Surprise! A mere week after saying that its B450 and X470 motherboards won’t support future generations of Ryzen processors, AMD has had a change of coronary heart relating to socket AM4 compatibility. Huzzah! Next-gen Ryzen processors will now assist each 400-series and 500-series AM4 motherboards, although there are numerous caveats concerned.

“Over the past week, we closely reviewed your feedback on that news: we watched every video, read every comment and saw every Tweet,” AMD stated in a launch, by way of Anandtech. “We hear that many of you hoped a longer upgrade path. We hear your hope that AMD B450 and X470 chipsets would carry you into the ‘Zen 3’ era…As the team weighed your feedback against the technical challenges we face, we decided to change course.”

AMD’s compatibility announcement spurred anger and shock throughout the Internet. Even earlier than Ryzen launched, AMD touted a long-term improve path by way of its AM4 socket. Last week’s announcement revealed that future “Zen 3” chips will certainly proceed to assist the AM4 socket however drop compatibility with older motherboard chipsets. That stored true to the letter of AMD’s AM4 improve promise but tossed the spirit within the rubbish bin. We aired our grievances in the newest Full Nerd podcast, which you’ll see beginning at concerning the 31-minute mark within the video under.

Don’t be mistaken: There are some very actual technical limitations that require dumping assist for older CPUs, as Gamers Nexus admirably covered. But AMD’s advertising division spent years mocking Intel for its short-lived socket (not chipset) assist, and worse, solely just rolled out B550 motherboards.

If you acquire a kick-ass, inexpensive AMD 3000-series Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 processor since final August and didn’t wish to spend extra in your motherboard than you probably did on your chip, B450 was the one trendy possibility. X570 prices an excessive amount of, and B550 is just rolling out now. AMD and its companions pitched its 400-series motherboards as a viable different to newer 500-series boards, as the one notable 500-series distinction is assist for the cutting-edge PCI 4.0 technology. People who listened and opted to get a B450 or X470 board as an alternative instantly discovered themselves stranded on a lifeless platform with out warning—till right this moment’s reversal. Kudos to AMD for listening to the (legitimate) suggestions of its group.

Gordon Mah Ung/IDG

AMD’s compromise is simply that: a compromise. It needs to be, given the technical limitations that spurred the unique plans to chop backward compatibility. The Zen 3 assist for B450 and X470 motherboards received’t be as seamless as prior upgrades, which can most likely restrict it to lovers alone. But as a result of this controversy just about solely impacts lovers seeking to improve their present PCs—a very small subset of customers—it’s a welcome transfer from AMD.

Rather than attempting to interrupt down the difficult course of, right here’s what AMD says to anticipate:

As the workforce weighed your suggestions in opposition to the technical challenges we face, we determined to vary course. As a end result, we’ll allow an improve path for B450 and X470 prospects that provides assist for next-gen AMD Ryzen Processors with the “Zen 3” structure.  This choice could be very contemporary, however here’s a first take a look at how the improve path is anticipated to work for purchasers of those motherboards.

1)      We will develop and allow our motherboard companions with the code to assist “Zen 3”-based processors in choose beta BIOSes for AMD B450 and X470 motherboards.

2)      These elective BIOS updates will disable assist for a lot of present AMD Ryzen™ Desktop Processor fashions to make the mandatory ROM house accessible.

3)      The choose beta BIOSes will allow a one-way improve path for AMD Ryzen Processors with “Zen 3,” coming later this 12 months. Flashing again to an older BIOS model is not going to be supported.

4)      To scale back the potential for confusion, our intent is to supply BIOS obtain solely to verified prospects of 400 Series motherboards who’ve bought a brand new desktop processor with “Zen 3” inside. This will assist us make sure that prospects have a bootable processor on-hand after the BIOS flash, minimizing the danger a person may get caught in a no-boot state of affairs.

5)      Timing and availability of the BIOS updates will fluctuate and should not instantly coincide with the supply of the primary “Zen 3”-based processors.

6)      This is the ultimate pathway AMD can allow for 400 Series motherboards so as to add new CPU assist. CPU releases past “Zen 3” would require a more recent motherboard.

7)      AMD continues to suggest that prospects select an AMD 500 Series motherboard for the most effective efficiency and options with our new CPUs.

There are nonetheless many particulars to iron out, however we’ve already began the mandatory planning. As we get nearer to the launch of this improve path, you must anticipate one other weblog similar to this to supply the remaining particulars and a walkthrough of the precise course of.

Again: Props to AMD for working to deal with the suggestions about it authentic plan. This comes at a value to the corporate and its companions, nevertheless it’s properly value it. Ryzen’s beginning to make a giant impression with lovers, lastly snatching Intel’s long-held desktop computing crown. Suddenly stranding 400-series motherboard homeowners with out warning was an enormous miscue.