Beastly Next-Gen DDR5 To Offer Twice The Bandwidth And Density Of DDR4 Memory
A mere month after DDR4 was introduced for the first time on an AMD platform (Ryzen), the memory guidance organization JEDEC has decided to reveal its plans for DDR5. That's right: nothing can stop the progression of technology. As soon as we have something fresh to enjoy, the next big thing is right around the corner!
This probably won't surprise many, as it has been a theme from one generation of DDR to the next, but DDR5 is going to be two times faster than DDR4, and of course more power-efficient (which should come in handy for mobile devices).
The current highest clock JEDEC allows before "overclocking" takes over is DDR4-2400, with timings ranging from 15~18 for the CAS latency, as well as tRCD, and tRP. If DDR5 is to be "twice as fast", that could imply that we could end up seeing DDR5-4800, or perhaps a safer 4266 (twice the standard 2133MHz).
If that somehow doesn't sound impressive, consider the fact that DDR4-4266 are the fastest kits sold today, and they're far from common. Instead, those building Ryzen systems today are likely sticking to 3000~3200MHz frequencies, so DDR5 is already well beyond that spec and will likely scale much higher.
We could very well end up seeing greater improvements than what the stats on paper would imply, as JEDEC says that DDR5 will also improve channel efficiency. Now consider this: AMD's upcoming Naples platform will feature an eight channel memory controller. The thought of a platform like that packed to the gills with DDR5 memory is downright drool-worthy.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a while for the real specifics, with JEDEC planning to release the full specification next year. If you happen to be attending JEDEC's Server Forum in Santa Clara, on June 19, 2017, you'll be treated to some more in-depth initial information - lucky you.
