RAM, gaming experiences, and DDR5 technology.
RAM, gaming experiences, and DDR5 technology.
Initially, my concerns focus mainly on memory, especially RAM and CPU cache. Some of my inquiries will also touch on coding aspects. If the discussions become too code-intensive, please let me know and I’ll handle those separately. What motivated me to ask these questions is the excitement developers have created around the PS5s’ extremely fast SSDs, promising a superior experience. If you have any thoughts about the PS5 or its SSD, I’d appreciate hearing them. I’m also curious about speculation regarding the PS5 and its storage technology. Understanding the core concepts behind games—how they’re loaded from HDD/SSD to RAM and then processed by CPU caches—is important. I know RAM acts as a temporary storage for the CPU cache, which is much smaller but needs rapid access. With advancements like faster RAM (DDR5) and larger CPU caches, could games benefit? Expecting quicker load times, richer textures, better graphics, and more detailed world data seems likely. Larger RAM and bigger caches might allow developers to include more content in a single file, such as a 50GB game on 64GB of RAM, or make it easier for larger caches to be utilized. My ultimate question is whether faster SSDs and NVME technology, combined with growing CPU cache sizes, could lead to SSDs that directly load into CPU caches, eliminating the need for RAM altogether—or if this remains impractical.
They both receive power technically, though the terminology differs. (Is SATA power really a form of PCIe power, or are RAM slots a separate category?) Price remains a major factor, as only a tiny fraction can afford such products. It would be interesting to see if someone targets that budget-conscious market with a specialized offering. Beyond gaming, there might be professional uses outside of it—unless that’s already established.
RAM requires energy to store information. Without power, data disappears. The main issue has always been the first SSD connecting to RAM, which limits performance. Game engines were designed for basic hardware, not high-end systems. This is why you rarely experience SSD read speeds being overwhelmed by games. New consoles now run on faster storage, forcing engines to adapt to take full advantage of SSDs. Those still using older HDD-based systems must keep up with advancements to enjoy the latest features.
I understand that experience with NVRAM and its differences from regular RAM. It’s unclear how RAM power works compared to SSDs, especially with consoles where loading full games into RAM isn’t feasible anymore. The speed gap between RAM and SSDs is notable, and if they’re similar, it raises questions about whether SSDs could replace RAM if developers bypass traditional storage methods. Plus, older systems often faced issues with OS compatibility.
The gap in speed between SSDs and RAM is enormous. SSDs move data at a single-digit GB/s maximum, while RAM can handle hundreds of GB/s. In theory, SSDs could outpace RAM if they were quick enough to supply the CPU with information instantly. The PS5 SSD design targets this by being fast enough for direct SSD access, allowing assets to be read straight from the drive rather than being copied to RAM. This shift would free up RAM for VRAM use, though it would require significant updates to the operating system and game engines. The PS5 is pursuing a similar goal.
It’s unlikely this will occur anytime soon. Ram operates with greater bandwidth than usual. It bypasses intermediate interfaces, allowing direct access without needing a controller like NAND flash or SSDs.
While the SSD in the PS5 likely won't substitute RAM, it aims to load quickly enough to match the speed of RAM during asset loading in games (at least in theory).
That's accurate. Current software isn't advanced enough to fully utilize SSD performance despite their speed improvements.