Rumor points to welcome news for AM5 owners: AMD’s next-gen Zen 6 desktop processors are expected to work on both 32 MB and 64 MB BIOS motherboards. If true, that means most current 600- and 800-series AM5 boards should be ready for a drop-in upgrade when Zen 6 arrives.
The speculation kicked off after ASUS listed Zen 6 support for its B850M AYM OC, an AM5 motherboard built for overclocking. That board’s materials highlighted a 64 MB BIOS, sparking debate about whether AM5 boards with 32 MB BIOS chips would be left behind. A well-known leaker has since claimed that Zen 6 support won’t be limited to 64 MB firmware, suggesting both 32 MB and 64 MB BIOS configurations will be compatible. As with any leak, treat this as early guidance rather than a guarantee until vendors publish final support lists.
Why the BIOS size matters: the BIOS (UEFI firmware) is stored on a flash chip, and larger firmware images can push up against capacity limits. On the older AM4 platform, many 16 MB boards struggled to keep support for every Ryzen generation at once, forcing vendors to trim older CPU microcode to make room for newer models. That history prompted concerns that Zen 4 support might be dropped on 32 MB AM5 boards to accommodate Zen 6. The latest claim pushes back on that worry, indicating 32 MB should be sufficient to keep existing AM5 CPUs supported while adding Zen 6.
What this means for builders and upgraders:
– Owners of 600- and 800-series AM5 motherboards may be able to upgrade directly to Zen 6 without replacing the board.
– Overclockers eyeing boards like the ASUS B850M AYM OC can expect early Zen 6 readiness, with broader support likely across AM5 once BIOS updates roll out.
– Expect final compatibility to depend on official BIOS releases from each motherboard vendor.
Bottom line: the AM5 upgrade path looks promising if these reports hold. Keep an eye on your motherboard’s CPU support page and future BIOS updates for official confirmation as Zen 6 gets closer.
