Intel reportedly to launch new CPUs on older LGA 1700 socket with DDR4 support
According to motherboard maker Gigabyte, Intel plans to release new processors next year on the LGA 1700 socket, which works with cheaper DDR4 memory. The reason is the sharp rise in RAM prices.
Intel, the US chipmaker, is preparing new desktop processors built on the LGA 1700 socket, according to motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte. The socket has been on the market since 2021, and the new chips are set to arrive next year. As reported by PC Gamer, the motivation is the cost of memory, with prices pushed sharply higher by demand linked to artificial intelligence.
Why the socket matters
LGA 1700 supports both the newer DDR5 and the older DDR4 memory. The prevailing theory is therefore that upcoming refreshes of Raptor Lake and Alder Lake processors will be configurable for DDR4. The price gap is large: a 32GB DDR4 kit can be bought for around $210, while a 32GB DDR5 kit costs upwards of $480.
What Intel says
The company has not confirmed this theory. However, Intel vice president Robert Hallock recently said Raptor Lake chips would stay around for "years to come" and suggested DDR4 support is one of the main reasons. In his words, LGA 1700 is still a good socket, and many people are still interested in DDR4, so Intel will keep offering it.
This is not very surprising, as many of Intel's current processors can already be configured to use DDR4.
Performance difference
DDR4 is slower than DDR5, but it remains adequate for the vast majority of modern PC games. Testing has shown DDR5 delivers a 1 to 10 percent improvement in frames per second. The size of the gain depends largely on the resolution the player chooses and on the graphics card.
