It's been just over 2 years since AMD released the 7000 series CPUs and the AM5 platform and, somehow, AM4 is still going strong. The AM4 socket is now over 8 years old and normally this would mean it's past its prime. However, AMD released a few new and upgraded SKUs of CPUs in 2024 and says they believe the longevity of AM4 is one of the biggest factors in Ryzen's overall success.

Normally, when a new socket/chipset comes out, you can kind of expect the old one to die off and companies typically sell off their existing stock. AMD decided not to do that and in 2024 released updated CPUs on the AM4 platform, adding higher clock speeds to some models and even upgrading some CPUs to include 3D V-Cache, making them absolute gaming beasts for the price. Whether you like it or not, there is no denying that the AM4 socket has had a legendary run and earned its place as one of the best CPU sockets ever.

4 Stability and feature support

As the AM4 platform is over 8 years old now, it is stable to use. Most of the bugs and kinks have already been worked out for some time now, and it just works. There have been numerous BIOS, driver, and chipset updates over the years, and it is well-supported by the community. The maturity of it is one of the main reasons it can and should be trusted.

While it may not come with PCIe 5.0 support, most users don't need it anyway. Some AM4 motherboards come with PCIe 4.0, which is plenty fast enough for most of us. AM4 also utilizes DDR4 memory which is fast enough, stable, and cheap, making it a more viable option for most. Also, AM4 still supports superfast NVMe drives for storage, so there really isn't a lot you are missing out on in terms of real-world performance.

3 Extensive CPU support and upgradability

There are over 100 supported CPUs on the AM4 platform. This also makes upgrading a breeze, as a lot of motherboards can support multiple generations of AM4 CPUs. This also means that there are plenty of accessories and coolers that are compatible with the AM4 socket, so you are not short on options.

If you have a Ryzen 7 2700, you may even be able to upgrade your AM4 CPU to a Ryzen 9 5900X with a BIOS update for your motherboard. This can give you a massive jump in performance of over 50%+ in some cases. Of course, not all motherboards will support this due to TDP restrictions and other reasons, but it is possible on a lot of motherboards. Whatever you do, just check your motherboard's compatible CPU list on the manufacturer's website before you make any purchases.

2 Still offers good performance

For those who don't need top-of-the-line performance or one of the best CPUs, the AM4 platform is a blessing in disguise. While some will ignore it since AM5 is available now, those who are looking for a mid-range PC, whether it be for gaming or productivity work, need to really consider the option. Pairing a top-end AM4 CPU, like the 5700X3D or even the 5900X, with a decent GPU can give you some great performance.

I know firsthand that a Ryzen 7 5800X paired with an Nvidia RTX 3060 or an AMD RX 6800 can play a lot of AAA games at a 1440p resolution with medium-high settings. This also means that 1080p gamers will see some very impressive results and should be able to max out almost any game they choose. When it comes to rendering videos and other productivity work, they may not be as fast as the newest Intel Core Ultra 285K or Ryzen 7 9800X3D, but considering the massive price difference, the performance is fine.

1 It's affordable

Speaking of price, the AM4 platform is one of the best offerings for price-to-performance you can get. Considering you can get a Ryzen 9 5900X for around $226 from the likes of Amazon and other online retailers, it is a no-brainer for those who don't need top-of-the-line performance. You can even get top-of-the-range B550 motherboards for $100-$150, and DDR4 is silly cheap now with 32GB coming in at under $50 for multiple kits.

With AM4, you can essentially get the motherboard, CPU, and RAM for the same cost as just the AM5 CPU, for which you would still need to buy the motherboard and RAM, both of which are more expensive than their AM4 counterparts. If you are looking to get the most for your money as soon as possible, the AM4 platform is definitely the way to go in terms of budget.

Support through 2025 and beyond

With 2025 quickly approaching and AMD having just released new AM4-based CPUs in the past few months, it gives a pretty good indication that they will continue to support the AM4 platform. While AM5 may be for those looking towards the future, AM4 still has plenty of life left in it. Besides, not everyone wants or needs the best PC specs out there, so it won't be dying anytime soon. Some will say AM4 isn't worth it anymore, but this doesn't seem to be the case, at least for now.

This is great news for those who are more budget-orientated or simply just cannot afford the latest and great hardware. The AM4 platform also offers a great entry into the world of PCs for those who may have yet to consider getting one. All in all, the AM4 platform is here to stay, and at the end of the day, it is great for consumers and AMD alike. As long as AMD continues to support the platform with security updates, it is still a very viable option.