AMD Zen 4 Raphael IHS render leaks – Is this what an AM5 CPU looks like?

AMD Zen 4 Raphael IHS render leaks - Is this what an AM5 CPU looks like?

AMD Zen 4 Raphael IHS render leaks – Is this what an AM5 CPU looks like?

AMD’s next-generation processors will make some fundamental changes to AMD’s Ryzen lineup, moving AMD’s desktop processors onto a new socket called AM5, which will enable support for DDR5 memory and a suite of other changes. 

The leaker known as ExecutableFix (@ExecuFix) has released renders of AMD’s Zen 4 Raphael processor, an AM5 LGA CPU that features a radical change in IHS (Integrated Heat-Spreader) design over today’s AM4 models. As you can see in the renders below, AMD is utilising a new IHS design that looks similar to Intel’s X299 compatible processors, featuring rounded edges at the top of the IHS and a more rugged appearance. 

AMD’s leaked IHS design will require more complex machining than today’s AM4 IHS designs. That said, AMD’s new design has fewer sharp edges, which means that AMD’s future processors will not create dents on CPU heatsinks if uneven mounting pressure is applied to the processor. 

This new IHS design makes a statement, and that statement is that AMD is now making premium processors. AMD is moving away from its past as the “budget alternative” to Intel, AMD’s entering the big leagues with AM5, and the company is taking bold steps to ensure its success continues. 

AMD Zen 4 Raphael IHS render leaks - Is this what an AM5 CPU looks like?   
With AM5, AMD is moving to an LGA mounting system, and this change delivers several benefits. For starters, LGA processors are more difficult to damage during shipping. Additionally, the need for LGA processors to have a retention mechanism will prevent AMD’s future processors from being pulled out when users remove their heatsinks. Simply put, AMD’s AM5 LGA CPUs will be a lot more user friendly and less damage-prone. That said, those motherboard socket pins could easily be damaged if unprotected. 

The benefits above are side-benefits of LGA, addressing minor issues that AMD desktop users have been facing for over a decade. The real benefits of LGA come in the form of increased pin density, giving AMD’s future processors more connections to power and other devices. 

@ExecuFix has previously revealed that AMD’s Raphael AM5 CPUs will feature 28 PCIe 4.0 lanes, four more than Zen 3, and support TDPs of up to 120W. AM5 will also exclusively support DDR5 memory, offering no DDR4 backwards compatibility. TDPs as high as 170W are also said to be possible for AMD’s AM5 processors, but only for some kind of “Special Variant” CPU. 

AMD’s early AM5 processors will reportedly lack support for PCIe 5.0, placing AMD behind Intel’s Alder Lake product offerings. While this is an advantage for Intel, it is worth noting that mainstream PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs have not saturated the bandwidth capabilities of PCIe 4.0 yet. Simply put, consumers do not need PCIe 5.0 yet, making this advantage a small one at best for Intel. Will SSD manufacturers even be ready for PCIe 5.0 when Zen 4 launches? 

AMD Zen 4 Raphael IHS render leaks - Is this what an AM5 CPU looks like?   
Right now, we have no firm ETA for AMD’s Zen 4 processors, though a mid-late 2022 launch seems likely. Zen 4 will utilise a 5nm lithography process, and AMD will need to make sure that they can produce their CPUs at high enough volumes to meet consumer demand.

You can join the discussion on what AMD’s Zen 4/AM5 Ryzen processors look like on the OC3D Forums. 

AMD Zen 4 Raphael IHS render leaks - Is this what an AM5 CPU looks like?  Â