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Looks like most Alder Lake chipsets will support DDR4 RAM

Isn't ddr4/5 mutually exclusive?

So you won't find 4 and 5 on the same board, it's one or the other. It sounds like z690 will only have DDR5 and all the other chipsets will be only DDR4
 
Not the first time two RAM standards were available on the same chipset, it wont be the last.

It makes sense given the DDR5 speeds and latencies, especially with how things look at the moment for Intel.
 
Something interesting in the article. It seems that for Alder Lake, Intel has included a fixed function hardware scheduler chip - this could mean that Alder Lake doesn't rely on Windows to select the best core for the job, the CPU will feed Windows with what it believes is the right resource for the job.

This hardware scheduler is why Intel is claiming a major improvement in multi threaded performance - it will be interesting to see what happens, cause AMD relies on Windows to schedule the work
 
This is going to be expensive for upgraders. Not only is DDR5 going to be expensive but also in short supply.

On top of this, all existing CPU air coolers and AIO coolers are useless, a simple bracket swap will not work - the shape of the IHS is so different that no existing coolers will cover the IHS and the CPU wil overheat. All manufacturers will need to make new coolers for Alder Lake and everyone buying Alder Lake will have to buy a new CPU cooler
 
It does make you wonder if DDR 4 4800mhz /5000mhz will be supported by some Alder Lake chipsets in the future, might be a better option than similar DDR5 RAM, if the prices come down on higher frequency modules.

Non K Alder Lake CPUs will almost certainly come with a cooler. Also, these CPUs *should* have lower TDPs than 14nm CPUs at the same clock frequency.
 
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We should be good for DDR5 RAM by the time Intel releases 7nm CPUs :D

I'm not feeling that enthused by the small 'gracemont' extra core designs, can't we just have a some extra large cores in higher end models, Intel?
 
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Grim5 said:
Something interesting in the article. It seems that for Alder Lake, Intel has included a fixed function hardware scheduler chip - this could mean that Alder Lake doesn't rely on Windows to select the best core for the job, the CPU will feed Windows with what it believes is the right resource for the job.

This hardware scheduler is why Intel is claiming a major improvement in multi threaded performance - it will be interesting to see what happens, cause AMD relies on Windows to schedule the work
Click to expand...
Now that is interesting.
Guess Intel don't believe Microsoft can do the job.
If hardware scheduling works, it could mean that subsequent architectures could afford change things quiet a bit without breaking compatibility / performance.
Still think BIG.little is a very strange thing for desktop, but I guess the question for us is: do we trust Intel to schedule better than Microsoft and will their hardware scheduler have upgradeable firmware?
 
Grim5 said:
Isn't ddr4/5 mutually exclusive?

So you won't find 4 and 5 on the same board, it's one or the other. It sounds like z690 will only have DDR5 and all the other chipsets will be only DDR4
Click to expand...
But since the IMC is, well, integrated do the chipsets have much to do with this?
We were told that high-end Z690 motherboards are to offer DDR5 support, whereas cheaper variants would rely on DDR4. This gives Intel and motherboard makers flexibility when it comes to uncertain DDR5 mass production.
Click to expand...
That sounds more like motherboard manufacturers and Intel do not expect buyers of lower end boards to want the expense of DDR5. Don't remember how Skylake handled Intel's DDR3 to DDR4 transition, but I don't recall chipsets making any difference
 
KompuKare said:
But since the IMC is, well, integrated do the chipsets have much to do with this?

That sounds more like motherboard manufacturers and Intel do not expect buyers of lower end boards to want the expense of DDR5. Don't remember how Skylake handled Intel's DDR3 to DDR4 transition, but I don't recall chipsets making any difference
Click to expand...


DDR5 has more pins and a new layout than 4, so rather than the chipset being an issue - DDR5 ram simply doesn't fit into the DDR4 slot and vice versa DDR4 ram doesn't fit into a DDR5 slot

It's not like pcie 3/4/5 where they are compatible with each other, DDR4 and 5 are completely different.

So as a take away if you bought a z690 board and then you found that couldn't find or couldn't afford DDR5 memory you'd be stuffed since you can't use any other memory.
 
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Grim5 said:
DDR5 has more pins and a new layout than 4, so rather than the chipset being an issue - DDR5 ram simply doesn't fit into the DDR4 slot and vice versa DDR4 ram doesn't fit into a DDR5 slot

It's not like pcie 3/4/5 where they are compatible with each other, DDR4 and 5 are completely different.

So as a take away if you bought a z690 board and then you found that couldn't find or couldn't afford DDR5 memory you'd be stuffed since you can't use any other memory.
Click to expand...
Well, sure but I was more thinking of things like
jGbo00I.png

https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/B150M Combo-G/
But really if the CPU's IMC supports both (as it must do), then manufacturers could do this. But wasn't there something about DDR5 keeping the DDR4 pin out without adding a new key?
This Anandtech article's JEDEC image seems to imply so:
MVgXLly.png

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1591...sed-setting-the-stage-for-ddr56400-and-beyond
That would be very strange.
 
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