Currently, if you want DDR5 memory, you have to turn to an Alder Lake-S platform. Finally… You still have to find a memory kit in stock and at reasonable prices. Yes, right now, finding components that don’t cost us half of our organs is rare! Unfortunately, we don’t bring you good news as the price of this memory might still go up in the future.
DDR5: PMICs out of stock and 35 weeks supply delays..
The DDR5 power supply no longer takes place like the DDR4, which benefited from voltage management via the motherboard. With this new standard, the power supply circuit migrates directly into the memory strip itself. This allows a better control of the voltage in particular. However, to power this RAM, there is an essential component to have: the PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit).
Moreover, it is this last one which is problematic at the moment… Simply because the availabilities are extremely tended! The site 12chip (via Boardchannels) mentions then that the replenishment time is 35 weeks, ouch. Obviously, this will create bottlenecks and impact the production. The DDR5 will become rarer and prices will increase as it is currently the case with graphics cards for example. Moreover, we learn that this mode of supply is 10 times more expensive than the current DDR4.
However, all this should be taken with a pinch of salt, even if the current prices seem to confirm this trend. In any case, if you’re planning to go for Alder Lake-S, perhaps it’s best to go for a motherboard that accepts DDR4 at first. This choice will allow you to have a functional platform quickly rather than waiting forever for the availability of a possible DDR5 kit.