AM4 vs AM5 Motherboards
They are two different sockets and nothing moves between them: an AM4 board takes Ryzen 5000 and older processors with DDR4 memory, and an AM5 board takes Ryzen 7000 and newer with DDR5. AM4 is the cheaper way into a gaming PC today, because the board, the processor and the memory all cost less. AM5 is the platform that still receives new processors, and it is where PCIe 5.0 and the fastest chips live. The choice is really about the whole platform, so compare what a board, a processor and a memory kit cost together.
On a tight budget, an AM4 board with a six-core Ryzen 5000 processor such as the Ryzen 5 5600 still plays current games well and leaves more money for the graphics card. If you want to drop in a faster processor in a few years without replacing the board and the memory, buy AM5. Avoid paying AM5 prices for an AM4 board: at the top of the AM4 range the saving has usually gone.
The physical difference
These are fixed standards, the same for every board of that size.
What you give up, in numbers
How the two sizes actually differ once you look at every board on sale, rather than at what the standard permits. Measured across 152 AM4 and 288 AM5 boards at the retailers we track (150 and 276 in stock today), and updated daily.
The picks on each side
The cheapest board on each side, and the cheapest one that clears a floor worth clearing: enough power headroom for the socket’s top processor, and Wi-Fi 6E or better. Recalculated daily from live prices.
AM4
AM5
Best all-round
$107.99 · cheapest with the power headroom and Wi-Fi worth having
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Common questions
Can I put an AM5 processor in an AM4 motherboard?
No. The sockets are physically different: AM4 processors have pins and AM5 processors have flat contact pads. A Ryzen 7000 or newer chip needs an AM5 board, and a Ryzen 5000 or older chip needs AM4.
Can I reuse my DDR4 memory on AM5?
No. Every AM5 board takes DDR5 only, and DDR4 modules do not fit DDR5 slots. Moving from AM4 to AM5 means a new board, a new processor and new memory.
Is AM4 still worth buying?
For a budget gaming PC, yes. The processors are inexpensive, the boards are mature and DDR4 costs less than DDR5. What you give up is the upgrade path, since no new processor generations are coming to the socket.
Do AM4 coolers fit AM5?
Most do. AM5 keeps the AM4 mounting hole spacing, so coolers that clip or screw into the standard bracket carry over. Coolers that replace the backplate may need an AM5 kit from the manufacturer.
Keep going
Browse every AM4 board or AM5 board with filters, put two specific boards head to head, or read up on choosing a case to fit the board you pick.