It looks like AMD's 800 series, X870E & X870, motherboards might launch after Ryzen 9000 CPUs, as existing AM5 models are good enough.
AMD & Partners In No Rush To Introduce X870E & X870 Motherboards With Ryzen 9000 CPUs, Might Launch Afterwards
Our visit to Computex 2024 saw us witnessing several announcements by CPU manufacturers and their respective partners, but the main highlight for the market was the debut of the 2nd Generation AM5 platform, the Ryzen 9000 series along with the X870E and X870 chipsets.
AMD did surprise us by showcasing models of the X870-series motherboards, such as those from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, ASRock, and Biostar, but interestingly, it looks like AMD board partners have decided not to launch the new motherboard models with the Ryzen 9000 series CPUs, and instead have opted for a later timeline.
The more intriguing fact here is that Intel's Arrow Lake-S motherboards such as the Z890 chipset saw a much higher presence than AMD's new chipset on the show floor, even though Arrow Lake is scheduled for launch months away from now, October is the month we managed to confirm. So, there have been some strange decisions from motherboard manufacturers but we can't argue here.
The reason why AMD partners may be taking time with the X870 chipset, as highlighted by Andreas Schilling of HardwareLuxx, could be that they initially planned on releasing the Ryzen 9000 series CPUs without the new 800-series motherboards, and instead rely on the existing AM5 options. Gigabyte pointed out to us that they are going to focus more on existing parts as a lot of Ryzen 9000 CPU buyers will be coming from either older AM4 platforms and see 600-series options as more cost-effective or 600-series AM5 users who will just replace their older chip with a new one without having to replace or buy a new high-end board.
After talking to some motherboard manufacturers, it becomes clear why: The motherboards with X870 and X870E chipsets will not be available when the Ryzen 9000 processors are launched. AMD will launch the new models with the boards that are already available.
But new motherboards are not really necessary, because the new chipsets do not offer any significant improvements or innovations. Although the Ryzen 9000 processors are supposed to enable a higher memory clock, the memory controller and the layout of the motherboard play a more important role here than the chipset.
Apart from that, the X870 models don't feature significant changes apart from upgraded memory and USB support, so it is sensible for AMD to position the launch of the new chipset after the Ryzen 9000 CPU release just to ensure complete support.
Well, despite the "weird' changes in the launch schedule, it is certainly exciting to see AMD sticking to their promise of AM5's longevity, and with that, the new X870 chipset motherboards will act as a vital catalyst in the adoption of the platform. However, for old AM5 users, it's wise to stick to their current-generation motherboards for now, unless they have a knack for the new ones.
