More pins to be deployed on the AM6 socket for further improvement in areas like power delivery and I/O Bandwidth.
AM6 Socket to Feature 2100 Pins, Bringing Higher Pin Density Than AM5 Socket, but Won't Be Bigger; AM6 Reportedly Launches in 2028 Alongside Zen 7
AMD will finally transition to a new socket in the coming years, but we have at least three more years to go since Zen 6 will be compatible with the current AM5 socket. If you are aware of the recent developments around AMD's Zen 6 processors, you might know that it is expected to utilize the AM5 socket, extending the lifespan of the platform even further.
However, with the Zen 7 launch, AMD is expected to launch a newer socket called AM6, which, according to Bits and Chips, will have higher pin density than AM5. As per the recent AMD patent US20250149248, the AM6 socket will have as many as 2100 pins, up from 1718 pins on the AM5. This marks a 22% increase in the pin density since AMD is expected to retain the AM5 socket size on AM6. As you can see from the diagram suggested by the website, there are more pins than AM5 in the same surface area on the AM6 socket, but take this with a grain of salt since the diagram is more likely of the SP5 socket, and mainstream platforms won't likely utilize a 4-channel memory configuration.
Nonetheless, if the report about 2100 pins is true, this will mean that the current AM5-compatible coolers should be able to fit the AM6 socket as well. This also means that technically, the AM4-compatible coolers will also be compatible with AM6, but of course, with the newer Zen 7 lineup, cooler manufacturers may have to release a newer version according to the chiplet layout on the CPUs.
With more pins on the AM6 socket, the CPUs could be fed higher power, which should enable sustained 200+W power delivery. This is just our speculation, but it's possible since AM5 is able to deliver 170W through 1718 pins. More pins could also lead to more data lanes, indicating higher bandwidth I/O, and it is also possible that we may see PCIe Gen 6.0 support on these motherboards. Although Silicon Motion said that PCIe 6.0 won't come to mainstream consumer hardware before 2030, AMD and its board partners may prepare early for easier upgrades.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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