Monday, April 25th 2022
AMD AM5 Socket to Launch with DDR5-Only Memory Option, Feature Dual-Chipset Designs
AMD is preparing to launch its highly-anticipated AM5 socket for the next generation of motherboards. And today, thanks to the sources over at Tom's Hardware, we have information regarding memory support for B650 and X670 motherboards. According to the report, both B650 and X670 chipsets will limit the user's memory option to the latest DDR5 memory standard, making it impossible for users with already existing DDR4 memory to perform a seamless upgrade to a new platform. So far, we don't have a lot of details about Zen4's integrated memory controller, and we can't be certain if it supports DDR5 only or carries legacy DDR4 support. However, it seems like B650 and X670 motherboards will have no plans to enable the DDR4 standard memory usage.
Additionally, the report confirms that the B650 chipset is connected to the AM5 socket via PCIe 4.0 x4 connection and has eight lanes of PCIe 4.0 (four of which are for M.2 SSD), four SATA, and lots of USB ports. Documents suggest that the chipset-socket connection is available using PCIe 5.0 for some AM5 processors, so we have to wait and see how it works. As far as high-end X670 is concerned, this chipset is a combination of two chipset dies, presumably a combination of two B650 modules. This doesn't work as the older north/southbridge type of a solution but rather doubled connectivity of a single B650 chipset. We have to wait for the official launch to confirm this information.
Source:
Tom's Hardware
Additionally, the report confirms that the B650 chipset is connected to the AM5 socket via PCIe 4.0 x4 connection and has eight lanes of PCIe 4.0 (four of which are for M.2 SSD), four SATA, and lots of USB ports. Documents suggest that the chipset-socket connection is available using PCIe 5.0 for some AM5 processors, so we have to wait and see how it works. As far as high-end X670 is concerned, this chipset is a combination of two chipset dies, presumably a combination of two B650 modules. This doesn't work as the older north/southbridge type of a solution but rather doubled connectivity of a single B650 chipset. We have to wait for the official launch to confirm this information.
36 Comments on AMD AM5 Socket to Launch with DDR5-Only Memory Option, Feature Dual-Chipset Designs
If its internal between chipset and CPU, they can use it to give us twice as many 4.0 lanes - none of that bullshit with NVME disabling SATA ports, etc.
At a guess, They'd be smart to have the generations planned now based on how AM4 went:
Gen 1: PCI-E 4.0 for all external connections (Use 8x 5.0 CPU-> chipset so that you're not crippled with a 4.0 CPU?) - use that bandwidth for 20/40Gb USB 4.0?
Gen 2: PCI-4.0 everywhere, CPU->chipset 5.0 with GPU and first NVME slot (ala B550)
Gen 3: PCI-E 5.0 everywhere
That would let them plan out designs in advance, and let mobo manfucaturers support various CPU's - we'll have Athlons and APU's with less PCI-E lanes (or even Gen 3.0)
Also possible and logical is the A and B series boards for these generations following that same basic guideline with A/B boards being one gen lower than the X series boards.
Just look at the official slides, 2 RBs (RBEs in the past from back-ends instead of backends that AMD is using now) for Vega 8, 4 RBs for 680M, 16 RBs for 5700XT etc.
So 8 ROPs for Vega 8, 16 ROPs for 680M and 64 ROPs for 5700XT and so on.
Below the slides:
680M:
www.notebookcheck.net/fileadmin/Notebooks/AMD/Ryzen_6000/AMD_Ryzen_680M_RDNA2.jpg
Vega 8:
hexus.net/media/uploaded/2020/3/09342158-1732-4eda-a24d-8c86459ab418.PNG
5700XT:
www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-radeon-rx-5700-xt/images/arch1.jpg
and so on...
If you still don't get it you're beyond help, I will not reply anymore!
:)