The global RAM shortage is pushing Intel and AMD to revive support for DDR4 memory, an older and cheaper alternative to DDR5. Motherboard maker Gigabyte says new Intel LGA 1700 chips are expected in early 2027 and will again support both memory types. The socket originally launched in 2021 with Alder Lake and was dropped by Intel in 2024 in favor of DDR5-only designs.
AMD is taking a similar path. In August, Gigabyte announced new motherboards for AMD's AM4 platform, which works with DDR4, alongside the 10th-anniversary relaunch of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. The moves are a response to memory price hikes that have made DDR5 upgrades costly. The article cites a current price example: a 32GB DDR5 Corsair Vengeance kit costs $620, while the equivalent DDR4 kit costs $260.
DDR4 first appeared in 2014 and is slower and less power-efficient than DDR5, so the return is a compromise. Still, with the shortage expected to persist for years, the older standard gives PC builders a more affordable option. Intel did not respond to a request for comment, and the plans are based on Gigabyte's announcements.