DDR5
With the launch of Intel's newest desktop CPUs comes the future of PC memory: DDR5 RAM.
Intel’s 12th Generation Core processors, code-named "Alder Lake," just hit the street, and with them begins the Age of DDR5. With the new CPUs come two new technologies that the PC cognoscenti will need to know about either immediately, or eventually: DDR5 memory, and the PCI Express (PCIe) 5.0 bus. The latter is less urgent to absorb; PCIe’s backward-compatibility with previous generations gives the unprepared months or even years to prepare for future transition. But, depending on the PC or Alder Lake motherboard you may buy, the move to DDR5 could be a full-on, do-it-now switch: Boards that use DDR5 won’t support DDR4, and vice versa.
IN THIS ARTICLE ........
What Is DDR5, and Why Do We Need It?
How Is DDR5 Memory Different From GDDR5 Memory?
What Platforms Will DDR5 Work On?
What Are the Main Differences Between DDR4 and DDR5?
Does DDR5 truly provide any benefits?
What Is The Difference Between Crucial DDR5 and DDR4?
What Is DDR5, and Why Do We Need It?
DDR5 is the newest standard for memory modules on consumer PCs, coming to market in concert with Intel's 12th Generation Core processors (headed by the Core i9-12900K) and associated Z690-chipset motherboards. Motherboards using the Z690 chipset (and thus with "Z690" in the name) are the the first consumer boards to support DDR5 memory modules and Alder Lake chips.
The drive to develop and debut DDR5 lies mainly with its increased capacity of 64Gb (gigabits) per integrated circuit (or IC, aka the chips on the memory modules themselves). This represents a fourfold increase compared to DDR4. Previous generations of DDR memory have typically doubled capacity compared with their predecessors.
Other improvements, such as its increased (twice-as-high) data rate, could prove beneficial to those trying to extract more performance from integrated graphics on supported processors. But it’s important to remember that DDR4’s capacity limits will linger long after new programs push high-end builders to seek alternative solutions. DDR5 may be young, but it is the future.
How Is DDR5 Memory Different From GDDR5 Memory?
Though the names may appear similar, Graphics DDR5 (GDDR5) is an older, DDR3-based technology that’s designed for graphics cards. While DDR5 main system memory is primarily soldered to removable memory modules, or DIMMs, GDDR5 is soldered directly to graphics cards. Because CPUs and discrete video cards complete different tasks using their own RAM, these pools of memory are treated separately by the system.
What Kind of Per-Module Capacities Can We Expect With DDR5?
The quadrupling of maximum IC capacity brings with it consumer DIMMs of up to 128GB per DDR5 module. The typical four-slot DDR4 desktop motherboard can hold up to 128GB of memory in total (using four 32GB consumer DIMMs, aka “UDIMMs” in industry-speak), but DDR5 expands that to an incredible 512GB on four-slot boards that support that peak amount. And that's just for typical mainstream, consumer boards.
Also consider High End Desktop (HEDT) platforms. HEDT boards with twice as many DIMM slots even get a terabyte of maximum capacity, which is a greater DRAM capacity than the average consumer SSD! Note: Higher-capacity (64GB) registered DDR4 memory required platform support for special registered memory (RDIMMs), which are typically limited to high-end workstations and servers. In contrast, you'll have 64GB DDR5 modules available to consumers willing to pony up the bucks.
What Platforms Will DDR5 Work On?
At this late-2021 writing, consumer DDR5 was initially limited to Intel’s new LGA 1700 socket ("Alder Lake") platform, with separate developments in the data center and server sector focused on registered DIMMs. Expect to see further developments from both Intel and AMD in next-generation platforms.
For now, on the consumer side of the aisle, you'll see DDR5 memory support on the lion's share of (but not all) initial motherboards for 12th Generation Core, under the Z690 chipset. Note: Some Z690 boards, however, will maintain support for DDR4. (More on that in a moment.)
Do I Have to Use DDR5 for an Intel LGA 1700 PC Build?
One reason that the Intel LGA 1700 CPU socket has so many more pins than its predecessor (LGA 1200) is that it separately supports two different memory standards. While the design precludes using two different types of memory at the same time, motherboard manufacturers have responded by producing LGA 1700 motherboards in both DDR5 and DDR4 variations.
Let's clarify that, though. A given motherboard supports DDR5 or DDR4, not a choice of one or the other, or the ability to use both kinds of modules side by side. When you buy a Z690 motherboard, you need to know which memory type it supports: DDR5 or DDR4. DDR5 and DDR4 modules are actually keyed differently, and you can't stick one in the other's slots.
What Are the Main Differences Between DDR4 and DDR5?
The biggest difference between DDR5 and previous generations is that each 64-bit rank now contains two 32-bit channels. While splitting the 64-bit channel in two doesn’t increase bandwidth, it does allow smaller transfer blocks for its increased (doubled) 16 data-cycle burst length.
Other big changes include on-module voltage regulation, a drop from DDR4’s 1.2-volt internal voltage to 1.1-volt, on-die ECC for single-bit internal errors (more about that later), data rates roughly twice those of DDR4, and latencies of roughly twice as many cycles as DDR4.
That last “advancement” (regarding latencies) appears to indicate slower response times, but since doubling the clock cycles reduces latency time by half, the “lengthier” timings should have minimal performance impact. (We've got more on this in our DDR5-versus-DDR4 testing feature mentioned earlier.)
Is DDR5 More Energy Efficient Than DDR4?
With a mere 0.1 volt separating DDR5 from DDR4 voltage levels, we expect minimal power-consumption changes for a typical PC build. That said, while the touted efficiency effect might seem minimal in the consumer segment, noticeable improvements are likely to occur in systems that employ many modules, such as servers, and rack systems in data centers.
By Thomas Soderstrom PCmag What-is-ddr5-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-latest-pc-memory-standard
Best DDR5 RAM
The best DDR5 RAM is essential for anyone who wants to get the best gaming and general computing performance out of their PCIe 5.0 hardware. Now, halfway through 2023, both current-generation CPUs from AMD and Intel support the latest and fastest memory type.
What’s especially strong about the best DDR5 RAM at this point in time is that the prices have come crashing down since their widespread adoption around twelve months ago. That means that you’re now able to find 16GB, 32GB, and even 64GB of high-speed and high-capacity kits at cheaper rates now than at any other time. Some of our favorite models are from brands such as Corsair, Crucial, and G.Skill, among others.
The advent of PCIe 5.0 has meant that components across the board can benefit from increased power and be faster as a result. We’ve seen huge strides taken with the best graphics cards and the best SSDs as well. If you want to have one of the best gaming PCs this year, and you’re using one of the best CPUs, then a DDR5 kit is essential to avoid bottlenecking your other components.
AlekshaMcLoughlin Techradar Best-ddr5-ram
Optimized for your Intel 12th/13th Gen Core or AMD
Ryzen 6000/7000 Series system
Is DDR5's Latency Worse Than DDR4?
Short answer: DDR5’s latency is virtually the same as DDR4. The key takeaway is that users can adopt DDR5 memory technology without worrying about latency performance.
Long answer: Here is how users can interpret specifications like RAM speed and CAS latency into meaningful insights to make informed buying decisions and tackle their needs. As we explain in The Difference Between RAM Speed and CAS Latency, CAS latency is often misunderstood because of its naming convention, but in reality, it’s only half of the true memory latency equation. True memory latency is measured in nanoseconds and is a combination of RAM speed and CAS latency.
Let’s calculate the true memory latencies of DDR4-3200 CL22 and DDR5-4800 CL40 as an exercise. Extended memory timings are usually ignored when calculating true memory latencies and system latencies. Here is the formula we’ll use for true memory latency:
True memory latency (ns) = (2000/RAM Speed) (ns) x CAS latency
Therefore,
true memory latency of DDR4-3200 CL22 = 13.75 ns and
true memory latency of DDR5-4800 CL40 = 16.67 ns
However, it doesn’t stop here!
Memory experts and system architects know that the latency matters only at the system level since that is what users typically experience. That said, system latency is also measured in nanoseconds and is a combination of host memory controller features and behavior, number of module ranks, memory speed, and true memory latency.
Here is what DDR5 and DDR4 memory contribute to the system-level latencies that users would actually experience:
Memory Specification |
System Latency1 |
DDR5-4800 CL40 |
92.8 ns |
DDR4-3200 CL22 |
90.0 ns |
DDR5-4800 CL40 memory adds only ~3% more to the system latency than DDR4-3200 CL22, which is apparent in synthetic benchmarking but virtually unnoticeable in a majority of real-world use cases and games. This provides measurable evidence that users can adopt DDR5 memory technology without worrying about its latency performance.
Fun facts on latency:
From the introduction of DDR memory all the way to the launch of DDR5, standard JEDEC memory’s true memory latency has stayed consistent in the range of 13 to 16 ns. Standard JEDEC memory’s system latency has stayed consistent in the range of 90 to 100 ns.
Are you now wondering what would be the system latency of overclocked memory or memory with tighter timings? The theory is straight forward. At the same RAM speed, the memory with the lower CAS latency is faster. At the same CAS latency, the memory with the higher RAM speed is faster.
Real-world testing shows that overclocked memory with tighter timings are 10 to 20 ns faster than standard JEDEC memory at the system level2. Keep in mind that despite no guarantees, some users love spending significant time, energy, knowledge, and money to achieve bleeding edge latency performance. They love overclocking RAM speeds beyond specifications or optimizing memory timings out of a deep passion or heavy usage of latency-sensitive workloads. That’s why they are typically willing to endure the high costs of overclocked memory, CPU, motherboard, power supply and other cooling solutions that are typically required for overclocking.
The bottom line is that latency is tricky to design and difficult to screen, so costs go up dramatically the lower those numbers go. In other words, you have to ask yourself whether (A) your workloads require the best latency performance (as with first-person shooter games) and (B) whether you are willing to pay the high costs that comes with it. If not, standard Crucial DDR5 is a great choice for majority of our users that delivers the best performance for its price!
Does DDR5 truly provide any benefits?
Yes, it does! Users with memory-intensive workloads like PC gamers, professional content creators, designers, engineers, programmers, business, or workstation users can get up to 2x the system bandwidth compared to DDR4 for the next-gen, multi-core CPUs.
Memory Specification |
System Bandwidth3 |
DDR5-5600 CL46 |
69.2 GB/s |
DDR4-3200 CL22 |
33.6 GB/s |
When you think about DDR5, think massive bandwidth. It means that users can get more work done in less time. The benefits only get bigger for data-heavy users due to their memory intensive workloads. In addition, the end user experience will also depend on software optimization to take full advantage of DDR5’s memory architecture. Here is what one of the top tech influencers, Linus Sebastian from Linus Tech Tips, said about DDR55:
"DDR5 is the absolute king for performance in new games like Wonderlands. I’m excited to see what advantages DDR5 offers other new games.”
Even in its early days before independent software vendors or developers began optimizing for DDR5, we saw impressive results from DDR5 as reported by other publications too like Eurogamer, Tech Notice and Gamers Nexus4:
Games:
- 10% higher FPS for games like F1 20216, Forza Horizon 46, Hitman 38 at 1080p
- 20% higher FPS for Tiny Tina’s Wonderland at 1080p5
- 23% higher FPS for Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation at 1080p2
Content Creation:
- Nearly 11% faster performance of DaVinci Resolve Extended7
- 12-17% faster performance of Adobe Photoshop & After Effects6
Engineering & Programming:
- 12% faster Firefox code processing6
- 24-33% faster processing of CAD modeling, medical imaging, and geographical surveys6
This measurable evidence confirms that JEDEC DDR5 does provide tangible performance benefits over JEDEC DDR4 for memory-intensive workloads.
What Is The Difference Between Crucial DDR5 and DDR4?
Specification |
Crucial DDR4 Memory |
Crucial DDR5 Memory |
Benefits |
PCB Color |
Green |
Black |
Sleek design |
Standard Speed |
3200MT/s |
5600MT/s |
1.5x faster |
Support for Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO9 |
- |
Yes, supports both on the same module |
Easily recover suppressed memory speed |
System Bandwidth3 |
33.6 GB/s |
69.2 GB/s |
2x more system bandwidth |
System Latency1 |
90.0 ns |
92.8 ns |
Virtually no latency increase in real-world use |
Module Density |
8GB-16GB-32GB |
8GB-16GB-32GB |
- |
Component Density10 |
8Gb/16Gb-8Gb/16Gb-16Gb |
8Gb/16Gb |
- |
Module Rank and Configuration |
1Rx8/1Rx16-2Rx8/1Rx8-2Rx8 |
1Rx8/1Rx16-2Rx8/1Rx8-2Rx8 |
- |
Operative Voltage11 |
1.2V |
1.1V |
Power efficient |
Power Management |
On-motherboard |
On-module |
Improved signaling |
Pin Count & Notch Position |
UDIMM: 288-pins SODIMM: 260-pins |
UDIMM: 288-pins SODIMM: 262-pins |
Pin assignments and notch positions are different! |
Compatibility |
For DDR4 systems only |
For DDR5 systems only |
Not backwards compatible! |
Channel Architecture |
One 64-bit channel |
Two independent 32-bit channels |
2x burst length, 2x banks, 2x bank groups enable improved memory channel efficiency |
Burst Length |
8 |
16 |
|
Banks Groups |
4 |
8 |
|
Banks |
32 |
64 |
|
Refresh Schemes |
None are available during refresh |
75% of the banks are accessible during refresh |
|
On-die ECC (ODECC)12 |
- |
Yes |
Provides long term stability |
Crucial Everything-about-ddr5-ram
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