AM5 vs. AM4: Worth The Upgrade?

The AM4 Socket was released into the market in September 2016. Since then, AMD has been keen not to change their Socket for better compatibility with their existing chipsets. As time changes, Competitors in the industry are making substantial technological changes in their products, and AMD does not want to lack behind. Consequently, AMD is releasing the AM5 Socket on September 27, 2022, with the new Ryzen 7000 series processors, Zen 4 architecture, and 600 series chipset motherboards. With AMD’s next Socket and CPU lineup, we’ll be delving into a thorough comparison of the AM5 vs AM4 Socket.

With the release of the new Socket from AMD. Many questions are lingering in PC enthusiasts’ minds, such as whether the new AM5 Socket is worth the upgrade. What changes did AMD make to the new Socket, and how is it different from its inferior Generation? We will try to answer all your possible questions and tell you if it is worth the upgrade and money.

Naturally, this raises a plethora of concerns. We’ll discuss some things to think about if you’re contemplating switching to a new platform and the challenges you could face if you do. In this article, we’ll discuss AMD’s how we advance PC’s presentation and maybe address some of the questions that have been bothering you since you first saw it.

However, we will not go into as much detail regarding the embargoed topics, such as performances. With any luck, we’ll be able to answer your many questions about the release, the features, the supports, and much more. There are certain features of the AM5 Socket that you will be pretty happy with, and there are also those that you may find disappointing. It’s going to be a long trip, but it’s going to be worthwhile.

Key Takeaways

• In this AM5 vs. AM4 comparison, we will be looking at the new features that the AM5 Socket has, but the AM4 Socket has not. In addition, the changes that they have made in the existing features coexist on both platforms. We will be talking about whether your upgrade from your AM4 Socket to the new AM5 Socket is worth it or not. Please stick with us to the end to find out about it.
• The Benefits of knowing the comparison between the AM5 vs. AM4 Sockets are vital. Because it will give you an overview of potential upgrades you will get with the switch to the new Platform. It will make your new Platform’s decision-making process more manageable and help you decide on sticking or switching to whatever is best for you. You will have an insight into the opportunity cost in this case.
• The consequence of not knowing the AM5 vs. AM4 comparison is that you do not know what changes they have made on the new Platform compared to the prior one. You don’t know whether the new Platform you are upgrading to is worth the money. Subsequently, you will purchase something that might affect the total cost of your build.
• Whenever a new platform is introduced, it often comes with regular problems and headaches. Despite this, the AM5 Socket offers several benefits. Since it is compatible with the cutting-edge DDR5 and PCIe 5 memory standards, upgrading to it isn’t a terrible idea. Soon to be released, AM5 sockets will be AMD’s most potent Platform to date. The innovative design may be as long-lived as AM4 was. So, switching to it is not a bad deal. 

What’s New in the AM5 Platform

In September of 2016, AMD introduced the AM4 Socket. After that, AMD utilized it as the foundation for other microarchitectures, including Zen+, Zen 2, and Zen 3. In contrast, AMD has released the AM5 Socket with the new Zen 4 microarchitecture that powers the Ryzen 7000 Series Desktop CPUs, thereby ending the AM4 era. What’s changing with AM5, and how does it fare vs AM4?

In the future, you will need an AMD AM5 Socket motherboard as the foundation of your system if you want to play games at maximum settings and get your everyday chores done quickly and easily. Since the AM4 era has ended, the new AM5 Socket has arrived with the Zen 4 architecture, the Ryzen 7000 series to pair with it, and many more improvements.

Because of this, AMD shifted from using the PGA interface, which they had used from the beginning of their reign, to the LGA interface for the new AM5. The latest industry standard of DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, which could not be implemented in the prior AM4 Socket, is widely believed to be the primary cause.

Since the AM5 Socket would be AMD’s first DDR5-based Platform, its support for this type of memory would be a significant advancement for the company. In both design philosophy and functionality, the new AM5 Platform represents a significant divergence from the AM4 Platform. And second, PCIe 5.0 capability provides twice as fast data transmission as PCIe 4.0.

You can take advantage of the ever-improving SSDs on the market. PCIe’s compatibility with older versions is a significant selling point. At last, AMD has included integrated graphics into their most recent AM5 Socket. Zen 4 Ryzen 7000-series processors from AMD will include RDNA 2 graphics. As of this writing, every AM5-compatible CPU has integrated graphics.

AM5 Vs. AM4 Socket

Let’s compare AM5 vs. AM4, a very significant change. Accordingly, the AM4 Socket and its associated four Process nodes supported five distinct CPU architectures. Five years and three different types of chipsets later, Socket AM4 is still going strong. CPU compatibility aside, the AMD socket hasn’t been updated from  2017 and 2022.

Because of this standstill, an odd situation arose in which AMD processors gain performance annually yet fall short of state-of-the-art benchmarks. Zen 3, otherwise excellent CPUs do not work with DDR5 memory or PCIe 5.0. To usher in a new era of technical ascendancy for its PC CPUs, AMD has announced the end of the AM4 Socket, which gave birth to its predecessor. Everyone is wondering whether AMD can answer the question of how much of a future-proof AM5 will be if it is adopted now.

If future generations of Zen architectures could be supported without needing a motherboard and chipset change, that would be fantastic. AM5 Socket will presumably support between three or four generations of Ryzen CPUs.  Since AM5 uses a 1718-pin LGA configuration, the motherboard socket will serve as the pin’s location. They will be at a different location, away from the central processing unit. In many respects, quite close to what Intel is already providing.

The confusion caused by the switch from the AM4 to the AM5 socket type among PC enthusiasts will be significant. Zen 3 Architecture-based CPUs are limited to 105 watts TDP since the maximum TDP for the previous-generation AM4 Socket is 142 watts. But with the AM5 Socket, AMD expanded its maximum capacity to 230 watts, allowing the newest Ryzen 7000 CPUs to have a maximum TDP of 170 watts.

LGA (1718 Socket) Vs PGA

The significant change in AM5 vs. AM4 is that the dust can finally settle now that the new RAM and PCI 5.0 standards have been implemented. Finally, AMD has changed to an LGA interface with their new AM5 Socket, which means that the pins will be situated on the motherboard rather than the CPU. That’s a sporadic occurrence with AMD, as we have seen them sticking to the PGA interface for a long time.

Therefore, the motherboard will need to upgrade its chipsets to accommodate the new DDR5 memory. Because AMD’s current AM4 Socket only supports DDR4 memory. The PCIe 5.0 capability allows for super-fast data transfers between the storage and the modern CPU design. Because of the limitations imposed by the number of pins on the CPU, AMD was forced to transition from the PGA to the LGA.

Therefore, moving to LGA enables them to have a more significant pin density without being so fragile that even the smallest error would likely result in irreparable damage to your components. It is for this reason that the Threadripper also has an LGA socket. After all, Intel’s 12th Generation uses a socket 18 times less sophisticated than the LGA 1718. AMD is once again at the front. With 1,718 pins, AM5 is a significant upgrade over AM4’s 1331.

Because AM5 has more pins than AM4, AMD has also been able to boost its maximum performance. Thanks to this, AMD can produce higher-wattage CPUs in the future. The AM5 Socket can support the needs of the company’s future CPUs, even if they are more powerful, making it somewhat future-proof. Many knowledgeable people in the business have suggested that client demand for LGA has been the primary driver behind this shift. However, no guarantee upgrading an LGA socket would significantly boost performance.

Zen4 (5. nm) Vs. Zen3 (7nm) Architecture

Zen 3 is an older iteration of Zen architecture. It’s an improvement over the Zen 2, and the chiplets are manufactured using a 7nm TSMC technology. Ryzen 5000 and 500 series CPUs and chipsets were the last iterations of AMD’s Zen 3 architecture. The new DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 are two examples of the industry standards that forced AMD to change its architecture drastically.

For this reason, AMD was intent on keeping up its high rate of CPU deliveries with impressive performance. So, they unveiled the brand new Zen 4 architecture, built on 5nm, and will have new Ryzen 7000 series processors. When compared to Zen 3, there are several advancements in architectural technology. As a bonus, Zen 4 provides a notable increase in core uplift for 13% and above. AM5 vs. AM4 are based on different architectures. 

In light of the growing importance of machine learning and the sheer volume of work being done, it is clear that significant changes are required. So, AMD has implemented AVX-512. Last but not least, they achieve remarkable performance and power savings by combining AMD’s design expertise with the most recent manufacturing node. There is now twice as much data that may be stored in each core’s L2 cache, from 512 KB to 1 MB.

Zen 4’s clock speed is currently far above 5 GHz. More than 15% improvement in single-threaded performance is expected with Zen 4 CPUs compared to their predecessors due to both higher IPC and higher clock speeds. The Zen 3 I/O die was constructed using a 14 nm technology. For the first time in any Zen architecture, the I/O die of Zen 4 has built-in RDNA 2 graphics. The Zen 4 desktop CPU family is the first to use the 5 nm manufacturing technology. 

DDR5 Vs. DDR4 Memory Support

In AM5 vs. AM4, the socket upgrade was primarily motivated by AMD’s desire to accommodate DDR5 memory. There was no place for DDR5 support in the PGA interface of the AM4 Socket. Therefore a revision was inevitable. This was a significant upgrade, and our only complaint is that the AM5 Socket doesn’t work with DDR4 RAM. The opposite is true; at the time of writing, Intel provides a flexible DDR4 or DDR5 platform set.

Thus, this is great news for PC fans on a tight budget looking to construct powerful PCs without breaking the bank since DDR4 is still far less expensive than DDR$. If you want to call that a critique, it’s pretty legitimate. AMD claims that this is because DDR5 represents the future of memory technology and that we have reached the limits of DDR4’s capability.

We agree that DDR4 is a bottleneck for AMD CPUs, so they are charging headfirst into the future with just DDR5 support. This move may be necessary because it might be cumbersome to construct many boards for different memory types. The AM5 Socket is compatible with cutting-edge IO components like dual-channel DDR5 memory and can drive the maximum number of PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU socket.

The Ryzen 7000 processors from AMD, which are based on the Zen 4 architecture, need DDR5-6000 memory. A similar memory setup to its forerunners ensures top-notch performance in games and other latency-sensitive applications. Some of us may think it’s too soon or expensive to switch to DDR5, but that’s not always the case. However, the day is approaching when DDR5 memory becomes the norm. While this guarantees maximum performance for AM5 socket computers, it also increases the cost of such systems due to the higher price of DDR5 memory.

PCIe 5.0 Vs. PCIe 4.0 Support

PCIe 5 is an updated version of the PCI Express specification that improves upon its predecessor. The fifth Generation of PCI Express will revolutionize other computer components. Intel’s Alder Lake platform already supports PCIe 5.0, so we expect to hear much more about it in 2022 and beyond. PCIe 5.0 will also be supported by AMD’s future Ryzen 7000 processor series.

Speed and bandwidth have evolved significantly with each new version of PCI Express. PCIe 5 is anticipated to continue the trend of dramatic enhancements witnessed with each succeeding Generation. PCIe Gen 4 is the norm, and most CPUs and motherboards work with it. This is also the reason why PCIe 4.0 hardware is so widely available.

PCI Express 4.0 is remarkable in both speed and data transfer capacity. For PCI Express, each new Generation doubles its predecessor’s speed and bandwidth. The PCIe 4.0 standard enables insane data transfer rates and outstanding practical throughput. For example, the top M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSDs may achieve astounding transfer rates of up to 7,000 MB/s.

Moreover, PCIe 5.0 will be twice as fast using the same number of lanes. The choice then becomes whether or not to switch from the older AM4 Socket to the newer AM5 Socket, which allows for the use of the cutting-edge PCIe 5. As with many questions, the answer is subjective. The PCIe 4 should be sufficient if you need fast data transfer for your task.

Nonetheless, you may need to upgrade to PCIe 5 for top performance. Furthermore, this is subject to the products being offered on the market. The PCIe has backward compatibility, even if you upgrade to AM5 Socket. You would not need to buy new PCIe 5 supported storage devices to use with it. The old PCIe 4 would do the job.

Compatibility With CPU Coolers

Memory, chipset, and CPU processors in the 7000 series have all been updated to work with the new AM5 Socket. Switching to the new AM5 Socket will need a substantial investment due to the abovementioned parts. To compensate for this,  AMD has opted to preserve the compatibility of AM5 Socket CPU coolers with the existing AM4 Socket CPU coolers to make the transition a little bit easier.

The newest DDR5 memory and PCIe 5 storage devices have steep price tags. In addition, demand from customers has been higher than supply. Thankfully, AMD made the CPU coolers compatible with older models. The new Ryzen 7000 series is around 47 per cent more efficient in terms of power consumption than the competing 12900k. Therefore, there is little risk in utilizing a previous socket cooler.

Of course, if you’re planning for the future and want to maintain your current cooler, you’ll need to consider other variables, such as thermal density and power needs. So long as you stick with one of an entry-level AMD’s AM5 processors, you should be good to go, but keep this in mind, particularly if you’re considering a high-performance CPU like the Ryzen 9. Among the concerns of AMD’s engineers in developing the AM5 Socket was maintaining compatibility with existing CPU cooler designs.

Intel is well-known for changing cooler compatibility every two to three processor generations because of the company’s history of switching sockets. Users who wished to keep using their existing coolers were required to purchase a new bracket, while those who could not do so were left with no choice but to purchase a whole new cooler. The AM5 version will not have this problem. Since AM4 and AM5 use the exact mounting mechanism, holes, and brackets, AMD could maintain compatibility between the two.

Improvements in IPC

Given how much work a processor can do in one clock tick, an instruction per clock (IPC) metric is usually the first measurement used to evaluate a new CPU design. The AMD Ryzen 7000 Series, which has a double-digit improvement in IPC over the “Zen” architecture’s “Zen 3” iteration, maintains this tradition of innovation, execution, and delivery.

AMD is a company that thrives on innovation, as they have stayed committed to delivering new improvements in every Generation’s processors. Compared to Zen 3, the increase of 13% is around average. The gaming, content development, and benchwork are being analyzed. The fact that they increased their IPC by 235% throughout the roadmap shows how diligently they worked on improving the system’s fundamental performance.

AMD’s dedication to enhancing core performance is admirable. Zen 4 is the future. AMD specifically improved upon Zen 3 in many ways. AMD widened the execution window with its Zen 4 architecture. That’s why AMD tackled the issue of how to get instructions into the CPU even more quickly with Zen 4. The front-end and outpost production is where much progress is being made. It accounts for as much as 60% of the IPC improvement done in the past.

As a result, more IPC can be accomplished. The Improved IPC by 13% results from the L2 cache being doubled in size, allowing quicker access to frequently used data. In general, many other architectural improvements may lead to increased IPC, such as lower latency caches, deeper buffers, broader execution routes, and so on. With the Ryzen 7000-series processor’s 5.7 GHz clock speed and further increases in IPC, AMD may now be able to claim supremacy in all areas of performance.

AM5 Socket Support Through 2025

In AM5 vs. AM4 comparison. The AM4 Socket, despite being in use since the introduction of the first Zen processor, the AM4 Socket is being pushed along in favor of the newer, more powerful AMD CPUs. Since the introduction of Ryzen CPUs, AMD has used the AM4 Socket. However, the next Generation of Ryzen processors will use the AM5 Socket instead.

AMD’s new Ryzen 7000-series processors mark the company’s first new processor socket in six years and its first LGA design. In 2017, AMD released the AM4 Socket, and now that AM5 has been released, AM4 is naturally making way for it. AMD plans to keep up support for the AM5 CPU socket until at least 2025, if not longer.

The Platform is being constructed and manufactured on top of cutting-edge technology, allowing us to start building immediately and expand as our requirements change. Moreover, they have promised to continue providing the AM5 Platform with updates, including new technologies and next-generation designs, till 2025, the same as they did with AM4. Despite this, AM4 is unlikely to vanish overnight.

You may count on AM4 and AM5 to coexist for some time yet. The Zen 4’s successor, Zen 5, is likewise predicted in 2024. Also, AM4 CPU coolers should be compatible with AM5 motherboards, thanks to AMD’s efforts. That massive support for both socket types shows that AMD is serious about sticking with its platforms. To save you money, AMD has made great efforts to guarantee that your present AM4 CPU cooler will even work with the new AM5 motherboards when Zen 5 launches in 2024. 

Inclusion of Integrated Graphics

As the Ryzen era has progressed, the relationship between AMD and integrated graphics has been inconsistent. Integrated graphics were not included in the first Ryzen processors. Despite this, AMD eventually introduced the 2400G and 2200G, which replaced part of the CPU cores with Vega graphics. While Intel’s high-end desktop CPUs often have integrated graphics, AMDs require a separate graphics card.

An appropriate graphics card is required for display output when using an AMD CPU. In Zen 4, the interface has been improved. They now have incorporated basic graphics using 4th generation Finfet technology, which is a significant improvement. Because of this, they have included the most fundamental VGA drivers possible. Assuming the motherboard accepts at least one of these inputs, we can connect in our HDMI or Displayport cable.

AMD claims that AM5 boards will include at least one display output port. That connection may go straight into the motherboard and the CPU’s built-in graphics. Following Intel’s example, AMD’s Zen 4 Ryzen 7000-series CPUs will have RDNA 2 graphics. All current CPUs that are AM5 compatible have integrated graphics. As a result, this is excellent news, as AMD’s rDNA two graphics are quite powerful, so you may get a display out of your computer without purchasing a separate graphics card.

Even though AMD does not encourage gaming on them, these integrated graphics exist just for display. AMD has been adding integrated graphics in its Ryzen G series. The company has no plans to discontinue the G series. You shouldn’t expect it to replace their existing G series. Still, it’s wonderful that they have it, and we anticipate that having onboard graphics support would be helpful when debugging. It significantly improves the AM4 Socket, where they had no concept of integrated graphics on high-end Ryzen desktop processors. 

Power and Efficiency

Zen 4 is 49% more powerful while utilizing the same amount of power, and it is 62% more efficient at the same performance level compared to Zen 3. Compared to Intel’s 12th Generation, it is core plus L2 cache capacity is 50% smaller. Consequently, they could reduce the size of the whole I/O die by moving to the five-nanometer node. As for 3D V-Cache, we anticipate its release announcement shortly.

Additionally, according to AMD, Upcoming Zen 4c is designed as server-oriented. The performance gains throughout the TDP range directly result from the switch to the Zen 4 and Ryzen 7000 family of processors. This effect is amplified because of the significant rise in IPC. CPUs built on the Zen 3 Architecture can only reach 105 watts TDP since the AM4 Socket from the previous Generation has a maximum TDP of 142 watts.

However, AMD expanded its maximum capacity to 230 watts with the advent of the AM5 Socket, allowing the newest Ryzen 7000 CPUs to have a maximum TDP of 170 watts. According to AMD, the Zen 4 architecture combined with the TSMC 5nm node may provide the greatest performance increases at lower TDP levels. Recently, CPUs have been using more power than ever before, a sign that we’ve progressed well into the Dark Silicon age.

Even though even the highest-performance CPU cores use just 20W to 30W of electricity on their own, the overall power consumption of modern high-end CPUs with more than 16 cores rapidly becomes prohibitive. Power delivery restrictions are often limiting for intensive multi-threaded applications since CPUs must reduce clock speeds to remain within their power envelopes. Consequently, larger platform power restrictions allow more cores to be kept at higher clocks for longer. This is a significant change in AM5 vs. AM4 comparison. 

AMD EXPO Technology

In AM5 vs. AM4, the choice of memory was a crucial part of the AM5 Socket’s architecture. AMD aimed to create a PC architecture that could handle consumer needs far into the foreseeable future. DDR4 memory has been a popular option for almost five years among gamers and creators. Slowly but surely, it has evolved to its final state. When DDR4 slows down, DDR5 speeds up to additional bandwidth.

The capability provides reduced memory latency and a plan for doubling or quadrupling capacity per DIMM. DDR5 is the best option now and for the foreseeable future. As time passes, technology naturally improves. Memory overclocking is a common thing among Ryzen fans. To provide the best gaming experience by delivering the quickest data rates and the least possible memory latency.

Consequently, AMD EXPO technology is available on the AM5 Platform. Ryzen A5 systems with EXPO DIMMs may have their DDR5 memory overclocked with a single mouse click. The result is a gaming experience that is up to 11% quicker. Reduce lag time to 63 nanoseconds or less. It was designed according to an open standard that gives consumers complete transparency into the technical details.

Therefore, when consumers purchase an EXPO memory kit, they know the contents they will receive. With the advent of AMD’s AM5 processors, over fifteen EXPO memory kits will be available. They are provided by the industry’s most reputable partners, who are known for high-performance memory overclocking and for being the first to increase the maximum DDR5 data rate to 6400 successfully.

In terms of memory profiles, AMD EXPO technology is open and intuitive. You may quickly and easily select the proper RAM with the help of their extensive memory testing, which includes features for checking hardware compatibility, comprehensive settings, and full memory specifications.

Is it Worth the Upgrade?

Finally, AM5 vs. AM4, the issue of whether or not to switch from an AM4 Socket to the new AM5 Socket remains. If we had to select one side, it would be the AM4 Socket side since it has already shown itself to be reliable and robust. AM5 Socket, on the other hand, has just recently been available. There would be a lot of issues at first, and it would need appropriate bios fixes for stability.

When switching to a new system, typically. Some common headaches and pain accompany it. But the AM5 Socket has several advantages. As a result, upgrading to it is not s a bad value with support for the latest and greatest memory technology, DDR5, and PCIe 5. The upcoming AM5 Socket will be AMD’s fastest Platform to date. The innovative layout has the potential to survive as long as AM4 did.

However, it will be rather expensive, not just because DDR5 is brand new but also because AMD CPUs are likely to increase in price if they reclaim the performance title. Furthermore, DDR5 will continue to be challenging to obtain for some time. It might be full of performance bugs, as we said earlier.

However, only one CPU is available for it now, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. Thus the Platform is effectively somewhat dead. Considering the level of competition, CPU prices are too high. Ryzen 5000 series processors need a new, more expensive motherboard if you’re using an earlier series.

Updates in the months after launch will fix most of the issues encountered during the first rollout. By the time the second Generation of AM5 CPUs and chipsets are delivered in late 2023 or early 2024. It will be rock solid. So, we should wait for it to function to enjoy all its improvements adequately.

Conclusion

There is good reason to be enthusiastic about the AM5 Socket. Supporters of Intel are having a hard time taking this news. Because Intel has been the dominant player for so long, and because the previous two generations have driven that truth home like a jagged point, the news that they may no longer be at the top is difficult to digest.

We would hate to see the business decline of a manufacturer whose products we like. Intel has fallen from the peak of Everest. However, Intel has yet to show all its cards. So, who will emerge victorious by year’s end is something only time will tell. Some PC users may be wary of the new Platform since it introduces various complications.

Changes for the better are the norm throughout time. Dissatisfied with your purchase and discovering that the hardware you received is bricked is rare. AM5 Socket will unquestionably outperform the Ryzen CPUs of the 5000 series. It will be compatible with future CPU generations as well. So we can use it with whatever chips become popular in the future. DDR5 memory support is also added finally. There is likely to be a noticeable difference if you are doing tasks that place heavy demands on your ram. When compared to DDR4, its speed is just mind-boggling.

Whether you want to stay with the tried-and-true AM4 Socket or want to have an adventure with the new AM5 Socket is ultimately up to you. Will keep you updated as further details become available to us. We will be writing and evaluating them and want to create as many use cases as possible representing the intended audience. Thanks for reading, and as always, we will see you in the next one. This is all from the AM5 vs. AM4 comparison. 

Uzair Qureshi

[Comparisons Specialist]

I’m a passionate computer hardware expert specializing in CPUs and GPUs. With a lifelong curiosity for hardware and extensive hands-on experience, I provide valuable insights, practical advice, and in-depth analysis on these components. Engaging with the hardware community, I exchange knowledge and stay at the forefront of technological advancements.

Get In Touch: [email protected]