There isn't a compatible motherboard for Zen3 that supports Zen4.
There isn't a compatible motherboard for Zen3 that supports Zen4.
Zen 4 is expected to launch in Q4 2021. Zen 3 remains scheduled for this year, and unless the pandemic disrupts AMD's timeline, it's unlikely again next year. DDR5 presents a different challenge. The details are set, but I still question its availability for consumer devices next year—perhaps 2022 or 2023. It's conceivable Zen 4 could adopt it early, but I doubt you'll purchase or build DDR5 systems soon.
It should remain functional for a decade or more, but you'll want to replace it soon—about five years from now. That’s a long time in the world of technology.
I still use my old ThinkPad from 2008, it works well enough for office tasks and supports 720p YouTube (1280x800 display). I like to maximize the performance of my hardware while avoiding low-resolution gaming (yes, I remember 320x240 and 2D accelerators). In reality, I’m planning to replace my graphics card roughly every three years or so, depending on the generation. Unless games suddenly demand a lot more VRAM and you need over 32 cores to run at higher resolutions, I don’t think a ZEN 3 will become outdated quickly. Also, it’s possible an updated ZEN 3+ version is coming, since AMD is making progress while Intel lags behind.
Zen 3 builds on Zen 2 with a 7nm process, offering noticeable gains in performance and clock speeds. AMD likely saw enough improvement to justify moving up to a full version. Zen 4 follows with a 5nm process, marking a significant leap forward. Intel is also advancing, though not as rapidly as it appears; their 10nm technology matches AMD's 7nm in terms of release timeline, with both companies planning to adopt 7nm by 2022-23. This could allow AMD a year to catch up, but they’d lose their current advantage.