DDR5 Reminiscence Efficiency Scaling with AMD Zen 5

Introduction

Just some weeks in the past, AMD debuted the Zen 5 CPU microarchitecture and the Ryzen 9000 collection Granite Ridge desktop processors. We have reviewed every of the 4 fashions the corporate launched, so make sure you test them out for extra context and background. On this article, we’ll examine how the brand new AMD Zen 5 processors behave with standard reminiscence speeds—each customary and overclocking. AMD processors have good, fashionable, reminiscence help—the Ryzen 9000 collection can deal with as much as 256 GB of dual-channel DDR5 reminiscence, identical to the competing Intel processors. You possibly can drop in any PC DDR5 UDIMM reminiscence package ever made, and it’ll simply work on Ryzen, albeit at JEDEC-standard speeds. The place AMD and Intel diverge slightly is the way in which they deal with reminiscence overclocking, with the 2 platforms every having a handful of distinctive settings.

The adoption of DDR5 reminiscence on fashionable platforms has introduced important developments in bandwidth and information switch charges, and AMD’s Ryzen 9000 AM5 platform isn’t any exception. As DDR5 reminiscence turns into extra mainstream, the potential for efficiency scaling throughout numerous reminiscence speeds gives a chance to know how completely different configurations affect total system habits. On this evaluation, we examine the scaling of DDR5 reminiscence on Ryzen 9 9950X, working speeds from DDR5-8000 all the way down to the JEDEC baseline specs of DDR5-5600 and DDR5-4800. These exams goal to spotlight the efficiency positive factors and any potential trade-offs when pushing DDR5 reminiscence past the usual specs. We’re additionally doing testing on the fascinating DDR5-6000 CL28 setting in addition to DDR5-6400 with UCLK 1:1.

On this article, we’re testing with a Ryzen 9 9950X processor, AMD’s quickest Zen 5, with a handful of necessary reminiscence speeds. To start with, we run two JEDEC-spec baseline reminiscence speeds of 4800 MT/s and 5600 MT/s—these function baseline. Subsequent up, we’ve got DDR5-6000 CL28, which represents AMD’s official sweetspot advice for these processors, however with tight timings. We additionally ventured out into DDR5-6400 with 1:1 UCLK to MCLK ratio, which ran completely secure on our take a look at system—extra on that “ratio” on the subsequent web page. Shifting up in reminiscence pace we’re working DDR5-7200 CL34, which is a typical most of the pre-Zen 5 period. Final however not least, we’re testing DDR5-8000 CL38, utilizing the great G.Talent Trident Z5 Royal Neo reminiscence package.

However first some concept. On the next web page we’ll element how the reminiscence controller works on AMD’s Zen 5 structure, and why it’s fairly completely different to how Intel has been designing their reminiscence structure. We will even delve into how the reminiscence controller handles high-speed DDR5 reminiscence configurations, assessing potential bottlenecks, thermal habits, and any changes required to keep up stability.