Thursday, May 7th 2020
AMD B550 Chipset Detailed, It's Ready for Zen 3, Older AM4 Motherboards not Compatible
In their briefing leading up to today's Ryzen 3 3100 and 3300X review embargo, AMD disclosed that its upcoming "Zen 3" 4th generation Ryzen desktop processors will only support AMD 500-series (or later) chipsets. The next-gen processors will not work with older 400-series or 300-series chipsets. This comes as a blow to those who bought premium X470 motherboards hoping for latest CPU compatibility running into 2020. At this time only B550 is available, but we expect more news on enthusiast chipsets as the Zen 3 launch date comes closer. AMD B550 is a fascinating new mid-range chipset by AMD. Launching today as a successor to the popular B450 chipset, B550 is a low-power silicon with roughly the same 5-7 W TDP as the older 400-series chipset. Although AMD won't confirm it, it's likely that the chipset is sourced from ASMedia. It brings a lot to the table that could draw buyers away from B450, but it also takes some away.
The AMD B550 currently only supports 3rd generation Ryzen "Matisse" processors. Ryzen 3000 "Picasso" APU are not supported. What's more, older Ryzen 2000 "Pinnacle Ridge," "Raven Ridge," and first gen Ryzen 1000 "Summit Ridge" aren't supported, either. The Athlon 200 and 3000 "Zen" based chips miss out, too. AMD argues that it ran into ROM size limitations when trying to cram AGESA microcode for all the older processors. We find that hard to believe because B450 motherboards with the latest ComboAM4 AGESA support 2nd gen and 3rd gen processors, including APUs and Athlon SKUs based on the two. On the bright side, AMD assured us (within its marketing slides for the B550), that the chipset will support upcoming processors based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture. The company also came up with a new motherboard packaging label that clarifies that the processors won't work with the 3400G and 3200G.
AMD B550 motherboards will feature partial PCI-Express gen 4.0 support. The main PCI-Express x16 slot, and one of the M.2 NVMe slots that are wired to the "Matisse" processor will be PCI-Express gen 4.0, however, all downstream PCIe lanes put out by the B550 chipset are gen 3.0. This is still a step up from 400-series "Promontory" chipsets, which are limited to gen 2.0. B550 puts out eight PCIe gen 3.0 lanes, which combine with the 20 usable processor lanes from "Matisse" to take the platform's total PCIe budget to 28 lanes (x16 gen 4.0 + x4 gen 4.0 + x8 gen 3.0). The B550 chipset itself connects to the "Matisse" processor via a PCI-Express 3.0 x4 connection.
In terms of connectivity, AMD's B550 chipset puts out up to six SATA 6 Gbps ports with AHCI and RAID capability; two each of 10 Gbps USB 3.2 gen 2 and 5 Gbps USB 3.2 gen 1 ports; and six USB 2.0 ports. PCIe, SATA, and USB connectivity from the "Matisse" processor is unchanged: four 10 Gbps USB 3.2 gen 2 ports, and up to two SATA 6 Gbps ports.
The processor includes a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 PEG connection that can be split between slots. AMD is allowing motherboard designers to have multi-GPU capability with the B550, where the x16 PEG link is split between two x16 slots (electrical x8). Previously this capability was limited to the top-tier X370 and X470 boards. The processor also puts out one PCI-Express 4.0 x4 link meant to drive one M.2 NVMe slot or U.2 NVMe port. Every B550 motherboard we've seen so far features one M.2 PCIe gen 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) slot.
As with both its predecessors, the B350 and B450, the new B550 chipset enables full multiplier-based CPU overclocking, along with broad memory overclocking support. Motherboard designers are at liberty to kit out the B550 with the most elaborate CPU VRM solutions. Expect some of the pricier B550 boards to match their X570 counterparts in overclocking capability.
Motherboards based on the AMD B550 chipset are expected to launch on June 16, 2020. Prices start at $100, according to AMD.
The AMD B550 currently only supports 3rd generation Ryzen "Matisse" processors. Ryzen 3000 "Picasso" APU are not supported. What's more, older Ryzen 2000 "Pinnacle Ridge," "Raven Ridge," and first gen Ryzen 1000 "Summit Ridge" aren't supported, either. The Athlon 200 and 3000 "Zen" based chips miss out, too. AMD argues that it ran into ROM size limitations when trying to cram AGESA microcode for all the older processors. We find that hard to believe because B450 motherboards with the latest ComboAM4 AGESA support 2nd gen and 3rd gen processors, including APUs and Athlon SKUs based on the two. On the bright side, AMD assured us (within its marketing slides for the B550), that the chipset will support upcoming processors based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture. The company also came up with a new motherboard packaging label that clarifies that the processors won't work with the 3400G and 3200G.
In terms of connectivity, AMD's B550 chipset puts out up to six SATA 6 Gbps ports with AHCI and RAID capability; two each of 10 Gbps USB 3.2 gen 2 and 5 Gbps USB 3.2 gen 1 ports; and six USB 2.0 ports. PCIe, SATA, and USB connectivity from the "Matisse" processor is unchanged: four 10 Gbps USB 3.2 gen 2 ports, and up to two SATA 6 Gbps ports.
Motherboards based on the AMD B550 chipset are expected to launch on June 16, 2020. Prices start at $100, according to AMD.
434 Comments on AMD B550 Chipset Detailed, It's Ready for Zen 3, Older AM4 Motherboards not Compatible
If you're advising people to put Ryzen 4000 in anything below x570 they don't get all the features they paid for.
Making your advice shit regardless of anything else.
No one today is making a motherboard that will actually see three generations of CPU.
I see your point, it was always delusional, anyone working on and with PC these last 30 year's could have told you bios updates dry up after a year on most motherboards.
They could have also pointed to history where the same fucking socket has been used for years without inter chip support.
So this new paradigm you thought was happening, never was.
It was an interpretation error by you.
Deal with it.
Might make people so frustrated, that the Intel sales explode.
But when you really think about it, even adding a couple more cores, without changing the architecture, means different current requirements. You can artificially limit your new CPU a little so that it fits the existing socket/VRMs, but if you have to limit more than "a little", you're better off redesigning the motherboard.
So my information is shit but your
"No one today is making a motherboard that will actually see three generations of CPUs"
or
"I see your point, it was always delusional, anyone working on and with PC these last 30 year's could have told you bios updates dry up after a year on most motherboards."
or
"They could have also pointed to history where the same fucking socket has been used for years without inter chip support."
Is somehow good information and based on something solid, well then i guess i had it all wrong from the beginning :laugh:
Incidentally every tech pr disclosure carries those same statements.
Subject to change.
It's not My fault your just fresh out the womb.
Love how you marginalised pciex4 to something no one needs yet everyone needs an upgrade path to something most keep for five years.
If I buy for five years I don't get something already out and two years old.
Oh and read the f up am5, socket 1700 ,pciex5 and ddr5.
Mean no one is getting three generations out of a board they buy now, simples.
Told ya it's about interpretation.
AMD on the other hand provided MUCH greater flexibility and upgrade paths - which is how it should be in the first place.
So, for the most part, users with B350/X370 mobos can still mostly upgrade to Zen 2... which is quite great.
That said, in the past, new CPU support was always up to the OEM's (mobo manufacturers)... that is to say, AMD would release the microcode update, but it was up to OEM's whether or not to implement it for their BIOS - so it was never a guarantee.
This time for some reason, its AMD itself that won't include support for Zen 3 on older motherboards... which quite honestly doesn't make much sense because Zen 3 is the last iteration supported by AM4.
Seems very odd to force users to upgrade to a X550/X570 mobo just for AM4 'end of life' - of course, there would be users who would buy the newest mobos even if older ones included BIOS updates for Zen 3, but it just seems very anti-AMD to do something like this.
Mind you, AMD is just a corporation that wants to make money, so from that point of view it DOES make sense, but they also repeatedly said that users won't have to bother with mobo replacements.
As I explained before, the ROM chip bios sizes 'excuse' doesn't really fly for AMD seeing how at least several X570 mobos come with also 16MB of ROM chip (and AMD said that ALL X570 and B550 will be supported).
That means that 16MB ROM chips (which most of the B350/X370 and B450/X470 come with) is not a barrier for Zen 3.
If there are limitations to how big the microcode is, then have mobo OEM's downgrade the UEFI graphics to something less space demanding like they did just before Zen 2 was released, and possibly remove Zen 1 microcode from the new bios (or just remove a few of them).
Forget four years just show me any pc platform wherein on release they told you what and when you could upgrade and to what.
In the last 15 year's
Then try and find one with no subject to change notification.
That should keep you busy for the next 15 year's.
Backstabbing haha , your being dramatic.
It does matter what went before, it lead to this.
Technology evolves it rarely explodes into being.
Your picking and choosing what matters now you a guy with no coin in the debate believe that you know better than AMD.
Could AMD have been clearer, yes their pr team is a bit shit, like their marketing team.
Did they misslead, only if you glazed over the details and got consumed by your own wishes.
10 letters on a slide was enough for you to make up your mind, others will be similar, it will cause uppsett that I understand and agree with.
But regardless of how butt hurt I ,you and others feel ,We then were all mistaken not lied too or backstabbed just mistaken.
Mistaken because they mislead anyone with that touting, they could've been much clearer on the matter or just shut their mouth on AM4 compatibility. So yeah, still backstabbed
Watch out, for the devil is in the detail. "Subject to future roadmap modifications". So they kept their promise, sort of! ;)
The real kicker for me is people clinging on minute differences to paint Intel as evil and AMD as a savior. Well, newsflash, they're both in the business of selling you products. That's what they'll do. When you're the underdog, of course you're all honey, open and stuff. And when you're top dog, you'll take some liberties. Case in point: AMD crushed Intel in HEDT. Did they make HEDT chips $200 and available to everyone? No, they priced Threadrippers well above what Intel ever charged for their HEDT chips. AMD gained some momentum on the desktop, they hit you with the pricey X570 and are now starting to limit support for some chips.
Is AMD evil for doing that? Hell, no. But if you don't wake up and smell the roses, you will keep being surprised by decisions like this one.
Take a step back and look at the big picture: you can buy a lot more CPU HP for $1 than you ever could, whether you are forced to upgrade the motherboard or not.
Evil is when you intentionally mislead the market and confuse the consumers that your products are better when they have always been inferior.
It's like black magic and it's been working for decades, and no one has woken up yet.
What AMD does is just shooting itself in the feet :D
More than likely the collective AGESA firmware for Ryzen 3000 and 4000 CPUs with full board features doesn't leave enough room for Ryzen 1000 and 2000 support.
As for power phases, you can have fewer, but more efficient phases.
"and in many cases, pricier than even AMD X570 chipset ones"I think only the same socket was promised until 2020 and it's true. And if you check the charts, there is no Zen 2 compabitility with the B350 and X370 yet you can get BIOS updates for certain B350/X370 boards so it can run Zen2 CPUs. I'm quite sure this will be the same for Zen3: some B450/X470 will get updates to run Zen3 CPUs. And you will probably get series6 mobos for the Zen3 CPUs so at least 2 compatible mobo gens are guaranteed.
I don't see anything wrong with upgrading boards
My B350 has served its time with a 1700X upto the 3900X no complaints
And people commenting about the 5 series using the same size BIOs chip yadada
It clearly states with the B550/X570 it will not support older Athlons or APUs and possibly won't even support Ryzen 1000 or 2000 to open room up for Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 4000
Hell my B350 when i updated the BIOs for Ryzen 3000 literally lost support for Athlons and non ryzen APUs