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Zen 3 not compatible with X370 or X470 motherboards

SantaC

Member
Straight from AMD:


Q: Will the “Zen 3” architecture be compatible with AMD Socket AM4?
A:
Yes! AMD officially plans to support next-gen AMD Ryzen desktop processors, with the “Zen 3” architecture, on AMD X570 and B550 motherboards. This will require a BIOS update. Specific details about this update will come at a later time, but we’re committed to keeping you up-to-date. We’ve also updated our official chipset/CPU support matrix to take future “Zen 3” processors into account (below)!
Q: What about (X pre-500 Series chipset)?
A:
AMD has no plans to introduce “Zen 3” architecture support for older chipsets. While we wish could enable full support for every processor on every chipset, the flash memory chips that store BIOS settings and support have capacity limitations. Given these limitations, and the unprecedented longevity of the AM4 socket, there will inevitably be a time and place where a transition to free up space is necessary—the AMD 500 Series chipsets are that time.



My heart just sank a bit. Sitting on X370 was hoping to update.
 
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Straight from AMD:







My heart just sank a bit. Sitting on X370 was hoping to update.
B450 here. I upgraded my mobo cause my cat snapped the audio connection on the back of my old B350 and I wanted to go optical again.

I guess I'll sit Zen 3 out unless a game comes out that makes this one unable to do 1080p ultra settings with whatever processor I could upgrade with.
 

Leonidas

Member
Intel doesnt even have PCIe 4 support

Many Intel Z490 motherboards do.

This is disappointing news but we're at least given a reason besides AMD moving a pin, though I'm still hopeful something can be done at least for some boards.

Their reason is BS. Most X470 boards have bigger Flash BIOS than some X570 boards...

Theoretiacally, could a hacked x370/x470 bios support zen 3?

Theoretically sure, but don't get your hopes up.
 
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Stuart360

Member
I just ordered a 2700X and Gigabyte mobo. I only play at vsynced 60fps so that will be more than enough for next gen for me. In fact it will probably last me years if i'm only playing at 60fps.
Just buy a new mobo, a cheap one. You really dont need super expensive mobo's, which are a bit of a con really.
 

Anki

Banned
Wait so new ryzen 4000 series cpu's wont be compatible with B450 boards?
That sucks, i guess i should get 3600 or 3700 instead.
 
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Leonidas

Member
x570 motherboard will see a lot of life.

I don't know if I'd agree with that. DDR5 could be coming to Zen4 next year. At that point X570 buyers would be forced to upgrade RAM and motherboard in order to buy the latest CPU.

Zen3 (this year) could be the last CPU that works on X570.
 

Shady_PL

Banned
I don't know if I'd agree with that. DDR5 could be coming to Zen4 next year. At that point X570 buyers would be forced to upgrade RAM and motherboard in order to buy the latest CPU.

Zen3 (this year) could be the last CPU that works on X570.
Yeah, it's going to be the last. AM5 is coming next year.
 
There are some old boards out there with 32MB chips, like MSI's MAX series consisting of upgraded re-releases of their B450/X470 lineup. If BIOS size is the only issue, these boards should technically be able to run Ryzen 3 anyway.
 

GHG

Gold Member
I don't know if I'd agree with that. DDR5 could be coming to Zen4 next year. At that point X570 buyers would be forced to upgrade RAM and motherboard in order to buy the latest CPU.

Zen3 (this year) could be the last CPU that works on X570.

DDR5 won't be a requirement for anything for a long time.

There are a lot of people still on DDR3 playing the latest games to high standards.

If you are buying today an X570 board gets you an extra generation of CPU's to upgrade to if you wish. That's much better than buying a motherboard with zero upgrade path.
 

Allandor

Member
Already expected that. Well, actually I expected AM5 with DDR5 memory for Zen3 but ok.

A cheap B550 Board will do it. My current MSI board had already problems because of the bios size with Zen2.
 

ShirAhava

Plays with kids toys, in the adult gaming world
Saw this coming a mile away which is why my new build is just a case and psu for now
 
I have a x470 and have been waiting for the 4000 series as I have a 2600 and i don't really like it. I'm pissed off at this AMD said how the socket would be supported. If I can't get the 4000 series, I might as well go Intel if I need a new motherboard.
 

Nydus

Gold Member
DDR5 won't be a requirement for anything for a long time.

There are a lot of people still on DDR3 playing the latest games to high standards.

If you are buying today an X570 board gets you an extra generation of CPU's to upgrade to if you wish. That's much better than buying a motherboard with zero upgrade path.

Yeah it's mostly wise to sit out the first generation of new DDR. Often it's not much faster but way more expensive with a lot of rough edges. Going from DDR3 to 4 felt glacial.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
What does AMD having support for PCI-e 4.0 for X570 for nearly a year have to do with the post you quoted?
Because in terms of comparing feature sets between the two companies for PCIE 4.0, there isn't much comparison. If you wanted 4.0 in the past or if you want it now or sometime in the near future, there's only one choice.
 

rofif

Banned
The 3700x and b450 tomahawk I've got last year were not even working right so I've got x570 gigabyte. That works well enough. but as I have 3700x on it, there will probably be no reason to update. Cpu and motherboard is something I like keeping for years
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
I'm glad I was able to use my X370 to upgrade to a 3700X, but even then it was supposedly a tight fit and you're losing features. If I was to get another CPU, I would want a new mobo. The thing was like $100 anyway and I got it in 2017.
 
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Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
So nothing, I was responding to someone who stated Intel did not support PCI-e 4.0 when it is supported in many Z490 boards...
And I'm saying that it's not much of a response when

A. Those motherboards are still only in preorder status

B. The upcoming Intel CPUs don't support PCIE 4.0 so it doesn't even matter in the near term

What are consumers to do if they want PCIE 4.0 now?
 

Leonidas

Member
And I'm saying that it's not much of a response when

A. Those motherboards are still only in preorder status

B. The upcoming Intel CPUs don't support PCIE 4.0 so it doesn't even matter in the near term

OK... that wasn't the point of my post but sure...

Fact is the support is there. In a recent CPU thread some idiot was saying Z490 was a dead platform not even realizing it has support for another generation of CPUs and PCI-e 4...

What are consumers to do if they want PCIE 4.0 now?

Buy a new CPU and motherboard that supports it now. Would have been nice if only CPU upgrade was needed, like before AMD removed Gen 4 support from older boards...
 
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Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
My point is simply many Z490 boards support PCIe 4 thus Intel has PCIe4 support. That's all. Anything else is stuff you've made up in your mind.
I'm only going by what you said, nothing more. Saying "Intel has PCIE 4.0 support" is meaningless in practice when you can't even use it or buy it yet now, or in the near future. I'm explaining how your point is functionally useless.

It was you who brought up the fact hat "AMD has this for almost a year already" :messenger_grinning_sweat:
That's called additional context which further supports the main point. Don't deflect by pretending it isn't relevant.
 

Leonidas

Member
I'm only going by what you said, nothing more. Saying "Intel has PCIE 4.0 support" is meaningless in practice when you can't even use it or buy it yet now, or in the near future.

It's good to know Intel Z490 already has PCIe4 support and will have an upgrade path for a future CPU, something only possible on a few platforms today. It's not meaningless.

I'm sure AMD fans would have liked to know what features/CPU upgrade they could expect in advance so that they wouldn't be blindsided like many were today...

That's called additional context which further supports the main point. Don't deflect by pretending it isn't relevant.

Relevant to you in your mind maybe, but it has nothing to do with what I typed.
 
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Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
It's good to know theat Z490 already has PCIe4 support and will have an upgrade path for a future CPU. It's not meaningless.
It's good to know, but functionally useless for people who want the feature yesterday, today, or tomorrow. How is that any good for a professional? Specs on paper are meaningless without the means to use them. It might not be so bad if the upcoming Intel CPUs had PCIE 4.0 but they don't, so we have no idea what the timeline is going to be.

Relevant to you in your mind maybe, but it has nothing to do with what I typed.
It's another data point that provides context to the broader landscape.

Company A has had next gen feature X for a year.

Company B only has it on paper, for a product that isn't on shelves yet, constrained by a necessary part that doesn't even have a launch yet.

That tells you something when one company is late to the party by over a year.
 
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