New leak envisions what the AM5 socket could look like and highlights key AMD Ryzen 7000 Raphael specs

Leaked roadmaps have told us that AMD is finally ditching the AM4 socket with its next-generation Zen 4 CPUs. Another significant change is the transition from a PGA (Pin Grid Array) socket to LGA (Land Grid Array). We now have our first look at what an AM5-based LGA1718 CPU could look like, thanks to Twitter user ExecutableFix, who also happens to be the same person who told us about AMD's move to LGA.

ExecutableFix also walks us through some key Zen 4 specs, such as support for DDR5 memory, 28 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and 120W TDP. The CPU won't support DDR4 memory, which isn't surprising, given that the 5nm part is due for launch sometime in late 2022. Ideally, DDR5 memory should become the norm by then. The leaker also mentions that some SKUs will bump the TDP up to 170W. That figure should allow for higher core counts, too. The top-of-the-line AMD Ryzen 9 7950 could, in theory, ship with 20/24 cores and 40/48 threads.

PCIe 5.0 support would have been ideal, but AMD wants to keep that exclusive to its server SKUs for now. AMD has used an LGA socket back in the Opteron days and is no stranger to it. AMD's transition to LGA-based CPUs will come as a relief for DIY PC builders. Many have had their processors come off with the cooler during disassembly, which sometimes resulted in bent/damaged pins.

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