Question Consumer MB with DDR5: Intel or AMD first?

[NP]

There are so many leaks, rumors and announcements that is is very hard to keep track. I think I will upgrade when I get DDR5 (and hopefully also USB4).

Nevermind all the fanboyism and other considerations, but just strictly on the topic: Do you think AMD or Intel will have the first consumer MB with DDR5?

 

[Isokolon]

nobody knows.

will depend on when DDR5 is ready for the consumer market and which release cycle is next.

 

[NP]

nobody knows.

will depend on when DDR5 is ready for the consumer market and which release cycle is next.

True that, no one knows.

I think I read somewhere that Intel is scheduled for 2H2021, and AMD sometime in 2022, but I don't know if that is true.

I mean, given that AMD is now so much ahead in their game, I think it would be kinda surprising if they were trailing Intel with DDR5, but then again, what do I know.

 

[USAFRet]

12-18 months out is far too long for any "on the shelf" predictions.

 

[Isokolon]

True that, no one knows.

I think I read somewhere that Intel is scheduled for 2H2021, and AMD sometime in 2022, but I don't know if that is true.

I mean, given that AMD is now so much ahead in their game, I think it would be kinda surprising if they were trailing Intel with DDR5, but then again, what do I know.

given the DDR4 launch I'd be surprised if the DDR5 launch will bring anything but issues without any performance plus.

 

[NP]

given the DDR4 launch I'd be surprised if the DDR5 launch will bring anything but issues without any performance plus.

I don't think that what the DDR5 launch brings is all that relevant here. Launch is launch, but after that there will be years, maybe closer to a decade, of DDR5 time, during which I have no intention to upgrade the MB. For this reason, I don't think I will be upgrading before DDR5. I'm still mostly GPU limited anyway.

#1moboperdecade

 

[Isokolon]

but in that case you couldn't care less who's first to release a DDR5 board, could you?
I remember the RAM controller on my 220$ Z170 board which couldn't run 2 sticks at 3000MHz...

 

[NP]

but in that case you couldn't care less who's first to release a DDR5 board, could you?
I remember the RAM controller on my 220$ Z170 board which couldn't run 2 sticks at 3000MHz...

Except for the fact that my current rig is starting to disintegrate, and it requires constantly more work and more concessions to keep it functional. Therefore, I am keen to buy the moment the first DDR5 mobo arrives.

Indeed, I do not care that much whether it is AMD or Intel mobo. But I have always enjoyed the pursuit of being among the first ones who have an idea, or at least a clue, of what is going to happen in the near future.

I guess if no one here has a clue, then probably pretty much no one anywhere has. I hope, and also believe, that this will change towards the end of this year, but I might be wrong.

 

[USAFRet]

And being a first adopter, YOU get to be our guinea pig to find out all the problems with a v1.0 launch...

 

[NP]

And being a first adopter, YOU get to be our guinea pig to find out all the problems with a v1.0 launch...

It is certainly a calculated risk that I am taking. For instance, I would not want to be a 5G early adopter, and I am very happy I decided against it. DDR5 I am not that worried about. Did the same with DDR3 and G-Sync without a hitch.

I think in about a year's time we shall see whether my decision of putting the eggs in the DDR5 basket was smart or not.

 

[NP]

And being a first adopter, YOU get to be our guinea pig to find out all the problems with a v1.0 launch...

Oh, and I kinda expected that the server space DDR5 launch would precede the consumer space launch. So probably I would not have to deal with the actual v1.0 problems, right?

Of course, that would still leave me to deal with v1.1. problems, but that is something I am prepared to try my luck with.

 

[Isokolon]

Except for the fact that my current rig is starting to disintegrate, and it requires constantly more work and more concessions to keep it functional. Therefore, I am keen to buy the moment the first DDR5 mobo arrives.

Indeed, I do not care that much whether it is AMD or Intel mobo. But I have always enjoyed the pursuit of being among the first ones who have an idea, or at least a clue, of what is going to happen in the near future.

I guess if no one here has a clue, then probably pretty much no one anywhere has. I hope, and also believe, that this will change towards the end of this year, but I might be wrong.

but then again this kinda is the opposite of what you were saying before:

I don't think that what the DDR5 launch brings is all that relevant here. Launch is launch, but after that there will be years, maybe closer to a decade, of DDR5 time, during which I have no intention to upgrade the MB.

the issue won't be DDR5 itself. the issue will be the implementation. the RAM controller. the chipset communication. and these issues won't go away when you grab the first mainstream chipset that supports DDR5

when I bought my Z170 board it was the first non-enthusiast socket to support DDR4. The board specified up to DDR4-4000. I had 2x8GB 3000MHz sticks. those couldn't run at the speeds, had to drop to 2800MHz. I then had to expand RAM later on, had to loosen timings.
I then upgraded my rig to a X570 board. all my 4 sticks run at 3000MHz and the advertised CL timings. I can even OC them a little bit.

early DDR5 issues will be that the high speed chips will be expensive. but the real "troubelshooting issues" will be not with the RAM itself but with the implementation.

if DDR5 is launched in Q4 2021 then I'd expect Intel to be the first with a mainstream platform. would fit the release pattern.

 

[GarrettL]

I have a Ryzen platform x570, 3800x and 16GB 3200MHz ram with NVME’s.

Everything opens almost instantaneously now.

 

[NP]

if DDR5 is launched in Q4 2021 then I'd expect Intel to be the first with a mainstream platform. would fit the release pattern.

Anandtech hypothesizes that Alder lake could come Q3 2021 with DDR5: https://www.anandtech.com/show/1592...alder-lake-in-h2-21-ice-lakesp-late-this-year

Needless to say, I take this with a bowl of salt.

But have we heard anything suggesting that AMD might have DDR5 capabilities in 2021? If not, then, indeed, it looks that if we had to bet now, it would be wiser to bet on Intel being the first one.

the issue won't be DDR5 itself. the issue will be the implementation. the RAM controller. the chipset communication. and these issues won't go away when you grab the first mainstream chipset that supports DDR5

I am sure you are right. However, some DDR5 specific features, such as on-chip voltage regulation, could take some of the load off from the MB side implementation.