AMD AM5 AGESA Update Adds DDR5-8000 Support

G.Skill
(Image credit: G.Skill)

According to several Reddit, Twitter, and TechPowerUp reports, AMD has massively improved DDR5 memory support on the AM5 platform with a new microcode update known as AGESA 1.0.0.7b. The update allows some boards to push DDR5 frequencies as high as 8000MHz without issue and boosts the optimal 1:1 (UCLK:MEMCLK) ratio to 6400MHz. Gigabyte and ASRock have already published stability runs with the new BIOS update, showing off 8000MHz and 7200MHz working perfectly on the Aorus X670E Master and X670E Taichi.

Only a few AM5 motherboards have the new microcode update for now. Still, we suspect the update will become more readily available over the next couple of weeks, depending on the launch schedule of each motherboard manufacturer.

ASRock X670E taichi new bios has support for 7200 xmp/expo memory link inside... from r/Amd

An ASRock engineer on Reddit shared many of the changes AMD has made to the 1.0.0.7b microcode update that significantly increases memory support. One of the biggest is a new setting called DDR5 nitro mode that alters some of the timing parameters inside the memory controller of Ryzen 7000 CPUs to enable higher frequencies. Memory training has also received some significant changes, allowing users to run the initial memory training algorithm for much longer if needed, which can improve the likely hood of a problematic DDR5 memory kit working on an AM5 motherboard.

According to the engineer, the new update will now allow most Ryzen 7000 CPUs to run at 6400MHz comfortably in a 1:1 ratio without failing and allow some motherboards and CPUs to hit 7600-7800MHz depending on silicon lottery when running at a higher ratio. This is a large change from the past, where anything past 6000MHz was unpredictable from a reliability standpoint.

Of course, these changes come from an ASRock engineer specifically, so we can't be sure if some of these changes are board specific or if all these changes come from the AGESA microcode update itself. Regardless, the new update appears to fix a lot of the memory problems AMD's new AM5 platform has been dealing with since the very beginning, as well as improving support for ultra-fast memory kits in the 7000-8000MHz range (whether stock or manually overclocked).

Aaron Klotz
Contributing Writer

Aaron Klotz is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering news related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

  • TechieTwo
    Yesterday Asrock posted up some beta BIOS with the 1007B AGESA update for AM5 mobos.
    Reply
  • Hotrod2go
    Interesting news as I try to OC my Corsair Vengeance 5600MHz kit to 6000 & stabilise it for every day gaming with bios 7A whilst locking in 1.30 SOC. :)
    Reply
  • Lucky_SLS
    This is good news, but i would like to see the gains on the performance from these fast rams. maybe 8000mhz is the sweet spot? point of diminishing returns?
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    Lucky_SLS said:
    This is good news, but i would like to see the gains on the performance from these fast rams. maybe 8000mhz is the sweet spot? point of diminishing returns?
    i mean ram gains are rarely noticed unless its a ram specific application.
    Reply
  • Lucky_SLS
    ^ its more profound for ryzen with its infinity link and CCDs. The caveats of tiled architecture are still there with Zen 4 and AM5. I am talking in general with gaming scenarios in mind. not web browsing or MS office XD.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    hotaru251 said:
    i mean ram gains are rarely noticed unless its a ram specific application.
    This should mostly benefit heavily-threaded apps running on the 7950X.
    Reply
  • Eliad Buchnik
    hotaru251 said:
    i mean ram gains are rarely noticed unless its a ram specific application.
    Ryzen sees quite substantial improvement with faster memory.
    right now going from DDR 5 5200/5600 to 6000/6400 with tight timings give significant boost in several applications including gaming, with now 7200 and 8000 possible it could further boost the performance, how much remains to be seen.
    Reply
  • Hotrod2go
    Eliad Buchnik said:
    Ryzen sees quite substantial improvement with faster memory.
    right now going from DDR 5 5200/5600 to 6000/6400 with tight timings give significant boost in several applications including gaming, with now 7200 and 8000 possible it could further boost the performance, how much remains to be seen.
    The gains are minimal at best for gaming with those high speeds. Disengaging UCLK=MCLK has repercussions. One would need a super golden chip to run faster than 1:1 above 6400 & even then there would be heat issues aroused by furthering voltages for stability. Sometimes too much voltage upsets the delicate voltage rails in IMC & DDR power supply hierarchy.
    Reply
  • ilukey77
    I think this is going to allow for the zen 5 and zen 6 parts to dominate..
    which is kinda funny i had a argument with someone a few days ago and he/she stated things about Intel 15th being a bigger jump and the more cores of zen 5 or zen 6 being nerfed by slower ram speeds !!
    AND bang here we are a bios update for boards to 8000mhz
    I really think intel need to rethink their DIY cpu line they seem to be brute forcing performance with huge power draw still sub standard socket life and no 3d v cache..
    At this point AMD are beating them at every turn and despite my love for AMD products we NEED atleast the 2 players in the cpu market and healthy competition to keep AMD honest !!
    Reply
  • bit_user
    ilukey77 said:
    I really think intel need to rethink their DIY cpu line they seem to be brute forcing performance with huge power draw still sub standard socket life and no 3d v cache..
    At this point AMD are beating them at every turn and despite my love for AMD products we NEED atleast the 2 players in the cpu market and healthy competition to keep AMD honest !!
    Arrow Lake is due out next year and basically 2 process nodes ahead of Raptor Lake. The leaked performance gains suggest the main benefits are coming from improvements in the E-cores, but those are just leaks.
    Reply