The Intel Core Ultra 200S Series for desktops is finally here, with the flagship Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and Ultra 9 285K CPUs set to launch later this month. This new generation promises to push the boundaries of desktop performance, and one of the biggest talking points is the support for incredibly fast DDR5-9000 memory.
With the arrival of the new Z890 motherboards specifically designed for the Core Ultra 200S series, achieving DDR5-9000 speeds will be a breeze. Intel has long been at the forefront of making memory overclocking easier, and the Z890 chipset looks set to continue that trend. Some motherboards even offer the possibility of pushing to DDR5-10000, giving users incredible memory speeds. However, there’s a catch.
UNIKO Hardware on X has revealed that the faster DDR5 memory speeds might be limited to the K-series processors. This means that the upcoming non-K CPUs, which are expected to arrive early next year, will have a maximum DDR5-7200 limit. While this is still a notable speed, it’s a step down from the K-series offerings.
The current sweet spot for both Intel and AMD CPUs is DDR5-6000, and pushing past that doesn’t necessarily translate to significantly faster gaming performance or noticeably better rendering times for creators. The main benefit of faster RAM is often improved stability, particularly in areas like 1% low performance. This is why the news of the DDR5-7200 limit has caused some disappointment among PC enthusiasts.
The limit does seem low, especially considering AMD’s recent introduction of DDR5-8000 EXPO support for its X870 chipset and Ryzen motherboards. It’s still early days for the Intel Core Ultra 200S series, with the K-series CPUs and Z890 motherboards arriving this month. We’ll need to wait and see how the non-K CPUs perform and whether the DDR5-7200 limit is really a significant drawback for everyday users.