Could new AMD & Intel partnership mean we get standardized motherboards in the future?
Could we see both Intel and AMD on the same motherboard in the future?
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AMD and Intel recently did the unthinkable and partnered to preserve the X86 CPU standard, the alliance will be named “x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group” and is dedicated to ensuring the X86 architecture evolves and becomes the platform of choice for both industry and consumers.
Arm has gained quite a foothold in the CPU space over the last couple of years, so much so that an alliance has been formed to stop it. Although it’s not specifically said, this is likely why Intel and AMD have joined forces, to protect their interests. It’s pretty much guaranteed that the future of these companies is built on the X86 architecture, so Arm coming in and changing the standard will not be good for business.
Arm owns a significant market share in pretty much every area outside of desktop computing, and it’s likely to increase in the future. Some even predict that it’ll outperform Nvidia with AI market share in the next decade. So, it’s not out of the question that Arm will come for the desktop market next. With all the standardization going on, does that mean we will see both AMD and Intel CPUs used on the same motherboard?
Could AMD and Intel CPUs be used on the same motherboard?
While the standardization of X86 likely means the industry as a whole, the possibility remains that we could, one day, see both CPUs sit on the same motherboard. I’m not an electrical engineer, but both of the CPUs use the same type of socket with very similar physical layouts – which has been the case since AMD switched to AM5.
The issue would likely be the pin allocation in the sockets, each pin in the motherboard corresponds to a contact pad on the bottom of the CPU – which all serve specific purposes.
Here’s both the AM5 and LGA 1700 pin diagrams side-by-side for comparison:
Socket AM5 pinmap
Intel 1700 pin diagram
The diagrams don’t line up exactly, as one is the LGA 1700 socket (Intel) and the other is the pad diagram for the bottom of an AM5 CPU (AMD) but the point remains that the pins do not align. This means that the motherboard won’t know what to do with the information provided by each contact pad on the CPU.
The way we see it, it’s unlikely that AMD and Intel will ever standardize motherboards, largely because they will miss out on revenue generated by separate motherboards – though it could keep the manufacturing costs lower and increase profit margins.
If standardizing motherboards is on the cards, there are two ways we can think that it could theoretically be done – each with its pros and cons.
Unify the contact pads on AMD and Intel CPUs
To solve the issue of misaligned pins, both Intel and AMD could use the same contact pad layout to allow compatibility with the same socket. The issue with this is, it’d likely make the CPUs too similar. Both AMD and Intel CPUs have their strengths, and being confined to the same layout risks being too similar to matter. All of the differences that make Intel and AMD viable in unique situations would disappear, leaving people no reason to go for one over the other.
Somehow make socket pins multi-use
The other way to unify the motherboard standard is to somehow make the pins in the socket multi-functional – which has to come with performance disadvantages. There aren’t many ways (that we can think of) that allow one pin to be used for multiple things at once – how would the system differentiate a signal that needs to go to one location on Intel but another on AMD? Unless some kind of theoretical junction box could sit in the socket with its own way of differentiating the CPU so it can know where to send signals.
Again, not electrical engineers here – but the whole unifying motherboard theory could be a fantastic thing for the wider community, and decrease the effort you have to put into building a PC, lowering the bar for entry.
Final Word
As unlikely as it might seem (at least for the next 5 or so years), the whole “one motherboard fits all” could benefit everybody greatly on the consumer side. Intel and AMD could lose money overall, but the lower cost and fewer materials used in manufacturing could offset some of that loss. Either way, it’s a fun topic to think about, as possible or impossible as it may be.
