What are DDR5 and PCIe5.0? What does it mean for gamers?
Major product and technology launches are always a joy. It’s easy to get excited about the new PC builds and fantasize about how many FPS numbers we can achieve in games. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide if you should make the leap.
The launch of Intel’s 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs (Z690) brings with it a lot of performance enhancements as well as a slew of new features such DDR5 or PCIe 5.0. But what exactly is this? It is worth upgrading to see what it means for gamers.
We hope to answer some of your questions today, and also shed some light on what DDR5 is and PCIe 5.0.
What is DDR5 Memory?
DDR5 Memory, the latest standard for memory, is being used in computers. It was launched alongside Intel’s new Alder Lake CPUs as well as the Z690 chipset. DDR5 Memory is, as you might have guessed by now, the replacement for DDR4 Memory.
DDR5 is more efficient than DDR4 in almost every way. This is about higher frequencies, faster bandwidth, and greater power efficiency.
DDR5 is the best choice for you if you need a lot of memory. DDR5 is a superior alternative to DDr4, which supports to128GB RAM in 4 DIMM slots. DDR5 can support up to 512GB RAM.
DDR5 has divided the 64bit channels into 2x 32bit channels. This increases performance for smaller blocks. This results in RAM that is more performant than DDR4.
DDR5 RAM frequency starts at 4800 Mhz, and goes up from there. This is a significant difference to DDR4’s slower speed memory. To be able even close to DDR4, you will need high-performance RAM and memory profile.
This is the most impressive part of powering DDR5 memory. Higher performance hardware is often associated with higher power requirements. However, this is not the case. DDR5 Memory uses 1.1V instead of the 1.2V required by DDR4. This may not seem like much, but DDR5 Memory is easier to power than its predecessor and requires only 1.1v instead of the 1.2v required by DDR4.
Do I really need DDR5 memory?
This is the trickier question to answer. It really all depends on what you’re looking for.
DDR5 Memory will be launching with the Intel 12th Gen CPU and Z690 chipset. This means that you’ll need to have a Z690 system supporting DDR5.
This means that gamers with best motherboard for ryzen 9 5900x gaming computers or older generation Intel processors need to upgrade to Z690 chipsets or wait until AMD announces support DDR5 memory.
DDR5 memory is the best choice if you have the budget to upgrade your computer or build a gaming rig. DDR5 will allow you to get more FPS out of your games and also ensures that your build is up-to-date with the most recent memory standards. DDR4 will eventually be replaced by DDR5.
You don’t have to upgrade to DDR5, but some Z690 boards support DDR4. This means you can continue to use your RAm while still taking advantage of the most recent CPUs.
PCIe 5.0: Life in the Fast Lane
Like DDR5, PCIe 5.0 is also assisting with the Z690 chipset launch. PCIe5.0 will be the new player and will replace PCIe4.0 in the future.
PCIe is an interface standard used to connect high-speed components of your gaming computer. Your graphics card, soundcard, stream capture card and others. All of these devices make use PCIe.
There are many configurations available for these PCIe slots, including x1, 2, x4, 8 and 16 speeds. These numbers indicate the number and speed of the PCIe slots. The more lanes, the greater the data transfer. You want to connect the most important components such as your graphics card to the fastest slot.
PCIe 5.0, the next generation PCIe, will replace PCIe 4.0. This standard provides increased performance and opens the door to many new hardware options for the future.
