Specifications of the first overclocked DDR5 modules from GeIL revealed
Last month, memory manufacturers started showing off images of upcoming DDR5 modules that are going to be used with Intel Alder Lake processors coming later this year. Now we have news on the performance of enthusiast overclocked modules based on this memory. GeIL has announced the specs of its first DDR5 kits and it looks promising: instead of the standard 4800, they will be available with an effective clock of up to 7200 MHz.
The base speed – or effective clock which determines the bandwidth – of DDR5 memory should initially be 4800 MHz (DDR5-4800), which is the level officially supported by Alder Lake processors on the LGA 1700 platform. But similar to DDR4 and DDR3, performance enthusiasts will probably be more interested in what will be offered by modules going above this standard “JEDEC” frequency. We now have some information about those and we have to say that they are starting to look very interesting. These OC modules seem to go much higher and it should be a big step forward in bandwidth compared to DDR4.
What to expect from DDR5 (from Corsair)
Corsair has not yet promised specific modules, but says in a blog about DDR4 memory that they expect to come at least with DDR5-6400. However, it is not certain whether this is meant for the first generation of modules (using XMP profile OC), or whether they mean the following generations of modules and processors, in which DDR5-6400 will already be officially supported as standard speed. DDR5-6400 would bring bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s with a single module (twice the bandwidth of DDR4-3200 as expected), so with two modules the theoretical transfer capacity would reach over 100 GB/s with just a dual-channel connection (quad-channel already exceeds 200 GB/s).
With this, desktop memory would finally equal or surpass the clocks that were previously possible in LPDDR4X (3733 to 4266 MHz) and LPDDR5 (even up to 5500 MHz) mobile memory due to its high level of integration close to the processor. The fact that for a long time mobile phones and tablets could have the same or even higher bandwidth than desktop processors whose memory has higher power consumption was a bit of a shame in the computer industry.
Besides that, DDR5 will also bring higher module capacities according to Corsair. One unregistered DIMM could contain up to 128 GB in the future (with 64Gb chips), so a standard desktop motherboard with four slots would support 512 GB RAM. If course we would need the prices to go down in order for this to be practical for normal consumers, but that is a separate issue.
Read more: DDR5 is coming, manufacturers already show finished modules. Photos and news
GeIL: DDR5 at 7200 MHz
Corsair’s information about the DRR5-6400 may to a large extent be based on the potential of the DDR5 specification rather than the company’s specific modules. But competing module manufacturer GeIL has announced more detailed specifications that already cover real memory modules that will be available for purchase: the company has introduced GeIL Polaris RGB series DDR5 modules.
The speed for these modules should start at the standard JEDEC configuration with a 4800 MHz effective clock. The timing for this configuration will be quite slow – CL40-40-40. But you don’t need to worry about that much, because the standard timings according to JEDEC are always very loose, this also applied to DDR4. The real fun starts with OC modules. The voltage of these JEDEC modules will be 1.1 V, which is the default standard value for DDR5.
DDR5-6000 and DDR5-6400
GeIL will offer overclocked modules for enthusiasts running at (effective) frequencies starting at 6000 MHz and 6400 MHz (i.e. DDR5-6000 and DDR5-6400). And these modules will have better timing, only CL32-36-36. Both speed grades will have the same timing. These values should be comparable to DDR4-3000 and DDR4-3200 with a timing of CL16-18-18.
DDR5-6800 and DDR5-7200
But there will be even higher performance grades. The second highest type will have a 6800 MHz effective clock and a timing of CL36-44-44 (which should probably be comparable to DDR4-3400 with CL18-22-22). The highest performance modules so far will have a 7200 MHz effective clock, i.e. DDR5-7200. The timing for them should also be CL36-44-44. But note that the same value in cycles means lower actual latency in nanoseconds if you run at a higher clock speed.
However, these higher 6000–7200 MHz frequencies will probably require an increased voltage (probably 1.2 V). An effective clock of 7200 MHz should mean a theoretical bandwidth of 57.6 GB/s per module, i.e. 115.2 GB/s dual-channel and 230.4 GB/s quad-channel.
GeIL says it has worked closely with processor and motherboard manufacturers on compatibility, with boards for both Intel and AMD processors. The company confirms that the modules will be equipped with their own PMIC and voltage regulation circuits, which is a novelty of the DDR5 standard. The power phase for RAM will be moved from the motherboard right into the individual modules (this probably means they might become a bit more expensive). Of course, in accordance with the name, RGB lighting will also be present, but GeIL states that it will also sell non-backlit versions.
These Polaris RGB series memory modules will be introduced in Q4 of this year, more or less simultaneously with Intel Alder Lake processors, hence there could be memory with significantly higher frequencies than the default DDR5-4800 available on the market from the very beginning. However, it is still also possible that for example only 4800MHz and 6000MHz modules will be released in the fourth quarter, and others will gradually follow as time goes by, given that the press release does not explicitly say that the 7200MHz modules will be available on day 0.
But GeIL is also not the only company that supplies fast memory. We can also count on G. Skill and others, for example, so that enthusiasts will hopefully be able to fulfill their high-bandwidth desires this year and won’t have to wait.
Sources: VideoCardz, Corsair
Translated, original text by:
Jan Olšan, editor for Cnews.cz