MSI Preps a Host of Intel Z790 Motherboards with DDR4

Core i9-13900K QS tested
(Image credit: Intel)

Intel’s Z690 platform introduced DDR5 to the desktop market, but initial DDR5 modules were quite expensive and did not quite live up to expectations regarding performance. But as high-speed DDR5 kits get cheaper, the new type of memory gets more attractive, which is why we expected most of Intel’s Z790-based platforms to feature DDR5 rather than DDR4. We were wrong. MSI is prepping a host of Z790-based motherboards with good-old DDR4 memory.

MSI readies Z790 Edge DDR4, Z790 Tomahawk DDR4, and Z790 Pro DDR4 motherboards that will combine Intel’s newest chipset and DDR4 memory, according to manuals published by Overclock.net (and discovered by momomo_us). These main boards will support up to DDR4-5333+ memory modules in one DIMM per channel configuration and up to DDR4-4400+ sticks in two DIMMs per channel setup. However, a lot will depend on CPU capabilities and processor cooling systems.

MSI’s Edge, Tomahawk, and Pro motherboards are not precisely the company’s top-of-the-range offerings. So it raises the question of whether they will be good enough to squeeze all the juices out of Intel’s 13th Generation Core Raptor Lake processors as far as overclocking is concerned.

One of the key features of unlocked Raptor Lake CPUs will be their 350W mode enabling ultimate turbo frequencies and therefore requiring an advanced voltage regulating module to deliver immaculate power to the CPU and a sophisticated cooling system both for the CPU and its VRM. Budget motherboards are pretty good these days but are not as good as flagship models with their expensive VRMs and advanced cooling systems for power circuitry.

 Using good-old DDR4 with an all-new Intel platform sounds like a good idea, especially if you own those high-end DDR4-5333+ kits. With such memory, you are going to get outstanding out-of-box performance. But with cheaper motherboards, you may not be able to take full advantage of one of Raptor Lake’s key features on the desktop; whether the trade-off is worth something, everyone has to decide for themselves.

Anton Shilov
Contributing Writer

Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.

  • -Fran-
    Sometimes, the old dog maybe just needs to die of old age?

    IstA56IAeVAView: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IstA56IAeVA

    Well, not that I'm saying this is a bad thing from Intel, but looks like DDR5 is steadily, albeit slowly, reaching "parity" at some price points, kind of?

    Also, the DDR4 variants of Raptor Lake, given the numbers, will be at a disparity to Zen4, so this is going to be an interesting one to see unfold.

    Regards.
    Reply
  • wifiburger
    wait... Z790 has to support 2 gens
    so you can still use DDR4 with Intel 14th gen ?
    Reply
  • -Fran-
    wifiburger said:
    wait... Z790 has to support 2 gens
    so you can still use DDR4 with Intel 14th gen ?
    No, Z790 will support Alder and Raptor. Nothing more. Or at least, that's what Intel said officially. They can always surprise people.

    Regards.
    Reply
  • DavidLejdar
    Yeah, seems a nice option for those who may want to upgrade CPU and re-use their DDR4. And a DDR4 setup can still be high-end in particular for gaming for quite some time.

    Personally, I am still with DDR3 and upgrading to DDR4 would be a significant improvement. But at this point I will wait a little longer and likely go straight for DDR5 including one of the soon to be released mainboards having PCIe 5.0 for M.2 SSD. The way I see it, with such a setup I will have plenty of bandwidth there for years, which should be able to easily handle newer CPU and GPU without it getting bottlenecked.
    Reply