- AMD isn’t giving up on AM4 chipset users just yet, with another AM4 processor launching
- The Ryzen 5 5600F processor will be available for AM4 sockets
- It’s now nine years since AMD launched the AM4 chipset platform
It’s always great to see manufacturers and companies catering to audiences using older hardware, and AMD consistently does so, with AM4 motherboard chipsets (which support some of the best processors available) being championed years after its 2016 launch. Long may it continue.
As reported by VideoCardz, AMD has revealed the Ryzen 5 5600F, a new AM4 processor that’s a slightly stripped-down version of the Ryzen 5 5600, with lower base clock and boost clock speeds than its elder, at 3.0 GHz and 4.0 GHz, respectively. This comes nine years after the AM4 chipset’s launch, and represents another year of commitment from AMD to its users.
It’s worth noting that AMD’s AM5 chipset has been available to consumers since 2022, which contains multiple lineups that are great for gaming and productivity. However, purchasing a new Ryzen 7000 series (or above) processor requires a new PCIe 5.0 motherboard, thanks to their AM5 sockets, including new DDR5 RAM sticks, since DDR4 isn’t compatible with PCIe 5.0 motherboards.
That is exactly why Team Red deserves praise, since many other PC gamers are still using AM4 processors, and likely will be for a long while. The high-end AM4 CPUs like the Ryzen 7 5700X3D (my processor) or the Ryzen 7 5800X3D are still more than capable of servicing high-end GPUs like the RTX 5080 or RTX 5090, where you’ll more than likely be gaming at 1440p or 4K resolutions.
Essentially, there is very little reason to upgrade your motherboard for an AM5 processor if you’re already using some of the best AM4 CPUs, and it’s great to see AMD continue to introduce more affordable options, considering the chances of higher-quality AM4 processors being discontinued.
Analysis: I likely won’t be changing my system for years to come, but good on you AMD
Upgrading to AM5 processors would be a slightly expensive endeavour for PC users to make, since it would require nearly an entirely new system (aside from the GPU). While I haven’t had any intention to do so, and there are likely other PC users who are happy with AM4, it’s still great to see Team Red considering affordable routes for consumers.
It’s not a stretch to suggest that hardware is expensive due to a combination of factors, but particularly due to tariffs recently, and it’s not unusual to see top-of-the-line AM4 processors disappear from online marketplaces. It’s therefore a breath of fresh air to see the Ryzen 5 5600F.
I’m hoping the same can be done with AMD’s FSR 4 and it being rolled back to older RDNA 3 GPUs, allowing gamers to benefit from improved image quality when upscaling without needing to spend big bucks on a new graphics card.
I don’t know how long AMD plans on continuing with AM4 support, but I’m not expecting an AM6 socket anytime soon, so I’m pretty confident it won’t just stop here for new AM4 processors.
