Overclocking has also improved, with Intel updating XMP (eXtreme Memory Profile) to 3.0 for DDR5. If XMP 2.0 supports only two profiles, the latest version has five. Three are set by the memory manufacturer, with the other two for you to tweak and change your own settings. Intel hosts a spreadsheet with settings from common manufacturers if you’re curious as to what these profiles look like. That doesn’t tell the whole story, and as memory manufacturer Corsair explains, “DDR4 usually has a CAS latency of 16, while DDR5 will have a CAS latency of at least 32. However, due to the faster clock speed, the newer standard has better performance totally.” In other words, it takes more cycles to complete the task, but the cycle is much faster than before. The Real Nerdy Stuff There are some other changes to the standard for DDR5 that do not really impact which stick slot in a particular PC. .DDR5 memory should use less power overall than DDR4, although not in a way that will allow you to get away with a small resource. However, it gives manufacturers and overclockers more voltage headroom to push for even more speed. Each stick of DDR5 memory now also has its own power management chip, rather than the motherboard handling power distribution. Again, probably not something that will matter to most people, but it should result in a more consistent experience when using the XMP profile. You also increase the bandwidth thanks to a big change in the basic architecture of the memory DIMM. Where each DDR4 module relies on a single 64-bit channel, DDR5 has two 32-bit channels. When combined with increased speed and efficiency, memory manufacturer Crucial says “users can achieve up to 2X system bandwidth compared to DDR4 for next-generation, multi-core CPUs.” Installation slot for random access memory (RAM) computer chips. A support desk for server systems at the headquarters of Bull SA in Angers, France, Monday, June 23, 2014. Thierry Breton, executive director of the software manufacturer Atos, is engineering a 620 million euros ($846 million) to acquire Bull, a computer company that is trying to revive twenty years ago. Photographer: Balint Porneczi/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph: Balint Porneczi/Bloomberg/Getty Images Some manufacturers also refer to the Error Correction Code, or ECC, that is present in DDR5 memory. This is slightly different from ECC in DDR4, where there are extra modules on the chip intended for server or commercial use. Instead of helping many different memory chips communicate reliably, it corrects errors in individual banks before sending them to the motherboard. The commercial memory manufacturer ATP has a more in-depth explanation of the reason for this technology that goes beyond the scope of what is needed for a gaming computer, if that is of interest. Too Much to Remember? It is likely that the motherboard will support DDR5, so you should buy it. The only reason you need DDR4 memory for a new build is if you’re using old parts to keep costs down. It is more likely that you will hunt for DDR4 because you are upgrading your existing system. In the early days of launch, you may have paid almost twice as much for DDR5 over DDR4, but prices have settled with more widespread adoption. and will look familiar to anyone who bought the memory before the update.
