AM4 / AM5 Cooler Compatibility

Smffy · 2 Sep 2025 at 14:25

Ok i've tried looking this up and I think its fine but i've got the old version of the EKWB 360mm RGB AIO which currently has my 5950X under it. I've just risen from the dead here (again lol) and ordered some new goodies... I'm pretty sure the bracket is the same but does anyone have hands on experience with the change?

Cheers

deviation · 2 Sep 2025 at 14:28

I can't speak for your specific bracket, but to my understanding, AM4/5 brackets/HSF's are the same?

tamzzy · 2 Sep 2025 at 15:36

AM4 and AM5 mounts are the same. If it works on AM4 then it'll also work on AM5

Smffy · 2 Sep 2025 at 16:02

deviation said:
I can't speak for your specific bracket, but to my understanding, AM4/5 brackets/HSF's are the same?

tamzzy said:
AM4 and AM5 mounts are the same. If it works on AM4 then it'll also work on AM5

Thanks folks, that was my assumption also but then I started reading comments from EK about some needing kits etc lol! Much better to get some actual reassurance here, hopefully all good and I can be using it Thursday then.

deviation · 2 Sep 2025 at 16:11

Smffy said:
Thanks folks, that was my assumption also but then I started reading comments from EK about some needing kits etc lol! Much better to get some actual reassurance here, hopefully all good and I can be using it Thursday then.

You're welcome mate!
Yeah, you'll be fine

Mcnumpty2323 · 4 Sep 2025 at 11:53

Just got a heatkiller intel to amd conversion kit
From Germany (was a pita as we aren't in Europe anymore)
It's for am4 /am5
There's 1mm difference in the standoffs included
Between am4 and am5
Though can only speak for this specific hardware

InkZ · 24 Oct 2025 at 21:57

I took my Corsair AIO off of my AM4 and put it straight on my AM5

Millwall.FC · 27 Oct 2025 at 17:45

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Just got a heatkiller intel to amd conversion kit
From Germany (was a pita as we aren't in Europe anymore)
It's for am4 /am5
There's 1mm difference in the standoffs included
Between am4 and am5
Though can only speak for this specific hardware

I also have a heat killer for am4 and looking to upgrade to am5 from am4, so if i understand correct i should be be able to re-use the same mount?

Mcnumpty2323 · 27 Oct 2025 at 18:38

Millwall.FC said:
I also have a heat killer for am4 and looking to upgrade to am5 from am4, so if i understand correct i should be be able to re-use the same mount?

Everything for am4 and am5 was the same
Except the little plastic stand offs
Think the am5 ones were 1mm taller
Whether that makes a noticeable difference or not
I really dont know
Was a total PITA to get the conversion kit
I had to have it sent to an address in Holland
As they wouldn't ship to the UK since we left Europe
Then my friends went on holiday to Holland and collected
It for me

After fitting it I had no flow at all
I got it second hand in intel set up
So only thing I can think of is the jet plate
Needed to be flipped for amd use as I definitely used the
Correct in and out ports marked on the block
But by that point I had enough and just took it off
And used an xspc block someone kindly gave me in MM
which immediately cured the flow problem

So whether that 1mm difference in the plastic standoffs
Would cause a problem on am5
I dont know
If you dont over tighten It
Then I think will probably be OK
But couldn't guarantee that
1mm is an estimate might be 2mm I didn't actually
Measure them as was only interested in the am4
But the am4 and am5 were in separate bags and labelled
And I could clearly see a very small size difference between them

Millwall.FC · 27 Oct 2025 at 19:41

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Everything for am4 and am5 was the same
Except the little plastic stand offs
Think the am5 ones were 1mm taller
Whether that makes a noticeable difference or not
I really dont know
Was a total PITA to get the conversion kit
I had to have it sent to an address in Holland
As they wouldn't ship to the UK since we left Europe
Then my friends went on holiday to Holland and collected
It for me

After fitting it I had no flow at all
I got it second hand in intel set up
So only thing I can think of is the jet plate
Needed to be flipped for amd use as I definitely used the
Correct in and out ports marked on the block
But by that point I had enough and just took it off
And used an xspc block someone kindly gave me in MM
which immediately cured the flow problem

So whether that 1mm difference in the plastic standoffs
Would cause a problem on am5
I dont know
If you dont over tighten It
Then I think will probably be OK
But couldn't guarantee that
1mm is an estimate might be 2mm I didn't actually
Measure them as was only interested in the am4
But the am4 and am5 were in separate bags and labelled
And I could clearly see a very small size difference between them

Thanks That's really helpful I might just give it a try when I change!

Mcnumpty2323 · 27 Oct 2025 at 20:11

Millwall.FC said:
Thanks That's really helpful I might just give it a try when I change!

Its a really well machined block
Those mounting brackets are probably the
Sturdiest I have seen
After all the hassle it took to get the conversion kit
I was pretty sad I didn't get to actually use the block
I may try flipping the jet plate eventually though

If you have a 3d printer
It might be worth printing some of those
Little standoffs 1mm ,2mm taller than the am4 ones
Just to give you some options Just in case
the tiny height difference does matter
Or if dont have a 3d printer
Someone in the 3d printer section very likely would
Help you out
They were great in there printing some parts
To fix my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones
Wouldn't even take anything off me for doing it

Millwall.FC · 27 Oct 2025 at 20:19

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Its a really well machined block
Those mounting brackets are probably the
Sturdiest I have seen
After all the hassle it took to get the conversion kit
I was pretty sad I didn't get to actually use the block
I may try flipping the jet plate eventually though

If you have a 3d printer
It might be worth printing some of those
Little standoffs 1mm ,2mm taller than the am4 ones
Just to give you some options Just in case
the tiny height difference does matter
Or if dont have a 3d printer
Someone in the 3d printer section very likely would
Help you out
They were great in there printing some parts
To fix my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones
Wouldn't even take anything off me for doing it

I originally had it on an x99 board and got the am4 bracket 4 years ago! best block I've had If i don't have to change it id rather not.

Meridian · 27 Oct 2025 at 20:32

I got a Heatkiller block earlier this year, and it was adertised as AM4/AM5. It came with two different sets of plastic standoffs, which tends to support the above.

Edit: found the manual. Yes, 4mm spacer for AM4, 5mm spacer for AM5.

Mcnumpty2323 · 29 Oct 2025 at 09:57

Meridian said:
I got a Heatkiller block earlier this year, and it was adertised as AM4/AM5. It came with two different sets of plastic standoffs, which tends to support the above.

Edit: found the manual. Yes, 4mm spacer for AM4, 5mm spacer for AM5.

Thanks for confirming that
I didn’t open the little bag with the am5 standoffs
In case I lost them
But I was pretty certain there was a tiny size difference
From the am4 ones just by eyeballing them
Through the plastic bag

Whether that 1mm difference will matter
Really dont know

Bubo · 29 Oct 2025 at 10:36

Key thing is the distance from the top surface of the installed cpu to the part on the standoff where the spring sits on. If the cooler design is such that the spring is intended to be fully compressed after a certain number of turns, then if this distance is different on the AM4 design and the AM5 design then you'll likely get different contact pressure if you use an AM4 cooler on an AM5 socket without the correct spacing on the standoff. My guess is the top of the CPU sits at a different height compared to AM4, and the AM5 standoffs are machined to account for this when using an AM4 block.

Mcnumpty2323 · 29 Oct 2025 at 12:08

Bubo said:
Key thing is the distance from the top surface of the installed cpu to the part on the standoff where the spring sits on. If the cooler design is such that the spring is intended to be fully compressed after a certain number of turns, then if this distance is different on the AM4 design and the AM5 design then you'll likely get different contact pressure if you use an AM4 cooler on an AM5 socket without the correct spacing on the standoff. My guess is the top of the CPU sits at a different height compared to AM4, and the AM5 standoffs are machined to account for this when using an AM4 block.

My gut feeling would be
It will work as long as dont really crank
The thumbscrews down too hard

I have bodged plenty blocks and heatsinks on
When didn't have the right mounting kit
For the socket
Just went by feel if was tight enough

Probably be difficult to just buy the 5mm standoffs
Going by the difficulty I had getting
The conversion kit
Only place was from Germany
And they won't ship to the UK Unless I spent around 150 euros
I think it was

Though 3d printing would be an option