In a surprise turn of events that makes Intel the inclusive and more accessible company for a change, Intel has announced that its next-generation processors, 13th generation Raptor Lake chips, will still support DDR4 memory on select motherboards. This is in stark contrast to the DDR5 stipulation for AMD's upcoming Zen 4 processors, and makes the Intel upgrade path a little lighter on the wallet than the AMD alternative for the first time in many generations.
Whenever there's a transition to a new generation of memory, it makes for a lower upgrade rate. DDR5 memory might be cheaper than it has been, but it's still more expensive than DDR4, so fewer people are able to afford it, and those who are upgrading won't be able to re-use what they already have. That makes AMD's upcoming Zen 4 a little more of a bar to reach, whereas it seems like Raptor Lake will be a little easier to; especially if you're already coming from a 12th generation Alder Lake system.
When it comes to next-gen 700-series chipset motherboards built specifically for Raptor Lake, Asrock has announced that it will include a number of bespoke DDR4 models, specified by a "D4" suffix on their names. It won't be as comprehensive a range as the DDR5 models, and there's no guarantee that other manufactures will do the same, but it's a clear indication that you'll be able to recycle your DDR4 for at least one more generation of CPUs if you want.
What's your current upgrade plans? Are you interested in what AMD and Intel have coming in the next few months?
