With DDR5 prices rising rapidly, AMD is now looking to bring back the prominent AM4 platform-compatible processors.
AMD's David McAfee Says They are Trying Their Best to Bring Back AM4 Ecosystem to "Satisfy the Demands of Gamers"
So, it's official. We have previously heard reports of vendors aiming for a higher supply of AM4 motherboards this year, and the latest confirmation comes from AMD itself. Since making more AM4 motherboards alone won't solve the current market situation, AMD has to increase the production and supply of AM4-compatible processors. In a recent interview with Tom's Hardware, AMD's Ryzen Chief, David McAfee, confirmed the return of the AM4 platform.
As of now, the AM4 platform has turned 9 years old, and a lot of Ryzen generations have appeared on it. Several Ryzen generations have already been phased out, but some Ryzen families still sell globally. David said that AMD is trying its best to increase the supply of these processors to ensure that the AM4 ecosystem can be brought back to fulfill the demands of gamers. Since DDR5-platforms like AM5 and LGA 1851 are making it incredibly difficult to build a PC now, DDR4-based platforms are the only viable solution right now.
(AMD )[is] certainly looking at everything that [it] can do to bring more supply and kind of reintroduce products back into the [AM4] ecosystem to satisfy the demands of gamers that maybe want that significant upgrade in their AM4 platform without having to rebuild their entire system,
- David McAfee, Ryzen Chief, AMD (via Tom's Hardware)
If you remember one of our recent reports on CPU sales, we saw a drastic increase in the market share of AM4 CPUs, mostly Ryzen 5000 series, which have taken the top spots for being the best sellers on major retailers such as Amazon in various regions like NA and EU. Even Zen 2 processors like Ryzen 5 3600 have now entered the top 10 best-selling CPUs in some stores, which clearly indicates the arrival of AM4.
That said, it would be disappointing not see Ryzen 5000X3D CPUs back in the market. AMD discontinued popular processors like Ryzen 7 5800X3D and 5700X3D last year, but these are the only chips that can trade blows with newer offerings such as the Ryzen 7000 series. Ryzen 5 5600X3D has limited availability, and the market desperately needs the 8-core X3D chips.
Still, bringing back a nearly a decade-old platform doesn't mean that there won't be any cost increases. Vendors can easily take advantage of the current market, and it's not that DDR4 RAM is cheap as well. We are seeing a major price increase in DDR4 RAM kits these days, but they aren't as expensive as their DDR5 counterparts.
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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