AMD is expected to launch the first Ryzen desktop CPUs based on the new Zen 6 architecture either in autumn this year or early next year. Until now, there had been no indications that these CPUs would also bring the arrival of new chipsets. However, it now appears that a new wave of AM5 socket motherboards for these processors is in preparation. These models could come equipped with new capabilities and potentially a new chipset.
As noted by VideoCardz, Biostar has now announced that the company will unveil a “new generation” of motherboards for AMD processors next month at Computex. It has not been specified whether this new generation will be branded as an entirely new series (with 900-series chipsets), or whether it will instead be some form of platform refresh centered around 800-series chipsets. These new boards are expected to include certain new capabilities, however, so branding such as X970, B950, and similar is possible—Intel will have a new platform with 900-series chipsets, so AMD and/or motherboard vendors may also want their own “new” generation.
At this point, however, there is no information suggesting development of an entirely new chipset silicon has been underway. For that reason, it is unlikely AMD will unveil a truly new desktop chipset at Computex. It’s more likely—even if the boards are branded as 900-series products (for example, if boards carry names such as X970E)—that it will remain based on the same Promontory 21 silicon already used in B850, X870, X870E, and various 600-series chipset versions.
The differences and new features will likely stem from the firmware level and from motherboard components other than the chipset itself. It appears these new boards could introduce support for CUDIMM (or CSO-DIMM) memory modules with integrated clock generators. These are apparently expected to become supported with Zen 6 processors, as already suggested by preparatory steps featured in EXPO 1.2 technology, which recently came to light. Some form of motherboard-side support may also be required for CUDIMM deployment, and new 900-series boards could offer this as their primary new feature.
To what extent CUDIMMs will be usable with Zen 6 on already existing motherboards remains unknown. However, this technology will almost certainly never function with older Zen 4 and Zen 5 processors, as their memory controllers are not designed for it.
On older motherboards and processors, these modules will reportedly only ever function in so-called bypass mode, where the onboard clock generator is disabled and the motherboard itself supplies the clock signal as with conventional DDR5 memory. In this mode, however, the high clock speeds advertised for CUDIMM modules will not be available—only lower clock speeds will function.
Computex is now less than a month away, so what to actually expect from the new AM5 motherboards should be clarified soon. Beyond Biostar, other manufacturers will certainly also offer them, and at least some of those may begin disclosing details even before the trade show.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
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