AMD EXPO Could Make a Big DDR5 Overclocking Splash

AMD appears to be preparing a new memory overclocking standard to coincide with its future consumer platforms' adoption of DDR5. VideoCardz has been informed by Disclosuzen, a tipster with an enviable hit rate, that AMD EXPO (EXtended Profiles for Overclocking) is on the way to making a big difference to upcoming AM5 platform Zen4-based PC systems. The news comes after the confirmation that AMD's AM5 platform will not support DDR4 memory.

AMD EXPO is most easily summed up as the AM5 platform's alternative to Intel's XMP 3.0 tech. In other words, it is a DDR5 memory profile standard that should facilitate the quick and easy application of optimal memory frequency, voltage, and timings, to get better than stock memory speeds.

A key feature of the EXPO DDR5 overclocking technology, according to the source, is that it supports two memory profiles for compatible DDR5 memory kits, with one designed for high bandwidth and the other for low latency.

We first heard some murmurings about AMD preparing a new DDR5 memory overclocking standard last December when system monitoring tool HWiNFO added support for a feature called RAMP (Ryzen Accelerated Memory Profile) on AM5 platforms. The name of this feature appears to have changed to EXPO in the last few months, though it is possible it is a different/separate feature. EXPO memory technology appeared in an AMD patent in February (see screenshot above), but it is only today that the clues are falling together to paint a reasonably clear picture of AMD EXPO and what it will mean to DDR5 use on the platform.

At a recent webinar, AMD Memory Enabling Manager, Joseph Tao, provided some hints about DDR5 overlocking on future AMD platforms. "Our first DDR5 platform for gaming is our Raphael platform, and one of the awesome things about Raphael is that we are really gonna try to make a big splash with overclocking," said Tao. "Speeds that you maybe thought couldn't be possible may be possible with this overclocking spec." After today's report, it seems reasonable to assume memory specialist Tao was talking about EXPO.

At the weekend it became quite clear that AMD is very likely to be going all-in with DDR5 for its 5nm Ryzen 7000 'Raphael' processors, which arrive later this year. At least this seems to be the case for X670 and B650 AM5 platforms, according to our supply chain sources.

The migration would be fine, despite only minor gains being seen in comparisons between modern DDR4 and DDR5 systems in 2021 / 2022 - except for the elephant in the room with 'Price' spray-painted on its side. Memory makers are expected to switch over production lines to DDR5 where possible over the next few months, but will supply and prices be where AMD would like them for Ryzen 7000 hard launch? Only time will tell, but it seems like a risky move as we approach the end of April.