Next-generation memory isn't usually that much faster than the most overclockable of current gen memory. It's with time that the speeds increase and timings tighten, as the process of production is refined and tweaks are made. Not so with the next-generation DDR5, it seems, as even though we have seen some DDR4 kits hit 5GHz out of the box, they are exceedingly expensive and that's still far behind what SK Hynix is doing with its next-gen memory.
The Taiwanese company has unveiled a stick with 16GB of DDR5 onboard that can hit speeds as high as 8.4GHz. This is an enormous leap, and suggests that with overclocking this generation could hit 10GHz if pushed under extreme cooling or given a few more years to develop. DDR5 is expected to raise the bar for performance and capacity, with individual sticks being capable of handling as much as 64GB.
Voltages will come down too, despite the performance and size improvements. The standard voltage will drop to 1.1v, with VPP dropping from 2.5v to 1.8v. That should make the new-generation of memory super efficient compared to existing offerings. That will help extend battery life of laptops, whilst still improving their performance and capacity.
No CPUs yet support DDR5 memory and mass production isn't expected to begin until later in 2020, but the next-generation of AMD and Intel's server chips will come with support for DDR5.
Although nothing is confirmed, we wouldn't be surprised if in 2021, AMD launches its next-next generation, Ryzen 5000-series CPUs with PCIE5 and DDR5 support. Watch this space.
