Today, PNY is announcing its addition to its PC memory lineup with Performance DDR5 4800MHz. DDR5, you might ask? Well, DDR5 is the next step in high-performance memory that’ll be compatible with next-generation platforms by late 2021. While CORSAIR already announced its DDR5 lineup back in May, PNY is now getting in on the product train. This DDR5 will deliver speeds of 4800MHz and is designed for next-level gaming. What all will DDR5 bring to computers? Let’s take a closer look.
PNY’s DDR5 modules will features a standard frequency of 4800MHz and per-module size of 16GB
RAM has only gotten faster over time. I remember running 1066MHz and upgrading to 1333 or 1600MHz DDR3, and these days we have 4000MHz DDR4, and now a base frequency of 4800MHz on DDR5. This is a limited JEDEC standard speed, which was 3200MHz for DDR4.
Something else awesome about PNY’s upcoming DDR5 memory is that they’ll start at 16GB per module, with the higher density rating of four times, allowing for more RAM to be fit on a single DIMM stick. What does this mean practically? Well, right now, 16GB or 32GB DDR4 DIMMs is about as big as it gets for consumers, though 64GB DIMMs do exist in some scenarios. With the base being 16GB, instead of 4GB like it currently is, we’ll finally start to see things like 64GB or even 128GB DIMMs become available at the consumer level, allowing for higher-end computers without having to pick up enterprise gear.
Only 1.1V is required to run these modules with on-die ECC support also in tow
Currently, DDR4 runs at 1.2V, while DDR3 runs at 1.5V. Well, DDR5 reduces that number further to 1.1V for a more efficient function. You’ll also find on-die ECC, or error correction code, which used to require special motherboards and compatible memory to achieve. ECC has long been exclusive to server-grade and enterprise computer hardware, though some consumer motherboards do offer support now. ECC memory helps ensure that errors are corrected in your memory to help avoid data loss and more when working.
Intel will be the first to market with DDR5 support with Alder Lake in late 2021
While not directly related to PNY, if you’re wondering when we’ll finally be able to have DDR5, the answer is late 2021 if things stay on schedule. Intel’s Alder Lake platform is supposed to launch in late 2021, and that will bring the first support of DDR5 to consumers. However, it’ll likely take until 2023 before the latest technology actually starts to take over DDR4 in popularity. It took around three to four years before it actually started to take over DDR3, which held its popularity for nearly a decade.
PNY’s XLR8 DDR5 4800MHz memory will be available in Q4 2021
While motherboard manufacturers will have PNY’s XLR8 DDR5 memory to test sometime in Q3 of this year, it won’t be available for consumers until Q4 2021. That’s not that far away, honestly, as we’re already well into Q3 of the year, with Q4 fast approaching.
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