Choosing DDR5 modules for a 13700k system running on an i5 9600k is tricky.
Choosing DDR5 modules for a 13700k system running on an i5 9600k is tricky.
The various DDR5 delays and timing options are quite confusing for me. I don’t want to invest too much in the modules, but I also don’t want to risk getting a faulty memory. I’ve been looking at benchmark results, but it’s hard to decide. I’d like to ask people who regularly run daily tests to share their experiences and find a balanced approach.
What's your current RAM size? Are you looking to upgrade to higher capacity? DDR5 supports 32GB and above, but using a 2x8 configuration will work fine because it runs at half rank (1RX16) instead of full rank (1RX8), which is roughly half the bandwidth benefits of single-rank memory. A solid upgrade would be a 5600 MHz option, though performance gains are usually minor compared to other factors. You can wait to overclock later when systems demand faster DDR5 speeds.
The trend I notice is that DDR5 prices might be dropping, yet it still feels like you’re paying more for less performance. There could be some room at the very top of DDR5 where DDR4 simply falls short, but at the lower end there’s still greater value with DDR4. I don’t anticipate this shift lasting long, but I’m not sure it’s fully out of place just yet. One key point about DDR5 is its higher frequency, but the latency also increases. This means that while low-end DDR5 can match mid-to-high tier DDR4 in speed, it remains pricier than those alternatives. DDR4 systems tend to plateau at their current pace, whereas DDR5 hasn’t really taken off yet. The quickest DDR4 I’ve heard of is around 4800MHz. For that speed, improvements won’t come much faster. I think DDR5 will likely surpass the fastest DDR4 once it hits above 6000MHz. That’s going to be expensive. If I’m after DDR5, I’d wait until Zen43d releases it. At the moment, it’s a bit of a tough choice—better to hold off unless I really need iGPU performance. Right now, it seems like we’re stuck with a mix where better options are still emerging.
4800 isn't the quickest option with those high-bin 5000+ Hynix DJR sticks. Looks like people on the rog forums have achieved 5333 Tridentz Royals to 5866C22, which makes 4800 seem pretty slow. It seems DDR5 actually offers more bandwidth than DDR4, though it's not a huge leap—similar to what you'd expect from a 3200 CL16. For a direct comparison, DDR4 4800 XMP would likely match DDR5 4800 performance. High-bin DDR4 still struggles with timing issues, so you might need to enable desync FCLK or use Gear2 for DDR5. The CPU itself doesn't seem to help much; the difference comes from the memory. I usually avoid DDR5 unless you're willing to pay more and it won't become obsolete soon. At best, a 7000 with a 5600 bin could reach around 6600, but that's still close to top DDR5. The gap will narrow as speeds approach 16Gb.
The fastest DDR4 models are difficult to find. I've seen units with 4800 MHz available, but I haven't encountered any in the 5000 series yet. I'm unsure about the absolute maximum for DDR4, though performance tends to drop significantly after reaching around 3600 MHz based on testing. DDR5 remains slower overall compared to DDR4 at the same frequency. Keep an eye on the video—4133 CL15? That's impressive! His numbers are even lower than what I expected.