DDR5 RAM reviews - Where are they?

[g67575]

Checked Techpowerup for recent DDR5 reviews, since the launch of Alder Lake CPUs, there aren't any.

This is so I can get an idea of how high frequency DDR4 (4000mhz or more) does against current DDR5 modules. I'd like to know, at what frequency does DDR5 surpass most higher end DDR4 modules, particularly in games?

 

[SeeNoWeevil]

The memory benchmarks have been pretty annoying imo. Some were running low spec DDR4 while others were running really high spec DDR5 that no one can actually buy.

 

[g67575]

There's this:
https://static.techspot.com/articles-info/2351/bench/gearAverage.png

From this review:
https://www.techspot.com/review/2351-intel-core-i9-12900k/

But it looks like it's not a homerun for DDR5 in all games, even when comparing 6000mhz to DDR4 3200mhz. It looks to me, like the RAM timings need to improve, but there might also be a small negative effect from running the memory controller at gear 2 on DDR5.

The other thing is, a lot of boards don't support DDR5 RAM running over 6400Mhz.

 

[jigger]

Maybe look in the memory section?

 

[Grim5]

There's this:
https://static.techspot.com/articles-info/2351/bench/gearAverage.png

From this review:
https://www.techspot.com/review/2351-intel-core-i9-12900k/

But it looks like it's not a homerun for DDR5 in all games, even when comparing 6000mhz to DDR4 3200mhz. It looks to me, like the RAM timings need to improve, but there might also be a small negative effect from running the memory controller at gear 2 on DDR5.

The other thing is, a lot of boards don't support DDR5 RAM running over 6400Mhz.

Actually none of the boards do? It doesn't stop you from pushing higher but 6400 or 6600 is officially the highest I've seen.


Even the Asus apex, doesn't officially go higher


https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-maximus/rog-maximus-z690-apex-model/


That's despite the Apex being the board that was used to set the current world record for DDR5

 

[Joxeon]

There's this:
https://static.techspot.com/articles-info/2351/bench/gearAverage.png

From this review:
https://www.techspot.com/review/2351-intel-core-i9-12900k/

But it looks like it's not a homerun for DDR5 in all games, even when comparing 6000mhz to DDR4 3200mhz. It looks to me, like the RAM timings need to improve, but there might also be a small negative effect from running the memory controller at gear 2 on DDR5.

The other thing is, a lot of boards don't support DDR5 RAM running over 6400Mhz.

that's the issue with DDR5 right now is that the memory controller can't run faster than around 4000mhz in 1-1 which is fine for some tuned up DDR4 but DDR5 and some boards can't yet easily hit the 8000mhz that will be more optimal for DDR5 at a 2-1

Will be interesting next year to see how AMD approach this and how high they can get the fclk before it needs to run 2-1

 

[g67575]

On a website called PurePC, they tested 9 games with DDR4 3600mhz and DDR5 5200mhz:
https://www.purepc.pl/test-procesor...wydajnosci-pamieci-ram-ddr4-vs-ddr5?page=0,28

The minimum framerate was higher with the DDR5, in all games, so maybe Alder Lake performance wouldn't be worse with DDR5.

There's an even more detailed German review here (testing lots of games), comparing games running at different DDR4 and 5 frequencies:

https://www.computerbase.de/2021-11...herskalierung-performancerating-perzentil-fps

TL;DR

DDR5 @6200mhz was about as fast as DDR4@3800mhz (based on an average of minimum frame rates).

But DDR5 @ 4800mhz was on average, 4% slower than DDR4@3800mhz. But, it was generally slightly faster than fairly standard DDR4, running at 3200mhz.

Thoughts - Higher frequency DDR5 may be worth getting, but it mostly depends on the price...

 

[eeii]

OC3D did a review on you tube comparing DDR4 and DDR5 and said at the moment it’s not the worth it.

 

[boabs]

still to early.

 

[RavenXXX2]

DDR4 vs DDR5 on Intel Core i9-12900K Alder Lake

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-core-i9-12900k-alder-lake-ddr4-vs-ddr5/

 

[g67575]

DDR4 vs DDR5 on Intel Core i9-12900K Alder Lake

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-core-i9-12900k-alder-lake-ddr4-vs-ddr5/

Cheers, nice to see a fairly comprehensive TPU review.

TL; DR

DDR4 3600mhz at gear 1 was about 2% slower on avg at 720p resolution than high end DDR5 6000mhz RAM.

DDR4 3600mhz at gear 1 was about 1% slower on avg at 4K resolution than high end DDR5 6000mhz RAM.

DDR5 at lower frequencies is likely to be roughly equal or worse than DDR4 RAM running in gear 1, but wasn't tested here.

Also running DDR4 in in gear 1 gave the best overall performance in games (vs other DDR4 configurations), so no surprise really.

DDR5 running in gear 1 would probably give a nice boost in performance vs DDR4 in gear 1, but isn't possible on Alder Lake CPUs...

 

[rumple9]

Plenty on you tube but it seems ddr5 is largely not worth the huge expense for 1-3 FPS gains (at 4k anyway)

 

[kitfit1]

DDR4 vs DDR5 on Intel Core i9-12900K Alder Lake

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-core-i9-12900k-alder-lake-ddr4-vs-ddr5/

Actually that is a very nice and easy to understand review. As someone that has gone through DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4 transitions DDR5 on the face of it looks like it might be a better transition than previous ones.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating of course, so i'm more than happy to wait until Zen4 before i have to even think about it.