a motherboard, but it is considerably cheaper than the $1300 ~ $1500 range we have seen with X670E mainboards from Asus and MSI.

Perhaps more important is that ASRock's cheapest X670E PG Lightning will cost €334 ($278 without VAT) in France and £311.62 ($298 without VAT) in the U.K., which is a range for AMD X670-based platforms from Asus and MSI. Other family members will also not be too expensive by today's standards: the X670E Pro RS will cost approximately €373 ($311 without VAT), and the X670E Steel Legend will retail for about €412 ($343 without VAT).

We summarized the data in the following table:

It is hard to say why ASRock's X670E motherboards are considerably cheaper than mainboards based on the same chipset from other vendors. Some 20 years ago — ASRock was a maker of budget motherboards. Still, in recent years the company has become a supplier of relatively high-end products aiming demanding gamers and overclockers.

Formally, ASRock's flagship X670E platform will be its Aqua-badged product designed for enthusiasts with custom liquid cooling systems, and this one could approach the $1000 range. Meanwhile, ASRock's X670E PG Lightning is entering vanilla X670 territory with its sub-$300 price. Assuming that prices are correct, it looks like not all premium AM5 motherboards will carry a ridiculously high price tag.

With the availability date of AMD's new platforms coming closer, more retailers will begin to list motherboards based on AMD's X670 and X670 Extreme chipsets. However, we yet have to see the prices of AM5 motherboards from Biostar and Gigabyte.

AMD's reasonably priced B650 and B650E platforms for its Ryzen 7000-series CPUs in AM5 packaging may be closer than expected as the company's partners are already set to showcase them in early October. 

AMD will host its Meet the Experts presentation called 'An Exclusive First Look at B650 and B650E AM5 Motherboards' on October 4 (at 10AM CDT) where its partners will reveal details of their reasonably-priced motherboards for AM5 processors. Among the highlights of the new platforms AMD mentions support for its Ryzen 7000-series processors, dual-channel DDR5, and PCIe 5.0 interconnection. 

Asus, ASRock, Biostar, Gigabyte, and MSI will reveal their AMD B650 and B650E lineups as well as highlight their key features at the event. 

The biggest question, of course, is when motherboard makers will actually start selling their products based on AMD's B650 and B650E chipsets — AMD and partners pre-announced their flagship AMD 670/670E platforms a little less than two months ahead of actual sales. With B650/B650E, the lag between announcement and sales will hopefully be shorter. 

AMD's high-end enthusiast-grade AMD X670 and AMD X670E platforms for Ryzen 7000-series CPUs that are set to hit the market on September 27 promise very advanced connectivity and impressive overclocking capabilities. Unfortunately, as listings of Asus and MSI motherboards have demonstrated, many of them are going to be prohibitively expensive, which will make them a prerogative of die-hard enthusiasts and gamers with deep pockets. 

To make Zen 4 generation processors more accessible for the masses, AMD and its partners are preparing AMD B650 and B650E platforms that will support key capabilities of AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors but will have a cut-down feature set as well as considerably lower costs and prices. 

But even with the launch of AMD's B650/B650E platforms, do not expect Zen 4-based machines to get cheap any time soon. The lowest-cost Ryzen 5 7600X is priced at $299, DDR5 memory is sold at a premium over DDR4 modules, and we do not expect B650/B650E motherboards to be bargains. But if you want to have the latest platform, you should probably be prepared to pay for this. 

MSI's U.S. online store on Wednesday listed four of the company's upcoming AM5 motherboards for AMD's Ryzen 7000 processors based on X670 and X670E chipsets. Being among the first platforms aimed at AMD's Zen 4 CPUs, these products are certainly aimed at demanding users, so their prices are well above average.  

MSI's initial lineup of AM5 motherboards will include four models: three powered by AMD's X670E chipset for die hard enthusiasts as well as one featuring AMD's X670 chipset for more rational buyers, just like the company announced in early August. 

The crème-de-la-crème MEG X670E Godlike will be designed for gamers and enthusiasts with very deep pockets and will cost $1299.99, whereas the MEG X670E Ace will be aimed at those who are not ready to invest an extreme amount of money in a PC and will cost "only" $699.99. Sitting slightly below is the MPG X670E Carbon Wi-Fi for $479.99 for those who want a taste of AMD's Extreme platform at a slightly lower price. For those who do not want to pay for an extreme platform, MSI will offer its X670-powered Pro X670-P Wi-Fi for $289.99.

All MSI's X670/X670E-based motherboards will support AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors with up to 16 Zen 4 cores as well as with dual-channel DDR5 memory support. Since the mainboards are designed for enthusiasts, they will all use high-quality 10 or eight-layer printed circuit boards and come equipped with very sophisticated multi-phase CPU voltage regulating modules that can deliver hundreds of watts of clean power to CPUs to maximize their overclocking potential.  

The motherboards will also feature multiple PCIe x16 expansion slots for graphics cards and other add-in-boards, but only X670E-based platforms will support PCIe 5.0 x16 for graphics adapters as well as multi-GPU capability, whereas the X670 model will support PCIe 4.0 x16 for GPUs, but a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface for M.2 SSDs. As for connectivity, the new AM5 platforms from MSI will feature USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports, 2.5GbE or 10GbE connectivity, a Wi-Fi 6E adapter, and sophisticated cooling for VRM, chipset, and SSD.

MSI's Initial AM5 Motherboards at a Glance

All the motherboards are fairly advanced, but the flagship MEG-series come with M.2 Xpander-Z Gen5 Dual SSD adapter cards that add two M.2-2280 slots for SSDs and therefore enable a rather formidable storage system. In addition, the MEG X670E Godlike comes with an M-Vision Dashboard LCD that displays the status of the rig and allows system tuning with touch control.

MSI's AMD X670 and X670E motherboards will be available starting September 27, 2022.

It is not a secret that Asustek's AMD X670E-based motherboards for AMD's upcoming Ryzen 7000-series processors are going to be considerably more expensive than existing platforms for AMD's CPU. In a bid to make these motherboards somewhat more attractive in terms of value, Asus plans to bundle high-end gear with its higher-end AM5 motherboards. 

Asus U.K. on Thursday announced its new promotion that will provide those who buy an Asus X670E-powered platform between Sept. 27 and Nov. 11, 2022, from a participating retailer in the U.K. a gift worth up to £139 ($162 with VAT, $135 without VAT). The list of gifts includes various ROG-branded headsets, mice, and webcams, as discovered by @momomo_us. 

The exact free item that Asus customers will receive depends on the motherboard they buy (more expensive platforms will give you more expensive freebies) and what they choose. For example, a ROG Crosshair X670E will get you either a ROG Delta headset or a ROG Chakram mouse whereas a ROG Strix X670E or ProArt X670E will offer a choice between a ROG Delta core headset, a ROG Gladius III WL mouse, or a ROG Eye S webcam.  

For now, Asus only advertises this promotion in the U.K, but the company could also extend the campaign to other markets as well. At least, the list of participating retailers includes such international companies like Amazon as well as Overclockers.co.uk (which is a part of Pro Gamers Group), which might mean that the promotion will become global. 

It will be interesting to see whether other motherboard makers will follow Asustek's suit and will also bundle something valuable with their AM5 motherboards for AMD's Zen 4-based CPUs. Back in the day graphics card producers offered quite rich bundles with their products, but motherboard makers limited themselves to essentials such as cables. But now that modern platforms cost around $1,000 or more, perhaps it's time for motherboard suppliers to increase the value of their products by throwing in high-end gaming peripherals.

Asus on Tuesday showcased the ROG Crosshairs X670E Gene microATX motherboard for AMD's next-generation Ryzen 7000-series 'Raphael' processors in AM5 packaging. The new mainboard caters to compact PCs, but since the new platform belongs to the Asus ROG Crosshair lineup, it will provide a rich feature set along with overclocking capabilities on par with other ROG motherboards. 

The Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Gene will come equipped with a 16+2-phase CPU voltage regulating module (VRM) with each phase rated at 110A, designed to ensure serious overclocking potential, according to a slide published by @momomo_us. The platform will also feature a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for graphics cards, one M.2 slot for an SSD with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, and one PCIe x1 slot for add-in-cards. The manufacturer will also bundle its ROG Gen-Z.2 card with its mainboard for those who need more than one M.2 drive. 

Regarding connectivity, Asustek's ROG Crosshair X670E Gene will have everything its bigger brethren offer, including a Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth adapter, an Ethernet port, USB 4, and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectors, as well as 7.1-channel audio ports.  

Asus demonstrated a slide covering its ROG Crosshair X670E Gene motherboard at a live event, so it may not launch on the same day as its ATX platforms based on AMD's X670E chipset, but we can certainly expect it to show up rather sooner than later. In any case, it is safe to say that it will be available this fall. 

As for pricing, it is hard to make any guesses here. AMD's X670E platform seems to be rather expensive in general How much? Only time will tell, but we are talking hundreds of dollars here.

With AMD's Ryzen 7000 introduction scheduled for August 29, it is time for motherboard makers to unveil their parts. A couple of weeks ago, all five makers of enthusiast-oriented mainboards gave a sneak peek at their AMD X670/X670E-based AM5 platforms. Still, Asus today was the first company to formally announce its initial AM5 family that contains several motherboards set to be sold at different price points.

In addition to the ROG Crosshair X670E Hero Extreme motherboard for gamers with deep pockets, Asus also introduced its ROG Crosshair X670E Hero as well as ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Wi-Fi designed for those who do not want to pay for crème-de-la-crème flagship yet want to have everything that the new AMD X670E platform has to offer, and the TUF Gaming X670E-Plus Wi-Fi aimed at those who seek for premium features yet does not want to spend a small fortune on a motherboard.

In addition to the ROG Crosshair X670E Hero Extreme motherboard for gamers with deep pockets, Asus also introduced its ROG Crosshair X670E Hero as well as ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Wi-Fi designed for those who do not want to pay for crème-de-la-crème flagship yet want to have everything that the new AMD X670E platform has to offer, and the TUF Gaming X670E-Plus Wi-Fi aimed at those who seek for premium features yet does not want to spend a small fortune on a motherboard.

All Asus' AMD X670E-based motherboards will naturally support AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors with up to 16 Zen 4 cores in AM5 packaging aimed at enthusiasts and overlockers. In addition, all four mainboards will feature formidable CPU VRMs capable of delivering hundreds of watts of clean power to CPUs to maximize their overclocking potential.

The motherboards will carry four slots for DDR5 memory, several PCIe 5.0 slots, USB ports (including two USB 4 ports on some modes), and Wi-Fi 6E support on higher-end ROG motherboards. In addition, select AM5 mainboards will also offer M.2-22110 slots for high-capacity SSDs via an adapter, 2.5GbE, or even 10GbE connectivity.

Meanwhile, Asus ROG motherboards will also support the company's Q-Design features, including quick release buttons for PCIe, RAM, and M.2 slots to make it easier and faster for enthusiasts to uninstall and uninstall and uninstall and install new components.  

We have built a table that gives a quick look at the key features of Asus' upcoming AM5 motherboards and their differences.

Asus AM5 Motherboards at a Glance

Eventually, Asus will add the ProArt X670E Creator Wi-Fi for content creators and the Prime X670-P/X670-P Wi-Fi for more provident buyers (and those motherboards will still be quite expensive, as we already know). Meanwhile, there will also be cheaper B650-based motherboards, as Asus' AM5 page title suggests.

A European retailer has listed several Asus X670E-based motherboards for AMD's Zen 4-based desktop processors. The new AM5 platforms can be pre-ordered and will be delivered shortly, but their prices will hardly please mainstream enthusiasts.

When AMD and its partners demonstrated initial AMD X670 and X670E-based mainboards earlier this month, they explained that X670E is a brand-new platform for hardcore enthusiasts with loads of new features and a variety of knobs for tuning. Such platforms are usually expensive, but it looks like early adopters of AMD's upcoming Ryzen 7000-series 'Raphael' CPUs will have to pay rather unprecedented sums for motherboards, based on listings from IPC-Computer.de (discovered by @momomo_us).

The basic Asus Prime X670-P mainboard will cost €483 ($412 without VAT), whereas the 'entry level' Asus ROG Strix X670E-A Gaming Wi-Fi mainboard is set to cost €783 ($669 without VAT). Meanwhile, the highest-end Asus Crosshair X670E Extreme will carry a rather whopping €1475 price tag ($1260 without VAT).

AMD's X670E platform for enthusiast-grade desktop PCs will bring a number of advantages, including with support for processors with up to 16 Zen 4 cores as well as dual-channel DDR5 memory, a PCIe 5.0 interface, up to 14 USB ports (including several USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports as well as USB-C), and Wi-Fi 6E support on higher-end motherboards. Select AM5 mainboards will also offer M.2-25110 slots for future SSDs, 2.5GbE or even 10GbE connectivity, and USB 4 connectors.

The majority of AMD X670E-based motherboards will be aimed at enthusiasts who plan to overclock their processors, so they will offer extremely sophisticated voltage regulating modules that will be able to deliver hundreds of watts to CPUs to maximize overclocking potential. It's not surprising that such platforms will be rather expensive, but $1260 seems to be excessive even by enthusiast-grade standards. Of course, early listings at retailers tend to set particularly high prices on hardware that is not yet released. Over $1000 just for a motherboard is way too expensive for most of us, but there will inevitably be some buyers.

Some of MSI’s next-gen motherboards for AMD processors have popped up in retail listings in Italy. Twitter leaker momomo_us spotted the MSI MPG X670E Carbon Wi-Fi and MSI Pro X670-P Wi-Fi listed at AED Gaming. We dug around and found three other (Italian) retailers offering the same pair of boards at similar pricing levels.

No one was forthcoming about availability dates, but on average, pricing for the MSI MPG X670E Carbon Wi-Fi and MSI Pro X670-P Wi-Fi was about €620 and €410, respectively. Converting those prices to USD and taking off Italian VAT (22%) would indicate pricing of $495 and $320, respectively.

We already had a good idea of what to expect in terms of product specifications from the AMD AM5 motherboard event, which took place ten days ago. At that event, all major AMD board partners outlined their upcoming products, which will be home to the first Ryzen 7000-series (Raphael) Zen 4 processors.

Clicking through to the Italian retail product listings reveals just a smattering of specifications. However, we have some slides from AMD, and MSI embedded above that surmise the charms of the MSI MPG X670E Carbon Wi-Fi and the MSI Pro X670-P Wi-Fi in superb marketing graphics. Remember that these are high-end AM5 motherboards, with the Carbon targeting gamers and the Pro model for creators. All MSI boards feature M.2 Shield Frozr coolers for next-generation SSDs with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, four M.2 slots, four DDR5 DIMM slots, a 2.5GbE connector, and a Wi-Fi 6E adapter.

So, we have a good level of product detail now, and European pricing provides some indications for US pricing. One might conclude that this mini-flood of retailer listings indicates launch is imminent. However, AMD officially headlined the Ryzen 7000 series of processors as “coming Fall,” so we shouldn’t expect them, nor the accompanying motherboards, until mid-to-late September at the earliest.

To read more about AMD 600 series AM5 motherboards, Ryzen 7000-series (Raphael) Zen 4 processors, and how they might stack up against Intel’s upcoming 13th gen Core processor platform (Raptor Lake), please head on over to our extensive and regularly updated AMD Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 Specs, Release Date, Benchmarks, and More feature.

AMD on Thursday gave a sneak peek at its next-generation high-end platforms for its upcoming Ryzen 7000-series (Raphael) Zen 4 processors in AM5 form-factor together with its motherboard partners. Since AMD's X670 and X670E platforms will cater to enthusiasts, they will pack the most innovative features as well as provide advanced overclocking capabilities.

AMD's X670 and X670E Platforms

First and foremost, AMD confirmed that high-end AM5 motherboards for next-generation processors would utilize its X670 and X670E chipsets. The X670 will support overclocking and appease 'regular' enthusiasts. In contrast, the X670E (dual-chip design) features 'unparalleled' expandability, extreme overclocking, and PCIe 5.0 connectivity for up to two graphics cards and an M.2 slot for an NVMe SSD.

AMD itself outlines several key features of its AM5 platforms that will differentiate them from previous-generation motherboards, including TDP of up to 170W to maximize the performance of next-generation processors with up to 16 Zen 4 cores, up to 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes (x16 for a graphics card, x4 for an SSD, and x4 to connect to the chipset), dual-channel DDR5 memory support, up to four DisplayPort 2 or HDMI 2.1 outputs (which confirms that there will be AM5 processors with integrated graphics), up to 14 USB ports (including several USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports as well as USB-C), and Wi-Fi 6E support on select motherboards.

Motherboard makers traditionally try to differentiate themselves from the competition, so they will be offering AMD X670/X670E platforms with beefed-up CPU voltage regulating modules (VRM) capable of delivering hundreds of watts of power to AMD's new processors to boost their overclocking potential further. What is a bit surprising is that neither AMD nor its partners talked about supported DDR5 speeds on the upcoming AM5 platforms.

Some AMD X670/X670E mainboards will also come with an M.2-25110 slot(s) for upcoming high-performance SSDs with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface that requires more sophisticated cooling. Motherboard makers prepare rather sophisticated cooling solutions for next-generation drives to ensure their consistent performance.

Regarding connectivity, since USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 is not a widespread standard, there will be motherboards with USB4 or Thunderbolt 3/4 ports supported by an external controller (though it is unclear which one) for those with Thunderbolt 3/4 or next-gen USB 4 devices. Also, some mainboards will come with a 2.5GbE port enabled by an Intel controller, whereas the most advanced platforms will come with a 10GbE port enabled by Marvell's AQtion silicon.

As for Wi-Fi 6E, some AMD X670/X670E motherboards will support the latest WLAN connectivity using AMD's RZ616 Wi-Fi 6E controller developed by MediaTek, whereas others will use Intel's Wi-Fi 6E solutions.

Now, let's look at what Asus, ASRock, Biostar, Gigabyte, and MSI are prepping for early AM5 adopters.

Asus

The world's largest motherboard maker is readying two platforms to support AMD's AM5 rollout — the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme and the ROG Crosshair X670E Hero — but more are coming. The mainboards will feature a VRM based on the Infineon ASP2205 power management IC (PMIC) and Vishay SIC850 110A smart power stages. In addition, the Extreme model will feature a 20+2-stage power delivery, whereas the Hero will come with 18+2-stage VRM.

Of course, Asustek's ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme and ROG Crosshair X670E Hero will come with premium connectivity, including two USB4 ports, a 2.5GbE/10GbE connector, an advanced audio subsystem, and a Wi-Fi 6E (Intel AX210) adapter.

ASRock

ASRock's initial AM5 lineup will consist of five motherboards, including two flagship X670E Taichi Carrara and X670E Taichi platforms, X670E Steel Legend, X670E Pro RS, and X670E PG Lightning.

These motherboards will use an eight-layer printed circuit board (not the maximum number of layers possible, so to speak), a high-performance active cooler for M.2 SSDs, and USB 4 Type-C connectors.

Biostar

Being a relatively new entrant to the enthusiast motherboard market, Biostar will have one X670E motherboard ready for the AM5 launch — the X670E Valkyrie.

This platform will feature a 22-phase VRM with 105A Dr.MOS stages, two PCIe Gen5 x16 (operating in x8 or x16 mode), a PCIe Gen4 x16 slot (operating in x4 mode), four M.2-2280/22110 slots PCIe Gen4/5 with advanced heat spreaders, a 2.5GbE connector, a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, and two display outputs (DP 1.4, HDMI 2.1).

Gigabyte

Gigabyte preps four high-end AMD X670E/X670 motherboards, including the X670E Aorus Xtreme, X670E A Aorus Master, X670 Aorus Pro AX, and X670 Aorus Elite AX. The flagship X670E Aorus Xtreme will feature an 18+2+2 power delivery design based on the Renesas RAA229628 PMIC, 18 Renesas RAA2201054 SPS 105A V-core power stages, two ON NCP303160 SPS 60A SoC power stages, and two Renesas ISL99390 SPS 90A power stages. Other platforms in the lineup will use a 16+2+2 VRM featuring different PMICs and MOSFETs (see the table in the gallery below).

The most exciting part about Gigabyte's AMD X670E and X670 motherboards is that only the former will support a PCIe 5.0 interface, whereas the latter will only feature PCIe 5.0 for SSDs. Meanwhile, all of Gigabyte's Aorus AM5 mainboards will have at least one M.2-25110 slot for next-gen SSDS, a 2.5GbE/10GbE port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connector, one or two display outputs, and a THB_U4 header for Thunderbolt.

MSI

MSI is working on four high-end AM5 motherboards: the X670E-based MEG X670E Godlike, MEG X670E Ace, MPG X670E Carbon Wi-Fi, and the X670-powered Pro X670-P Wi-Fi. The flagship MEG X670E Godlike platform will feature a 24+2+1-phase power delivery (with 105A power phases for V-core), whereas the slightly less advanced MEG X670E Ace will come with a 22+2+1 VRM (with 90A power phases for V-core). Speaking of MSI's VRMs, the company's motherboards will use an all-new VRM cooling system with direct touch heat pipes and a MOSFET baseplate.

All four MSI AM5 motherboards will come with M.2 Shield Frozr coolers for next-generation SSDs with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, a 2.5GbE connector, and a Wi-Fi 6E adapter. Furthermore, the flagship MEG X670E Godlike and MEG X670E Ace will come with MSI's M.2 Xpander-Z Gen5 Dual adapter to house two M.2-25110 drives with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface.

Summary

AMD is expected to release its Ryzen 7000-series 'Raphael' processors and AM5 desktop platforms this September. The new platforms will bring numerous innovations, including DDR5, PCIe 5.0, USB 3.2 Gen2x2, and Wi-Fi 6E support. By now, five leading makers of motherboards for the DIY market have announced 16 motherboards based on AMD's X670 and X670E chipsets with different features and which will cover a broad range of price points.