DDR4 vs. DDR5 RAM: What’s the Difference?

Overclocking has also improved, as Intel updated the XMP (eXtreme Memory Profile) to 3.0 for DDR5. Where XMP 2.0 supported just two profiles, the new version has five. Three are set by the memory manufacturer, and two more to adjust and edit your settings. Intel hosts spreadsheets with settings from standard manufacturers if you want to know what those profiles look like.

You may have noticed that, despite the higher clock speed, the latency in DDR5 memory is slower than DDR4. That doesn’t tell the whole story, and as memory maker Corsair explains, “DDR4 typically has a CAS latency of 16, while DDR5 will have a CAS latency of at least 32. However, due to its faster clock speed, the new standard has better overall performance. ” In other words, it takes more cycles to complete a task, but those cycles are faster than before.

Real Nerdy Stuff

There are a few other changes to the DDR5 standards that don’t really affect what sticks to your 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 smaller power supply. Instead, it gives manufacturers and overclockers more voltage headroom to push even higher speeds. Each stick of DDR5 memory has its own power management chip now, instead of the motherboard’s power distribution. Again, it’s probably not something that will matter to most people, but it should result in consistent notifications when using XMP profiles.

You also get more bandwidth thanks to a big change in the basic design of DIMM memory. Where each DDR4 module relies on one 64-bit channel, DDR5 has two 32-bit channels. Combined with increased speed and efficiency, memory maker Crucial says “users can achieve up to 2X system bandwidth compared to next-generation DDR4, multi-CPUs.”

Some manufacturers also mention Error Correction Code, or ECC, which is now present in DDR5 memory. This is slightly different from ECC in DDR4, which was an additional module present in chips intended for server or commercial use. Instead of helping a bunch of different memory chips communicate reliably, it corrects errors in individual banks before sending them to the motherboard. ATP that makes commercial memory has an in-depth explanation about the thinking of this technology that goes beyond the scope of what is needed for your gaming computer, if that is of interest.

Too Much to Remember?

If you’re building a new PC, it’s very likely that your motherboard will support DDR5, so that’s what you should buy. The only reason you’ll need DDR4 memory for a new build is to specifically use older parts to keep costs down. Chances are you’ll be hunting for DDR4 because you’re upgrading an existing system.

In the early days of the launch, you may have paid almost twice as much for DDR5 as for DDR4, but the prices have made up for widespread adoption, and will look noticeable to anyone who bought memory before the refresh.