AMD launches 2nd Gen AM5 Platform, introduces new 800-Series chipsets, starting with X870E & X870 Motherboards for enthusiasts, more mainstream options later. AMD AM4, introduced in 2017, will go down as the longest-living modern-era Platform, running up to 2024 and potentially even until 2025, judging by the company’s recent chip launches.
AMD’s New 800-Series Motherboard
Enter the new 800-series family and that is where AMD is pulling the wraps off its 2nd Generation AM5 platform. The lineup debuts with the X870E and X870 chipsets, which target the high-end enthusiast segment, with more features, I/O memory support, and overclocking capability than the current and upcoming Ryzen CPUs, such as the Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 “Granite Ridge” family. Enhancements on the AMD X870E & X870 motherboards include:
- USB 4.0 standard across all X870/X870E motherboards
- PCIe Gen5 for Graphics & NVME on all X870/X870E motherboards
- Increased EXPO memory clock support on X870/X870E motherboards
AMD also introduced new PBO and CO algorithms available in the Ryzen 9000 CPUs that these new motherboards fully support. In addition to the X870E and X870, the company will also launch B850 & B840 chipsets for the mainstream market.
The X870E series will contain two Promontory 21 dies on the motherboards, supporting USB4 and up to Gen5 GPU and storage with all X85x chipsets and above The X870 (Non-E) would maintain the same I/O support but drop the die count to one. In July, motherboards will natively support DDR5-5600 MT/s memory speeds and over 8000 MT/s transfer rates on high-end models.
AMD B850 motherboards will utilize the same Promontory 21 die but lack native USB4 support. They will support Gen5 GPU but optional Gen5 M.2 support. The B840, being the entry-level option, will use the older Promontory 19 die, providing only Gen4 GPU/SSD support, no CPU overclocking, and limited memory overclock support. These B840 motherboards will be competitively priced, competing against Intel’s sub-$200 US options. AMD will continue with the A620/A620A series to cater to the entry-level segment, planning further price adjustments to attract more customers.
Regarding AM5 longevity, AMD initially committed to support until 2025+, but recent updates suggest support beyond 2027, indicating the platform’s confidence. This implies the potential for 3-4 generations of Ryzen “Zen” CPUs on the platform, offering stability for invested users amid competitors’ occasional socket/platform changes.
