DDR5
RAM · 5 specs
Direct Answer
DDR5, released by JEDEC in July 2020, splits each memory module into two independent 32-bit subchannels instead of DDR4's single 64-bit channel, and moves voltage regulation onto the module itself via an on-board PMIC rather than relying on the motherboard. Standard data rates start at 4000 MT/s, well above DDR4's ceiling.
Source: JEDEC · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| JEDEC Standard | July 2020 |
| DIMM Pins | 288 (same count as DDR4 -- incompatible via on-module PMIC and different signaling) |
| SO-DIMM Pins | 262 |
| Nominal Operating Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Data Rate Range | 4000–6400 (PC5-32000 to PC5-51200) MT/s |
Two Channels Instead of One, Power Regulation Moves On-Module
JEDEC released the DDR5 standard on July 14, 2020, after originally targeting 2018. Its most significant architectural change splits each memory module into two independent 32-bit subchannels, each with its own command and address bus, instead of DDR4's single 64-bit channel -- a design compensated by doubling the minimum burst length to 16, intended to improve memory access efficiency for modern multi-core processors.
DDR5 also moves voltage regulation onto the memory module itself via an on-board power management IC (PMIC), rather than relying entirely on the motherboard's voltage regulators the way every previous DDR generation did -- a genuine electrical and mechanical reason the two generations aren't interchangeable, on top of DDR5's lower 1.1V standard voltage. Its 288-pin DIMM count matches DDR4's exactly, the third time in DDR's history two consecutive generations have shared a desktop pin count; the SO-DIMM moved to 262 pins. Standard data rates start at 4000 MT/s and run up to 6400 MT/s under the base specification, roughly double DDR4's starting point.