Everything you need to know about Zen 4, Socket AM5 and AMD's new chipsets

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AMD's Ryzen 7000 launch is more important than processors. CPU architecture changes, but with it also comes changes in everything from the chipset to the physical socket the chips plug into. The last time so many things changed at once was back in 2017 when the first-gen Ryzen chips initially launched.

So today we are publishing two Ryzen articles. One is an overview of the performance and power efficiency of the actual chips, located here. This one will focus on all the other changes, including those that will be with us long after Ryzen 7000 is old news.

We will divide this article into four parts that will cover the four main components of the Ryzen 7000 launch: 1) the Zen 4 processor core, 2) the on-chip I/O matrix that supports the non-CPU processor features and handles internal connectivity, 3) 600-series chipsets which handle most external connectivity, and 4) the physical AM5 socket which will outlast all other components by a few years.

Contents The Zen 4 processor, in brief The I/O matrix Selecting an optimal RAM speed The integrated GPU: two RDNA GPU cores, mostly USB-C outputs Built-in USB flashback support Socket AM5: more power, support until 2025 Four chipsets are actually two chipsets (which are actually one chipset) EXPO Memory Overclocking Profiles The Zen 4 processor, in brief

The high-level architectural preview of Zen 4. Zen 4 is an overhaul of Zen 3, where AMD called Zen 3 a "from the ground up" overhaul. AMD

Most of the performance gains come from front-end enhancements that keep the CPU powered. AMD

Although there have also been some execution improvements. AMD