CHIPSETS

AMD Chipsets

Socket AM4 Chipsets

These chipsets support Ryzen 1000 to Ryzen 5000 series processors (depending on BIOS updates and board models). They’re established and still very popular among gamers and performance enthusiasts on a budget.

B450

  • Launch & Position: A cost-effective, mid-range chipset for Ryzen (AM4).
  • PCIe Generation: PCIe 3.0 for the CPU’s main lanes.
  • Overclocking: Supports CPU and memory overclocking on most motherboards.
  • Typical RAM Support: Up to DDR4-3600(OC) or higher, depending on motherboard quality.
  • Ideal For:
    • Gaming: Good for 1080p–1440p builds, can handle Fortnite, Call of Duty, GTA V, and even Cyberpunk 2077 at moderate settings (paired with a decent GPU).
    • Content Creation: Can handle entry-level video editing, streaming, and graphic design with higher-tier Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 5 5600 or Ryzen 7 5800X).
    • Value Proposition: Great budget option with decent feature sets like VRM for mild overclocking.

X470

  • Launch & Position: Originally a premium chipset for second-gen Ryzen, still relevant for 3rd- and 4th-gen (Ryzen 3000/5000) with BIOS updates.
  • PCIe Generation: PCIe 3.0 for most expansion; CPU has PCIe 3.0 lanes.
  • Overclocking: Generally better VRMs than B450 boards, making it more stable at higher overclocks.
  • Ideal For:
    • Enthusiast Gamers: Good for those wanting to push higher clock speeds on Ryzen 3000/5000.
    • Creators: More USB and SATA ports typically than B450, beneficial for storage-heavy workflows.
    • Multi-GPU: Some models support CrossFire (limited SLI on certain boards).

B550

  • Launch & Position: Successor to B450, a mainstream chipset for Ryzen 3000/5000 series.
  • PCIe Generation: CPU’s primary lanes are PCIe 4.0 (for the GPU slot and at least one M.2 NVMe slot), while the chipset lanes remain PCIe 3.0.
  • Overclocking: Good overclocking potential; typically upgraded VRM designs vs. B450.
  • Ideal For:
    • 1080p/1440p Gaming: Perfect for competitive players in Fortnite or Call of Duty wanting stable performance and an upgrade path to Ryzen 5000.
    • Creators: Faster PCIe 4.0 NVMe support is a boon for video editing, 3D modeling, and large file handling.
    • Value + Modern Features: PCIe 4.0 for GPUs and SSDs without the premium cost of X570.

X570

  • Launch & Position: Premium chipset for Ryzen 3000/5000; the first AM4 chipset to natively support PCIe 4.0 across multiple slots.
  • PCIe Generation: PCIe 4.0 for GPU and multiple M.2 slots (depending on the specific motherboard).
  • Overclocking: Top-tier VRMs on most boards; best for pushing Ryzen 7/9 to their limits.
  • Ideal For:
    • High-End Gamers & Creators: Great for 4K gaming, streaming, heavy content creation, and multi-GPU setups.
    • Feature-Rich Builds: Often loaded with multiple M.2 slots, better audio, more USB 3.2 ports, and robust power delivery.
    • Future-Proofing on AM4: Still an excellent choice for those wanting a stable, high-performance AM4 system.

Socket AM5 Chipsets

These chipsets support Ryzen 7000 series (Zen 4) and beyond. They bring DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 to mainstream and high-end desktops.

A620

  • Launch & Position: Entry-level AM5 chipset for the Ryzen 7000 series.
  • PCIe Generation: Often limited to PCIe 4.0 from the CPU for the primary slots; the chipset itself usually offers PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 for additional slots.
  • Overclocking: Limited or no CPU overclocking (depends on the manufacturer’s board design), but some memory OC can still be possible.
  • Ideal For:
    • Budget Ryzen 7000 Builds: Gamers looking to get into AM5 with a lower budget.
    • Casual Gaming & Everyday Use: Enough horsepower to run mainstream titles at 1080p/1440p with a decent GPU.
    • First Step into DDR5: Access to DDR5 memory at a lower overall cost.

X670 and X670E

  • Launch & Position: High-end chipsets for Ryzen 7000 (Zen 4) with DDR5, PCIe 5.0 capabilities. “E” stands for “Extreme,” offering more guaranteed PCIe 5.0 lanes.
  • PCIe Generation:
    • X670: Typically at least one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot; GPU slot may remain PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 depending on the board.
    • X670E: Mandatory PCIe 5.0 support for both GPU and at least one M.2 slot.
  • Overclocking: Robust power delivery, top-notch VRMs for stable CPU overclocking.
  • Ideal For:
    • Enthusiasts & Creators: Perfect for 4K+ gaming, advanced streaming, and complex content creation tasks (3D, heavy multi-thread).
    • Cutting-Edge Builds: DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0 for ultra-fast NVMe SSDs and GPUs.
    • Long-Term Investment: Offers the best AM5 feature set and likely to remain relevant for several CPU generations.

B650 and B650E

  • Launch & Position: Mainstream AM5 chipsets for Ryzen 7000 series, more affordable than X670. “E” versions ensure PCIe 5.0 for the primary x16 slot and at least one M.2 slot.
  • PCIe Generation:
    • B650: Usually PCIe 4.0 for the GPU, with possible PCIe 5.0 for a single M.2 slot on certain models.
    • B650E: PCIe 5.0 is mandatory for both GPU and at least one M.2 slot.
  • Overclocking: Good power designs for mid- to high-tier overclocking, especially on B650E boards.
  • Ideal For:
    • Performance Gamers: Superb for 1080p–1440p, even 4K if paired with a high-end GPU.
    • Enthusiast on a Tighter Budget: DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 without the full cost of X670-based boards.
    • Content Creators: Great performance with multi-core Ryzen 7000 CPUs, especially for video editing and 3D rendering.

X870 and X870E

  • Launch & Position: Could be a future enthusiast chipset for the AM5 socket (or a next-gen AMD socket) following X670 series.
  • Expected PCIe Generation: Possibly PCIe 5.0 or even PCIe 6.0 if far-future. “E” would likely mandate the highest standard across the GPU and M.2 slots.
  • Overclocking: Typically, “X” stands for top-tier, so expect robust VRMs and advanced power delivery.
  • Ideal For:
    • High-End Gamers & Creators: If released, it would cater to those wanting the absolute cutting-edge.
    • Long-Term Future-Proofing: Could support new CPU generations, next-gen memory speeds, and possibly more USB4 or higher-level connectivity.

B840 and B850

  • Launch & Position: Hypothetical successors to B650/ B650E or a different segment in AMD’s roadmap.
  • Expected Features: Possibly updated PCIe (5.0 or 6.0 for certain slots), improved USB connectivity, DDR5 or beyond.
  • Ideal For:
    • Mid-Range Gaming and Creation: Typically a B-series chipset is mainstream, striking a balance between cost and features.

AMD HEDT (High-End Desktop) Chipsets

sTRX4

  • Launch & Position: Socket for 3rd Generation Ryzen Threadripper (e.g., 3960X, 3970X, 3990X).
  • PCIe Generation: Typically up to 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes directly from the CPU, depending on the SKU.
  • Memory: Quad-channel DDR4.
  • Ideal For:
    • Extreme Content Creation: 24 to 64 cores for 3D rendering, video editing, software development.
    • Gaming: Overkill for standard gaming, but can handle any game plus streaming and heavy multi-tasking.
    • Workstations: Great for workloads requiring multiple GPUs or high-speed storage arrays.

TRX50

  • Launch & Position: A rumored or next-gen Threadripper chipset to supersede sTRX4.
  • Expected Features: Possibly PCIe 5.0, DDR5 or beyond, a higher CPU core count.
  • Ideal For:
    • Ultra-High-End Workstations: For professionals who need monstrous multi-thread performance.
    • Content Creation & Rendering Farms: Likely extremely powerful for production studios, 3D artists, etc.

Intel Chipsets

12th Gen (Alder Lake) / 13th Gen (Raptor Lake) Chipsets

These chipsets use the LGA1700 socket, supporting DDR4 or DDR5 depending on the motherboard.

Z690

  • Launch & Position: Flagship chipset for 12th Gen Alder Lake, also supports 13th Gen with BIOS updates on many boards.
  • PCIe Generation: PCIe 5.0 for the main GPU slot and at least one M.2 NVMe slot (depends on board design), plus additional PCIe 4.0/3.0 lanes.
  • Overclocking: Z-series allows full CPU and memory overclocking.
  • Ideal For:
    • High-Performance Gaming: Perfect for 1080p–4K gaming, streaming, and advanced eSports.
    • Content Creation: Good platform for video editing, 3D design, etc., thanks to Intel’s strong single-core and multi-core performance.
    • DDR5 or DDR4 Flexibility: Some boards come in DDR4 flavor for cost savings, others offer DDR5 for highest bandwidth.

B660

  • Launch & Position: Mid-range chipset for 12th and 13th Gen.
  • PCIe Generation: Typically one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for GPU, optional 4.0 M.2 support.
  • Overclocking: Limited CPU overclocking (Intel typically restricts it to Z-series), but memory overclocking might be available on select boards.
  • Ideal For:
    • Cost-Conscious Gamers: Great for building a gaming PC around a locked or non-K CPU.
    • Everyday Productivity: Solid for typical workloads like streaming, content viewing, light editing.
    • Upgrade Path: Still supports up to i9 13th Gen with adequate power delivery on certain premium B660 boards.

Z790

  • Launch & Position: High-end chipset for 13th Gen Raptor Lake, also backward compatible with 12th Gen.
  • PCIe Generation: PCIe 5.0 x16 for GPU slot, plus up to PCIe 5.0 for at least one M.2 slot.
  • Overclocking: Full CPU and memory overclocking support. Often includes advanced VRM solutions.
  • Ideal For:
    • Top-Tier Gaming & OC Enthusiasts: i9-13900K on Z790 can handle intense AAA titles (Cyberpunk, GTA V, Warzone) with ease, plus top-tier overclocking.
    • Creators Needing High Throughput: Great for video encoding, 3D rendering, big data processing.
    • Future-Ready: More lanes, better I/O, and typically more USB ports.

B760

  • Launch & Position: Mid-range to entry-level chipset for 13th Gen Raptor Lake (and 12th Gen).
  • PCIe Generation: Typically PCIe 4.0 for GPU, optional PCIe 5.0 for M.2 is rare but might appear on some boards.
  • Overclocking: CPU overclocking locked; can do limited memory tuning on some boards.
  • Ideal For:
    • Budget Gaming: Pair with an i5 or i7 locked processor for a balanced rig.
    • Casual Creators: Enough power for moderate editing and streaming setups.
    • Value-Oriented Builds: Good feature set with updated I/O, but less expensive than Z790.


Z890

  • Launch & Position: Flagship chipset for 14th Gen (or beyond) Intel Core processors.
  • Expected Features: Expanded PCIe 5.0 or PCIe 6.0, more advanced overclocking features, DDR5 as standard or even DDR6 if far future.
  • Ideal For:
    • Enthusiasts & Extreme Overclockers: Typically, Z-series is for pushing hardware to the limit.
    • High-FPS Gamers: Great synergy with top-tier CPUs and DDR5.
    • Cutting-Edge Creators: Potential for advanced throughput, even more USB4 or Thunderbolt iterations.

B860

  • Launch & Position: Mid-range chipset in the next generation, successor to B760.
  • Expected Features: Mandatory DDR5, might allow partial or limited memory overclocking.
  • Ideal For:
    • Mid-Range Gamers & Productivity: Balanced boards for locked CPUs.
    • Upgraders to Next-Gen: Usually a cost-effective path with next-gen features.

Intel Workstation Chipset

W790

  • Launch & Position: A workstation chipset for Intel Xeon W-2400 and W-3400 series, using the LGA4677 socket (Sapphire Rapids-based).
  • PCIe Generation: High number of PCIe 5.0 lanes for professional GPUs, NVMe storage, etc.
  • Memory: DDR5 with multiple channels (4 or 8 channels, depending on CPU).
  • Ideal For:
    • Professional Creators & Workstation Users: Video production, 3D rendering, scientific simulations, virtualization.
    • Extreme Multi-GPU/High-Bandwidth Builds: Perfect for large-scale CPU/GPU compute tasks.
    • Overkill for Gaming: While it can handle gaming easily, it’s really designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads.

Which Chipset for Which Audience?

  1. Budget-Oriented Gamers

    • AMD: B450, B550, A620 (AM5).
    • Intel: B660, B760.
    • Why? Balances cost with performance. Able to run titles like Fortnite or Call of Duty at solid frame rates paired with a suitable CPU and GPU.

  2. Mid-Range / Enthusiast Gamers

    • AMD: B550, X570 (AM4) or B650/B650E (AM5).
    • Intel: Z690 or B760 (with a mid-tier CPU like i5 or i7).
    • Why? Offers overclocking headroom (on AMD or Z-series Intel boards), PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 for faster SSDs, suitable for high refresh rate gaming in Fortnite, Call of Duty, or GTA.

  3. High-End / 4K Gaming & Streaming

    • AMD: X570 (AM4) or X670/X670E/X870/X870E (AM5).
    • Intel: Z790 (13th Gen) or Z890 for the next gen.
    • Why? Top-tier power delivery, multiple PCIe 4.0/5.0 slots, robust VRMs, excellent for AAA titles at 4K/ultra settings and multi-tasking (stream + game).

  4. Content Creators / Professional Workflows

    • AMD: X570 or above (AM4) with high-core-count Ryzen, X670(X670E)/B650E (AM5), or sTRX4 / TRX50 (Threadripper) for extreme tasks.
    • Intel: Z-series boards with i7 or i9, or W790 for workstation Xeon.
    • Why? Higher core/thread counts for CPU-intensive tasks, expanded storage options (M.2, SATA), and better memory throughput (DDR5 or high-speed DDR4).

  5. Extreme Enthusiasts & Overclockers

    • AMD: X670E or X870E, plus Threadripper platforms for maximum performance.
    • Intel: Z790 or Z890, plus W790 if you need more professional features.
    • Why? The best VRMs, highest PCIe bandwidth, advanced BIOS settings, top-tier memory overclocking, and future upgradability.

Key Takeaways

  • AM4 vs. AM5: AM4 (B450, X470, B550, X570) is still a solid choice for great price-to-performance. AM5 (A620, B650/B650E, X670/X670E, and possibly X870/E) is the new frontier with DDR5 and PCIe 5.0.
  • Intel LGA1700: Z690/B660 or Z790/B760 boards accommodate 12th and 13th Gen CPUs. If you need overclocking, go Z-series; if you’re on a budget and don’t care about CPU overclocking, B-series might suffice.
  • High-End Desktop (HEDT): AMD Threadripper (sTRX4, TRX50) and Intel W790 (Xeon) target specialized, heavy computational tasks. They are typically overkill for gaming alone but excel at professional workloads.
  • Future Proofing Chipsets: X870/E, B840/850 on AMD, and Z890/B860 on Intel, are likely expansions on current designs with next-gen features like expanded PCIe lanes and possibly better DDR5 or new memory standards.
  • Gaming & Creation: All chipsets can run popular titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, GTA V, or Cyberpunk 2077. The difference is how well they handle it at various resolutions/settings, how smoothly they multi-task or stream, and how much overhead you have for future upgrades.

Conclusion

When recommending a chipset to gamers, performance enthusiasts, or creators, first identify their priority: gaming resolution/refresh rate, streaming requirements, content creation needs, future upgrades, and budget.

  • Entry-level: B450, B660, A620.
  • Mid-range: B550, B650/B650E, B760
  • High-end: X570, X670/X670E, X870/X870E, Z690, Z790, Z890
  • Extremes (HEDT): sTRX4, TRX50, W790.

Whether it’s sniping in Fortnite, cruising around Night City in Cyberpunk, rampaging through Warzone, or tackling multi-layer timelines in Premiere Pro, picking the right chipset ensures you maximize your CPU’s potential and enjoy a smooth, future-ready computing experience.