Gigabyte Signals New Intel Cpus For Ddr4-compatible Motherboards
Gigabyte says upcoming Intel processors will use the older LGA 1700 socket, potentially giving PC buyers a way to avoid higher DDR5 prices.
New Intel processors may be headed for the LGA 1700 socket, which can support either DDR4 or DDR5 memory. Gigabyte said Friday that two of its motherboard lines will support upcoming chips for the socket, with a launch expected in early 2027, according to The Verge. Intel has not confirmed the new processors or their memory options.
Table of Contents
What Gigabyte announced
Gigabyte’s announcement points to continued use of a platform introduced in 2021 with Intel’s 12th-generation Alder Lake processors. LGA 1700 gave motherboard makers the option to build for DDR4 or DDR5. Intel moved to a DDR5-only approach with its successor in 2024, The Verge reports.
The announcement does not establish which processors Intel plans to release. Engadget describes possible Alder Lake or Raptor Lake refreshes that buyers could configure with DDR4 as a theory, not a confirmed product plan. The Verge said Intel did not immediately respond to its request for comment.
Why an older socket could appeal to buyers
Memory prices are making PC upgrades more expensive, and DDR4 currently costs less than DDR5 in the examples cited by both outlets. The Verge found a 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5 kit priced at $620, compared with $260 for a corresponding DDR4 kit. Engadget cited a different comparison: around $210 for a 32GB DDR4 kit and more than $480 for a 32GB DDR5 kit. Those figures are examples from the outlets, not a single market price.
Keeping LGA 1700 available could let some buyers choose a new processor without also buying DDR5 memory, The Verge suggests. Engadget reports that Intel vice president Robert Hallock recently said Raptor Lake chips would remain available for years and pointed to continuing interest in DDR4. His remarks, however, did not confirm the specific upcoming chips described by Gigabyte.
There is a performance trade-off. The Verge notes that DDR5 offers higher speeds and better power efficiency. Engadget says testing has shown a 1 to 10 percent gaming frame-rate improvement with DDR5, though the result depends heavily on the game’s resolution and graphics card.
A broader return to DDR4 platforms
Intel would not be alone in revisiting older hardware. The Verge reports that Gigabyte announced new motherboards for AMD’s DDR4-compatible AM4 platform in August, alongside a 10th-anniversary relaunch of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. For now, Gigabyte’s Intel announcement indicates motherboard support for forthcoming LGA 1700 processors; the exact chips and whether they will offer buyers a new DDR4 option remain unconfirmed.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.