A recent report from VideoCardz indicates that AMD may be extending the availability of its budget AM5 chipset, the B650. The report suggests that AMD informed motherboard manufacturers that the B650 and B850 chipsets will coexist. This development is notable given that the B650 chipset was reportedly discontinued earlier this year. However, the primary affordability challenge for the current PC generation does not stem from motherboard costs.
Inexpensive AM5 Motherboards Offer Limited Help
The AM5 socket platform currently lacks a truly budget-friendly option for CPUs, as AMD decided to exclusively support DDR5 memory when it launched in 2022. While this decision seemed reasonable at the time, with DDR5 prices trending towards parity with DDR4, the market has since shifted, and DDR5 memory has become increasingly expensive.
Image credit VideoCardz.com via Board Channels
