Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support DDR5? (2023)

Which CPUs Support DDR5?

Intel's 12th and 13th generation Core processors, code-named "Alder Lake" and "Raptor Lake," support DDR5.

AMD introduced support for DDR5 with their Ryzen 7000-series processors in Q4 2022.

Check out my Recommended Intel and Recommended AMD DDR5 CPUs and motherboards below.

Best Intel DDR5 CPU

Intel Core i9-13900K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

Best AMD DDR5 CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

Intel introduced support for DDR5 with their 12th generation Core processors in November 2021 and continue to support it in their 13th generation Core processors. These processors support both DDR4 and DDR5, although you'll need to use a motherboard that supports the particular DDR type.

AMD introduced support for DDR5 with their Ryzen 7000-series processors in Q4 2022.

• Find AMD 7000-series processors on Amazon (affiliate link).
• Find Intel Raptor Lake (13th Gen) processors on Amazon (affiliate link).
• Find Intel Alder Lake (12th Gen) processors on Amazon (affiliate link).

Benefits of DDR5

DDR5 provides twice the bandwidth and density of DDR4 while reducing power consumption. Higher bandwidth translates to faster processing for memory-intensive applications such as games, video and image editors, 3D tools, and browsers.

Additionally, all DDR5 memory will have on-die ECC, which provides error detection and correction before sending data to a CPU. DDR5 ECC is expected to improve reliability and reduce defect rates.

Featured DDR5

Corsair DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) 5600 MHz RAM Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

Featured DDR4

Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

Is DDR5 Worth the Upgrade?

DDR5 is the path forward in the long run, but current conditions may limit its benefits. Let's dig into the various considerations.

Currently, DDR5 is more expensive than DDR4. Stock is often limited for DDR5 but is becoming more available.

Intel's 12th and 13th generation Core CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5. However, DDR5 isn't backward compatible with DDR4; motherboards only support one or the other. This motherboard limitation means you'll need to choose whether you want to get the lower-cost DDR4 memory or get DDR5 with the ability to upgrade it in the future.

Ryzen 7000 series CPUs only support DDR5 memory, while older Ryzen CPUs only support DDR4 memory.

DDR5 may experience slower timings at initial release but should be much better than DDR4 as the technology matures. However, keep in mind that the timings scale inversely with the clock rate (frequency).

The timing values are in units of clock cycles, but more cycles are happening per second with DDR5. For example, DDR3-2133 CL10 has nearly the same latency as DDR5-8400 CL40. So don't let the CL40 latency of DDR5 scare you away; the number just looks bigger!

Even if the latency is roughly the same between DDR4 and DDR5 currently, the amount of data that DDR5 can transfer per second is much higher. This increased bandwidth will often lead to an overall improvement in performance.

Intel 12th and 13th Gen Core CPUs and Ryzen 7000 series CPUs currently support DDR5 memory. If you want to use an older Intel or AMD CPU, you'll be limited to DDR4.

If you get a DDR4 motherboard, you won't be able to use it with DDR5. Motherboards typically only support DDR4 or DDR5, but not both.

Our Recommended DDR5 Intel CPUs and Motherboards

• Our recommended Intel 13th gen high-performance enthusiast CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • Up to 5.8 GHz max-turbo stock speed: perfect for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
  • 24 cores (8 Performance + 16 Efficiency): This combination makes it a great all-around system that can handle any task you throw at it.
  • Virtualization features make it great for running virtual machines.
  • Check the latest price of the Intel Core i9-13900K on Amazon (affiliate link).
  • For the Intel Core i9-13900K CPU, you'll need a motherboard with overclocking support to overclock the CPU. Motherboards with the Z790 chipset typically support CPU overclocking. Otherwise, you can use a motherboard with Intel's other 600-series desktop chipsets (e.g., Z690, H670, B660, H610).
• Our recommended motherboard to pair with the i9-13900K: MSI MEG Z790 ACE Gaming Motherboard Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • It supports up to 128 GB of DDR5 memory (DDR5 provides the fastest memory speeds)!
  • 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port is faster than any home Internet speed available with tons of room to spare for file transfers.
  • Wi-Fi 6E makes it easy to reach the fastest speeds and future-proof your Wi-Fi system.
  • Bluetooth 5.3 is great for streaming music to Bluetooth headphones.
  • Five x4 NVMe M.2 slots, which is fantastic! One of these supports PCIe 5.0 speeds, and the rest run at PCIe 4.0 speeds.
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
  • Check the latest price of the MSI MEG Z790 ACE Gaming Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).

• Our recommended Intel 13th gen high-performance CPU: Intel Core i7-13700K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • Up to 5.4 GHz max-turbo stock speed: perfect for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
  • 16 cores (8 Performance + 8 Efficiency): This combination makes it a great all-around system that can handle almost any task.
  • Virtualization features make it great for running virtual machines.
  • Check the latest price of the Intel Core i7-13700K on Amazon (affiliate link).
  • For the Intel Core i7-13700K CPU, you'll need a motherboard with overclocking support to overclock the CPU. Motherboards with the Z790 chipset typically support CPU overclocking. Otherwise, you can use a motherboard with Intel's other 600-series desktop chipsets (e.g., Z690, H670, B660, H610).
• Our recommended motherboard to pair with the i7-13700K: ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi 6E Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • It supports up to 128 GB of DDR5 memory (DDR5 provides the fastest memory speeds)!
  • 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port is faster than any home Internet speed available with tons of room to spare for file transfers.
  • Wi-Fi 6E makes it easy to reach the fastest speeds and future-proof your Wi-Fi system.
  • Bluetooth 5.3 is great for streaming music to Bluetooth headphones.
  • Five x4 NVMe M.2 slots, which is fantastic! One of these supports PCIe 5.0 speeds, and the rest run at PCIe 4.0 speeds.
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
  • Check the latest price of the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi 6E on Amazon (affiliate link).

• Our recommended Intel 13th gen best value CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • Up to 5.1 GHz max-turbo stock speed: great for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
  • 14 cores (6 Performance + 8 Efficiency): This combination makes it a great all-around system that can handle almost any task.
  • Virtualization features make it great for running virtual machines.
  • Check the latest price of the Intel Core i5-13600K on Amazon (affiliate link).
• Our recommended Value motherboard to pair with the i5-13600K: MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 Gaming Motherboard Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • It supports up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory.
  • 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port is faster than any home Internet speed available with tons of room to spare for file transfers.
  • Wi-Fi 6E makes it easy to reach the fastest speeds and future-proof your Wi-Fi system.
  • Bluetooth 5.3 is great for streaming music to Bluetooth headphones.
  • Three x4 NVMe M.2 slots, which is fantastic! These slots all support PCIe 4.0 speeds.
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
  • Check the latest price of the MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 on Amazon (affiliate link).

• Our recommended Intel 12th gen high-performance enthusiast CPU: Intel Core i9-12900K Processor 16 Cores (8P+8E) up to 5.2 GHz Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • Up to 5.2 GHz: perfect for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
  • 16 cores (8 Performance + 8 Efficiency): Quite a few cores considering the frequency! This combination makes it a great all-around system that can handle almost any task.
  • Virtualization features make it great for running virtual machines.
  • Check the latest price of the Intel Core i9-12900K on Amazon (affiliate link).
  • For the Intel Core i9-12900K CPU, you'll need a motherboard with overclocking support to overclock the CPU. Motherboards with the Z690 chipset typically support CPU overclocking. Otherwise, you can use a motherboard with Intel's other 600-series desktop chipsets (e.g., H670, B660, H610).
• Our recommended motherboard to pair with the i9-12900K: GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS Master Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • It supports up to 128 GB of DDR5 memory (DDR5 provides the fastest memory speeds)!
  • 10 Gbps Ethernet port is faster than any home Internet speed available with tons of room to spare for file transfers.
  • Wi-Fi 6E makes it easy to reach the fastest speeds and future-proof your Wi-Fi system.
  • Bluetooth 5.2 is great for streaming music to Bluetooth headphones.
  • Four x4 NVMe M.2 slots, which is fantastic! Three of these run at PCIe 4.0 speeds, and one at PCIe 3.0 speeds.
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
  • Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS Master on Amazon (affiliate link).

• Our recommended Intel 12th gen value CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • Less than half the price of the i9-12900K, but still excellent performance at up to 4.9 GHz.
  • 10 cores (6 Performance + 4 Efficiency): This core count makes it suitable for everyday multi-threading tasks, such as having tons of browser windows open.
  • Virtualization features make it great for running virtual machines.
  • Check the latest price of the Intel Core i5-12600K on Amazon (affiliate link).
  • For the Intel Core i5-12600K CPU, you'll need a motherboard with overclocking support to overclock the CPU. Motherboards with the Z690 chipset typically support CPU overclocking. Otherwise, you can use a motherboard with Intel's other 600-series desktop chipsets (e.g., H670, B660, H610).
• Our recommended motherboard to pair with the i5-12600K: GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS PRO Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • It supports up to 128 GB of DDR5 memory!
  • Three NVMe M.2 slots, which is excellent! These all run at PCIe 4.0 speeds.
  • 2.5 Gb Ethernet port is faster than most home Internet speeds with room to spare for file transfers.
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
  • Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS PRO on Amazon (affiliate link).

Our Recommended DDR5 AMD CPUs and Motherboards

• Our recommended feature-rich DDR5 CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • This CPU has 16 cores, a 4.5 GHz base frequency, and 5.7 GHz max boost frequency.
  • DDR5 memory support
  • AM5 socket type
  • Check the latest price of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X on Amazon (affiliate link).
• Our recommended feature-rich motherboard to pair with this CPU: ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • X670E chipset
  • One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
  • Four NVMe M.2 slots and Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports
  • Wi-Fi 6E provides fast connections to a Wi-Fi router.
  • Bluetooth 5.2 support
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds and 12 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
  • Check the latest price of the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).

• Our recommended runner-up DDR5 CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • This CPU has 8 cores, a 4.5 GHz base frequency, and 5.4 GHz max boost frequency.
  • DDR5 memory support
  • AM5 socket type
  • Check the latest price of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X on Amazon (affiliate link).
• Our recommended runner-up motherboard to pair with this CPU: GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
  • PCIe 5.0 support
  • X670E chipset
  • One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
  • Four NVMe M.2 slots and Six SATA 6 Gb/s ports
  • Bluetooth 5.3 support
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds
  • Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).

Recommended Intel CPU Coolers

Intel's 12th and 13th generation Core CPU use an LGA 1700 socket.

A CPU cooler that is compatible with the LGA 1700 socket will be required. Several manufacturers introduced upgrade kits to accommodate the LGA 1700 socket size that allows LGA 1200 coolers to be used. So be sure to verify that any cooler you choose is compatible with your CPU.

• TechReviewer

• I was very impressed with the cooling capability of the Enermax Liqmax III 360, which boasts an excellent 360-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).

• Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 2066, 2011-3, 2011, 1700, 1200, 1366, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150 and AMD AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2+, FM2, FM1.

• I found that the Enermax Liqmax III 360 operates quietly and unobtrusively, with a noise level of just 14-27 dBA, making it a great choice for anyone who values a quiet computing environment.

• You can get the LGA 1700 Enermax Mounting Kit for LIQMAX III on Amazon (affiliate link) or request a free LGA 1700 mounting kit via the LGA 1700 Mounting Kit Request Form.

• If you are considering the Enermax Liqmax III 360, it's important to note that it will take up a decent amount of space in your computer case, so make sure to check the dimensions before purchasing.

• The Enermax Liqmax III 360 has an impressive cooling capacity, providing efficient heat dissipation even under heavy workloads.

• The quiet operation of the cooler made for a more comfortable and distraction-free computing experience. Enermax Liqmax III 360 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

• TechReviewer

• I found the dual 140 mm fans to be incredibly powerful, providing an impressive 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.

• With support for such a diverse range of CPU sockets, I found the Noctua NH-D15 to be a very flexible and adaptable cooling solution. Its supported socket types include Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.

• In my experience, the Noctua NH-D15 operates very quietly, with a noise level of just 24.6 dBA.

• I am extremely satisfied with the Noctua NH-D15 cooler and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a high-performance and versatile cooling solution. Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

• TechReviewer

• As someone who isn't a big fan of flashy LED lights, I appreciated the simplicity of the Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510, which doesn't have any fancy lights but still looks great in my system.

• I found that the dual 120 mm fans on the TOUGHAIR 510 did an excellent job of keeping an LGA 1700 CPU cool, even under heavy workloads.

• If you're worried about the TOUGHAIR 510 taking up too much space in your system, Thermaltake offers a few single-fan variants that use different orientations, so you can choose the one that works best for your setup.

• With a max speed of 2000 RPM, the TOUGHAIR 510 provides optimal cooling performance when you need it most.

• With a 180-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power), the TOUGHAIR 510 offers solid cooling performance and is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and efficient cooling solution for their CPU. Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

Recommended AMD CPU Coolers

AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs use an AM5 socket.

• TechReviewer

• Check the latest price of the CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD on Amazon (affiliate link).

• This cooler is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, sTRX4, sTR4 (Intel LGA 1700 is supported with CW-8960091 or CW-8960093 kits).

• 350-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).

• It provides powerful low-noise cooling and RGB lighting with a customizable LCD display that can display your CPU temperature or other graphics. As I explored the world of LED displays on CPU coolers, I discovered their captivating appeal. These displays have transformed my systems' visual aesthetics.

• It has 120mm CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans for great CPU cooling performance.

• Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space! CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

• TechReviewer

• Check the latest price of the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 360 ARGB Sync on Amazon (affiliate link).

• TOUGHLIQUID Series is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-v3, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2, FM1.

• We estimate that this supports roughly a 250-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).

• This Liquid cooler supports 5V RGB compatible motherboards.

• Equipped with a TOUGHFAN 12 2000-RPM fan and supports ARGB lighting on the waterblock. Even without a full LED display, ARGB lighting creates a mesmerizing visual spectacle when I use it in my builds.

• Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space. There is a smaller version available, if needed. Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

• TechReviewer

• Check the latest price of the Noctua NH-D15 on Amazon (affiliate link).

• Dual 140 mm fans provide 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.

• Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.

• Quiet operation at 24.6 dBA. Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

Other Considerations When Building a PC

Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:

• Cases:
  • How to Choose the Best PC Case
• CPUs:
  • The Best CPUs for Gaming
  • Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
  • Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
  • LGA 1700 CPU List
  • LGA 1200 CPU List
  • Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
• CPU Coolers:
  • What is the Best Type of CPU cooler for a Gaming PC?
  • How to Choose a CPU Cooler for Your PC
  • Best LGA 1700 CPU Cooler for Intel's 12th Gen Core Processors
  • Best AM4 CPU Cooler for AMD Processors
• Storage:
  • Can an SSD Improve PC Gaming Performance? and Does an SSD Increase FPS for PC Gaming?
  • Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs
• Memory:
  • How to Choose the Best RAM for Your PC
  • How Much RAM Do You Need for Gaming? and Is 32 GB of RAM Worth It for Gaming?
  • DDR4 vs. DDR5? Which You Should Buy
  • Is DDR5 Worth It? The Benefits of DDR5 and What Is DDR5?
  • Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support DDR5?
• PCI-Express:
  • Is PCIe 5.0 Worth It?
• Motherboards:
  • Which Motherboards Support PCIe 5.0?
  • Which Motherboards Support PCIe 4.0?
  • Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel's 13th Gen CPUs?
  • Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel's 12th Gen CPUs?
• Graphics Cards:
  • Which Graphics Cards Support PCIe 4.0?
• Power Supplies:
  • How to Choose the Best Power Supply for a Gaming PC
  • How to Choose a PC Power Supply
• Keyboards:
  • Best Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming
• Monitors:
  • How to Choose a Gaming Monitor