CPU Benchmark Performance: DDR5 vs DDR4

Traditionally we test our memory settings at JEDEC specifications. JEDEC is the standards body that determines the requirements for each memory standard. In this case, the Core i9 supports the following aligning with those standards:

  • DDR4-3200 CL22
  • DDR5-4800B CL40*

There's an * next to the DDR5 for a couple of reasons. First, when asked, Intel stated that 4800A (CL34) was the official support, however since the technical documents have now been released, we've discovered that it is 4800B (CL40). Secondly, 4800B CL40 technically only applies to 1 module per 64-bit channel on the motherboard, and only when the motherboard has two 64-bit slots to begin with. We covered Intel's memory support variants in a previous article, and in this instance, we're using DDR5-4800B memory in our testing.

(1-1) Agisoft Photoscan 1.3, Complex Test(1-2) AppTimer: GIMP 2.10.18(2-1) 3D Particle Movement v2.1 (non-AVX)(2-2) 3D Particle Movement v2.1 (Peak AVX)(2-3) yCruncher 0.78.9506 ST (250m Pi)(2-4) yCruncher 0.78.9506 MT (2.5b Pi)(2-4b) yCruncher 0.78.9506 MT (250m Pi)(2-5) NAMD ApoA1 Simulation(2-6) AI Benchmark 0.1.2 Total(3-1) DigiCortex 1.35 (32k Neuron, 1.8B Synapse)(3-2b) Dwarf Fortress 0.44.12 World Gen 129x129, 550 Yr(3-3) Dolphin 5.0 Render Test(3-4c) Factorio v1.1.26 Test, 20K Hybrid(4-3a) Crysis CPU Render at 320x200 Low(4-5) V-Ray Renderer(4-7a) CineBench R23 Single Thread(4-7b) CineBench R23 Multi-Thread(5-1a) Handbrake 1.3.2, 1080p30 H264 to 480p Discord(5-1b) Handbrake 1.3.2, 1080p30 H264 to 720p YouTube(5-1c) Handbrake 1.3.2, 1080p30 H264 to 4K60 HEVC(5-2c) 7-Zip 1900 Combined Score(5-3) AES Encoding(5-4) WinRAR 5.90 Test, 3477 files, 1.96 GB(7-1) Kraken 1.1 Web Test(7-2) Google Octane 2.0 Web Test(7-3) Speedometer 2.0 Web Test(8-1c) Geekbench 5 Single Thread(8-1d) Geekbench 5 Multi-Thread(8-2a) AIDA DRAM Read Speed(8-2b) AIDA DRAM Write Speed(8-2c) AIDA DRAM Copy Speed

As explained in our SPEC section, DDR5 memory not only brings bandwidth improvements but also the increased number of channels (4x32-bit vs 2x64-bit) means that the memory can be better utilized as threads pile on the memory requests. So while we don't see much improvement in single threaded workloads, there are a number of multi-threaded workloads that would love the increased performance.

CPU Benchmark Performance: Windows 11 vs Windows 10 Gaming Performance: DDR5 vs DDR4
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  • 5j3rul3 - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link

    Great step for intel
  • Bobbyjones - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link

    Indeed. Biggest improvements since sandybridge. If you look at the timeline, this wouldve been the first CPU designed since they saw Zen 1. This is their Zen 1 moment and they already took the performance crown back basically across the board and at a lower price. AMD is now on the back foot, and it will be another whole year before Zen 4, and the thing is, Zen 4 isnt even competing with Alder Lake, Raptor Lake is rumored to be out before Zen 4. AMD has really screwed up with their launch cycle and given Intel so much room that they not only caught back up but beat them. Intel is truly back.
  • Netmsm - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link

    For now Threadripper has the performance crown.
    With this performance per watt, Intel can just win the market for PCs.
    Enterprise will never accept this performance per watt! So, AMD wins the high profitable enterprise market.
    12900k guzzles power up to 241! whereas 5950x consumes half!

    Considering power consumption, it's like a Pyrrhic victory for Intel.
  • fazalmajid - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link

    The HEDT market in Enterprise is workstations, which run certified apps like AutoCAD and has a lot of inertia. The first real Zen workstation is the Lenovo P620 and it only recently came out, so AMD hasn't conquered that market yet. Most actual Enterprise desktops are compact models that typically run on laptop CPUs.
  • DominionSeraph - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link

    And Intel has AMD beat for miles in system validation.
    My 3950X on a x570 Phantom Gaming X has major issues with disk access across one NVMe, one SATA SSD, and two HDDs. Some things will start up fine, but some things will just HANG. Deus Ex loading screens take like 10 seconds. I just tried to play a video off my NVMe and it took ~15 seconds for it to launch MPC-HC. (further launches are fine.) MeGUI takes 15 seconds to launch.
    This thing is just frustratingly slow in general desktop tasks compared to my old i7 4790.
    Does it beat the pants off the 4790 in heavily multithreaded crunching? Yes. But iAMD does not put out a quality product.
  • Gothmoth - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link

    anecdotal evidence? ....YOU have issues with your system.
    well we have 16 core ryzen and threadripper 32 & 64 core systems at work and we can´t complain.
    it´s not as if intel is issue free (and i am not taking about security flaws).

    when you have such grave issues.. YOUR system has issues.
    probably a bad setup. i did not hear that starting MPC needs 15 seconds when i read abourt AMD systems.
  • dotjaz - Sunday, November 7, 2021 - link

    What about USB issues that are publicly acknowledged AND multiple BIOSes claim to have fixed it, yet here we are.
  • Netmsm - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link

    It is your problem not AMD nor Intel!
    This is why we always refer to QVL of MB before buying RAM, SSD, etc. to avoid such problems. It is not AMD prerogative rather it is for all platforms.
    For now you may better update MB bios as soon as it is released. To solve the problem completely you need to reassemble it according to the MB's QVL.
  • DominionSeraph - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link

    It is an AMD issue. I've put together hundreds of Intel systems and none of them have any issues.
  • Netmsm - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link

    When you face abnormality just put your cards on the table and ask a pro.

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