If you’ve been holding onto an AMD X370 motherboard from 2017, you’re probably wondering whether upgrading to a newer Ryzen processor is worth the expense of swapping chipsets. Recent testing shows the good news: you don’t always need to. But there are important caveats that could affect your buying decision.

The Performance Reality: X370 vs. Modern Chipsets

A comprehensive benchmark comparison tested an older X370 motherboard against a newer X570 setup, both equipped with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. Across gaming and synthetic workloads, the real-world performance differences proved negligible. This was surprising because the older X370 board only supports PCIe 3.0, providing half the available bandwidth compared to the newer X570’s PCIe 4.0 support. For gamers focused on frame rates with current-generation hardware, staying on X370 appears viable.

The takeaway here matters for budget-conscious shoppers: if you already own an X370 motherboard and plan to keep your current graphics card, a CPU upgrade to a newer Ryzen chip can deliver performance gains without forcing a full platform replacement.

Where X370 Falls Short: Next-Generation Hardware

gaming PC processor installation
Photo by Resul Kaya

The catch emerges when considering future upgrades. While the PCIe 4.0 graphics card in the test showed minimal performance loss on X370, next-generation cards like the GeForce RTX 50 and Radeon RX 9000 series using PCIe 5.0 would face a much steeper penalty. These newer GPUs would operate at only a quarter of their maximum bandwidth speed on X370 hardware, which translates to a meaningful performance hit, especially for models using fewer than 16 PCIe lanes.

Storage presents a similar story. When testing a PCIe 4.0 SSD in a PCIe 3.0 slot, sequential read speeds dropped by approximately half. While this doesn’t devastate everyday gaming performance, it does limit your system’s longevity for demanding workloads.

Memory and BIOS Complications

Testing revealed another challenge: RAM speed consistency. The same memory configuration couldn’t achieve identical speeds across both the X370 and X570 systems, which can subtly impact CPU performance. However, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D’s massive built-in L3 cache largely masks these effects. This is crucial context because budget-friendly processors without 3D V-Cache would suffer more noticeably from these limitations.

BIOS updates introduce their own headaches. Installing the latest Ryzen processors on older X370 boards requires firmware updates, but if you don’t have a compatible processor already installed for the update process, you’re stuck. Most older X370 boards lack BIOS flashback functionality, a standard feature on modern motherboards. This makes fresh builds less practical than upgrades for existing systems. Additionally, manufacturers often remove support for older processors in newer BIOS versions to accommodate new ones, since these older boards typically feature only 16MB of BIOS storage.

What This Means for Your Upgrade Path

old vs new computer components
Photo by Bermix Studio

Your decision depends on your current setup and future plans. If you’re running an X370 motherboard with no immediate plans for PCIe 5.0 graphics cards or ultra-fast NVMe storage, upgrading your Ryzen processor can deliver solid value without a motherboard swap. Recent systems featuring the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and RTX 5070 have proven capable of delivering strong performance at reasonable price points.

However, if you’re planning upgrades to next-generation components or want to future-proof your system, moving to X570 or newer chipsets becomes more attractive. The performance gap between X570 and costlier AM5 platforms, which require expensive DDR5 memory, favors X570 as a middle-ground option.

Avoid These Pitfalls When Shopping

Before purchasing an X370 motherboard, verify BIOS support for your target processor. Check the manufacturer’s CPU compatibility list to ensure your desired Ryzen chip is supported. If you lack a compatible processor for BIOS updates, consider spending extra on a newer chipset. Additionally, be aware that CPU pricing and availability fluctuate regularly, so factor in whether a board upgrade aligns with your budget.

For buyers already invested in AM4 systems with older motherboards, the bottom line is clear: if your hardware serves your needs today and you’re not chasing the absolute latest components, keeping X370 and upgrading only the processor can be smart. Just go in with eyes open about future limitations.