AMD Announces B650E Chipset for Ryzen 7000: PCIe 5.0 For Mainstream

Over the last couple of months, the rumor mill surrounding AMD’s impending Ryzen 7000 processors for desktops has been in overdrive. Although Lisa Su unveiled Zen 4 back at CES 2022, it’s been anticipated that the new AM5 platform would include multiple chipsets, much like AM4 has over 500+ motherboard lifespan from X370, X470, X570, and every chipset in between.

AMD announced its X670E, X670, and B650 chipsets during the AMD Keynote at Computex 2022, and this evening, AMD has announced a fourth chipset for Ryzen 7000, the B650E chipset. The B650E chipset will run alongside the already announced B650 chipset, but as it’s part of AMD’s ‘Extreme’ series of chipsets, it will benefit from PCIe 5.0 lanes to at least one M.2 slot, as well as optional support for PCIe 5.0 to a PCIe graphics slot, features not available with standard B650 boards.

During AMD’s Keynote at Computex 2022, AMD’s CEO Lisa Su unveiled three AM5 chipsets designed to harness the power of its 5 nm Zen 4 cores within the Ryzen 7000 processors. We already knew the AM5 socket was based around a Lane Grid Array (LGA) socket with 1718 pins, aptly named LGA1718. Some of the significant benefits coming to AM5 include native PCIe 5.0 support from the CPU, not just for use with the PCIe slots, but also in the way of PCIe 5.0 storage, where the first consumer drives are expected to start rolling out in November 2022.

AMD’s latest announcement of the B650E (Extreme) chipset gives motherboard vendors and users the option of a lower-cost platform but without sacrificing the longevity and expansion support of PCIe 5.0. The X670E chipset is reserved for its most premium models, such as the flagship ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme motherboard, unveiled at Computex 2022.

AMD AM5 Chipset Comparison
Feature
X670E
X670
B650E
B650
CPU PCIe (PCIe)
5.0 (Mandatory)
2 x16 Slots
4.0
(5.0 Optional)
4.0
(5.0 Optional)
4.0
(5.0 Optional)
CPU PCIe (M.2 Slots)
At Least 1 PCIe 5.0 Slot
PCIe 4.0
(5.0 Optional)
Total CPU PCIe Lanes
24
SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps
(USB 3.2 Gen 2×2)
Up To 14
DDR5 Support
Quad Channel (128-bit bus)
Speeds TBD
Wi-Fi 6E
Yes
Overclocking Support
Y
Y
Y
Y
Available
September 2022
October 2022

Using PCIe 5.0 lanes requires a more premium PCB, usually with more layers which allows the tracks to keep signal integrity, but this typically adds cost. The existence of the B650E chipset will enable vendors to use more expensive PCIe 5.0 laning with more modest controller sets, which allow vendors to offset the cost. Ideally, it gives users a broader and more future-proof platform to upgrade with, but without breaking the bank on unnecessary controller sets; users wanting the best controller sets should opt for X670 or X670E.

This ultimately means that AMD will have a mainstream platform that has PCIe 5.0 by default (B650E) and a lower-cost alternative with just PCIe 4.0 lanes to the PEG and M.2 slots. AMD is strongly prodding motherboard vendors to offer at least one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot for storage on most of their boards, as this is one of the main benefits of AMD’s AM5 platform.

As announced by AMD during its together we advance_PCs event, the Ryzen 7000 processors for desktop will launch on September 27th, with both motherboards from the X670E and X670 chipsets. The motherboards featuring the B650E and B650 chipsets will be available to purchase at a later date in October.

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