AMD Ryzen CPUs first launched in 2016 and it was only with the launch of Ryzen 7000 in 2022 did AMD migrate to the newer AM5 socket. Although at the end of its life, the AM4 platform has continued to receive support, as recently as October 2024. The AMD Ryzen XT range of 5000-series chips offers more cache and performance at the same TDP. This could be a worthy upgrade path for an AM4 PC if you've tried overclocking and buying faster DDR4 RAM. Interested to learn more about boosting the power of your AM4 PC? Here are some recommendations!

4 Overclock the CPU using BIOS or Ryzen Master

The first step in getting more from your AM4 PC is to overclock the processor and system memory. Although the modules installed may state they run at 3600 MT/s, there's a chance you may be running the memory at 2133 MT/s without AMD's EXPO overclocking profile enabled. This can be fixed by changing a single setting within the BIOS but the results can be immediately noticeable. For the CPU, we've got comprehensive guides available on overclocking your processor. This can be achieved through the BIOS or Ryzem Master.

I recommend the former if you don't mind rebooting to test changes whereas Ryzen Master can be easier as it's within Windows.

3 Ensure everything is up to date

This recommendation may sound strange but keeping your PC updated with the latest versions of Linux or Windows and any running software can provide a small boost. At the worst, doing so would ensure you won't be losing out on any performance gains. Your GPU drivers allow you to play games with powerful graphics cards and making sure the latest AMD or Nvidia drives are installed is vital. More recent driver updates can include enhancements and bug fixes that affect specific games, so be sure to check through changelogs to see if your favorite is included.

AMD is known to improve its processors and GPUs through software updates.

2 Use faster system memory

DDR4 RAM comes in all speeds and sizes. A good rule of thumb for improving the performance of your AM4 PC is to consider using faster RAM modules. So long as your motherboard can handle the additional speeds, you'll be able to utilize RAM with faster speeds and tighter timings.

1 Upgrade to a more powerful AM4 CPU

Even though AM4 processors are a few generations behind the latest AMD chips, you can still locate some listings at relatively good prices. If you're using an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, there are still countless CPUs to upgrade to and unlock better performance. AMD's Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 families will both offer notable improvements. If you want to go all-out with gaming, I recommend considering the mighty AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D with its 96MB L3 cache. The flagship AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has 16 cores and 32 threads, making it an ideal choice for content creators.

Then there's the new range of XT chips released through 2024. The AMD Ryzen 5900XT is an improved 5900X with more cores, threads, and cache. It's amazing to see new processors simultaneously launch on AM4 and AM5, offering more upgrade paths. Remember to replace your CPU cooler if it's not powerful enough to handle the higher TDP ratings.

If all else fails; upgrade to AM5

AMD supports the same platform for almost a decade. AM4 enjoyed support between 2016 and 2022, and AM5 is expected to be fully supported through 2027, though I wouldn't be surprised if processors launch thereafter on the same socket. Moving from AM4 to AM5 can provide a notable performance boost through newer manufacturing processes, architectural improvements, and faster DDR5 system memory. This process will require a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM, but the results are worth the investment.