The new Intel 13th Gen will include upgraded DDR5 support of up to 5600, plus DDR4 support of up to 3200.
According to Intel's release statement: yes, 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs will support DDR4 up to 3200. The fact that Intel has decided to keep supporting DDR4 is proof enough of how the chipmaker is approaching modern PC building.
In short, it really doesn't matter which speed of memory you choose for a new Intel 13th-gen system, or whether you opt for DDR4 over DDR5 if you want to save yourself some cash. With Raptor Lake, at least, you should go for whatever best suits your budget and your system.
Similarly, 11th Gen, 10th Gen, 9th Gen, 8th Gen, 7th Gen, 6th Generation Intel® Desktop Processors aren't compatible with the Intel® 600 Series Desktop Chipset or Intel® 700 Series Desktop Chipsets. The 13th Generation Intel® Desktop Processors support DDR5 (Up to 4800/5600 MTs) & DDR4 (Up to 3200 MT/s) speeds.
The 13th Gen Intel® Core™ platform gives you an important choice when it comes to memory: DDR4 or DDR5 RAM. DDR5 is the next-generation specification for RAM and it comes with a host of improvements in speed and efficiency when compared to DDR4, the current standard.
Last Updated on April 28, 2023
The new Intel 13th Gen processors are certainly worth waiting for. The reason is quite simple: these processors will offer the “world's best gaming experience,” according to Intel's CEO, Patrick Gelsinger. Raptor Lake architecture is expected to ensure the new CPUs reach 6.0 GHz.
Intel 13th gen processors make full use of DDR5 memory, officially supporting DDR5 RAM up to 5600MHz. When it comes to DDR4 memory, the new CPUs continue to support DDR4 RAM with speeds up to 4800MHz.
Furthermore, the AM5 socket supports DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 technologies, allowing it to utilize the faster speeds these bring. So, if you're planning to upgrade to an AM5-socket processor, you should get new DDR5 RAM sticks, as DDR5 is physically different from DDR4 and isn't backward compatible.
AMD also confirmed that AM5 socket motherboards will support PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 RAM. Important to note that, unlike Intel's Alder Lake series, the Ryzen 7000 series will not support DDR4 RAM sticks, meaning you can only use newer DDR5 RAM on motherboards that support the new chips.
Both Intel Alder Lake and Intel Raptor Lake let you choose between DDR4 and DDR5, but clearly, using DDR5 might be a good way to make the most of your new CPU.
Is DDR5 overkill for gaming? For most gamers, DDR5 may be overkill as the current performance gains may not be noticeable in games. DDR4 RAM is still capable of providing a satisfactory gaming experience.
Compared to DDR4, DDR5 RAM kits have a higher base speed, support higher-capacity DIMM modules (also called RAM sticks), and consume less power for the same performance specs as the previous generation. However, DDR4 still holds some key advantages, like overall lower latency and better stability.
It can be tempting to consider upgrading to DDR5, especially if you're planning on building a new gaming computer soon. But, it's probably best to wait a little longer, unless you're specifically interested in some of the improvements it brings to the table.
It is reported by Chinese sources close to MSI manufacturing process, that the company has decided to phase out some DDR4 motherboard series. The board makers have every reason to focus on DDR5 technology as current Intel and AMD fans shift their interest to modern memory standards.
AMD is officially ditching DDR4 RAM. Even Intel wasn't so bold when they released its 12th-gen Alder Lake processors last November, continuing to support DDR4 RAM.
Supports DDR5 in dual-channel configuration. Unlike Intel's LGA 1700 socket, AMD's AM5 platform does not support DDR4.
AMD's Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 chips only support DDR5 memory, while Raptor Lake supports DDR4 and DDR5.
DDR5 memory
Unlike Intel's 12th-gen processors, you don't have the option to use DDR4 with Ryzen 7000. You need DDR5, which AMD says should drop in price alongside the launch of Ryzen 7000.
The AM5 socket uses DDR5 memory which has higher bandwidth and lower latency than DDR4 used by the AM4 socket, meaning overall better performance from the AM5 socket compared to AM4. However, this may not be noticeable when performing everyday tasks depending on workload and software used.
Intel 12th gen supports either DDR4 or DDR5.
How long will LGA 1700 be supported? Despite compatibility, current technology will eventually become obsolete. Intel 13th Gen chips may be the last to support LGA 1700, and we might see the socket's fall from grace in the last quarter of 2023 with the entry of Meteor Lake, Intel's 14th Gen CPUs.
The new socket AM5 is going to mean that you will need a new motherboard. There will be 4 segments of two chipsets that will be available for motherboards and will give gamers the choice to choose the motherboard that fits them best in terms of feature set, performance, and budget.
13th Gen supports speeds of up to 5,600 MT/s for DDR5 and 3,200 MT/s for DDR4. DDR5 allows capacities of up to 128GB of RAM per module, whereas DDR4 allows only 32GB.
While the minimum clock speed of DDR4 is 2133 MHz and it has no defined maximum clock speed.
Intel also has regular 13th Gen H-series processors for 2023, with a base power of 45 watts. There's up to a 400MHz higher boost clock over the 12th Gen versions and up to 14 cores in total.