Intel, AMD Plan New CPUs That Bring Back DDR4 RAM Support

Intel and AMD are developing new processors that will support DDR4 memory, a format the industry had largely phased out, as a global RAM shortage pushes up the price of the newer DDR5 standard, according to reporting by The Verge's Stevie Bonifield.

What is Gigabyte actually announcing?

Gigabyte said Friday that two of its motherboard lines will support "upcoming" processors built on Intel's LGA 1700 socket, The Verge reported. The announcement does not name specific chip models, and Intel did not immediately respond to The Verge's request for comment on its plans.

Why does the LGA 1700 socket matter here?

The LGA 1700 socket first appeared in 2021 alongside Intel's 12th generation Alder Lake processors, and at the time it supported both DDR4 and the then-new DDR5 memory, according to The Verge. Intel moved away from that dual-format approach in 2024, shifting newer chips to DDR5-only designs as the market expected DDR5 to become the default standard.

That shift is now being reconsidered. Gigabyte's announcement signals that LGA 1700's original cross-compatibility — treated as a transitional feature in 2021 — has become a selling point again now that DDR5 prices have climbed, The Verge reported. The outlet characterized Intel's likely motivation as giving buyers a path to a new CPU without forcing a parallel, costly upgrade to DDR5 memory.

Why are chipmakers reviving a decade-old memory standard?

The Verge's reporting frames the move as a direct response to RAM price increases that have made PC upgrades more expensive for consumers. DDR4, the memory standard that preceded DDR5, is described in the report as "older" and "more affordable," though The Verge's available reporting did not include specific dollar or percentage price figures for either memory type. Rather than try to out-produce the shortage, Intel and AMD appear to be designing around it by keeping DDR4 viable on new hardware.

AMD is pursuing a similar strategy, according to The Verge, which reported that the company made a related announcement in August. The outlet's reporting on AMD's specific plans was limited in the material reviewed for this story, and AMD has not been independently reached for comment here.

When will DDR4-compatible chips actually arrive?

Gigabyte told The Verge that new LGA 1700 chips are "expected to launch in early 2027." That timeline comes from Gigabyte's own statement rather than from Intel directly, and no firm launch date or model lineup has been confirmed by Intel itself in the reporting reviewed. The Verge noted this story is part of its ongoing coverage of the broader memory shortage, suggesting further details are likely to emerge as 2027 approaches.

What does this mean for someone building or upgrading a PC now?

For buyers weighing a new build, the practical implication is a possible middle path: a newer CPU paired with cheaper, already-owned or more available DDR4 memory, rather than a full-platform jump to DDR5. That could matter most for builders who already own DDR4 kits from an older system and want to avoid buying new memory altogether while DDR5 remains pricier, per the dynamics described in The Verge's report. The tradeoff — potential performance differences between DDR4 and DDR5 — was not addressed in the available source material and would need separate verification once hardware ships.

What to watch next

• Whether Intel confirms its own LGA 1700 chip lineup and pricing ahead of the "early 2027" window Gigabyte cited.
• Additional detail on AMD's August announcement and how closely it mirrors Intel's DDR4 revival.
• Whether other motherboard makers beyond Gigabyte follow with their own dual-format LGA 1700 boards.
• Movement in DDR4 and DDR5 retail pricing as the shortage continues, which could affect how many buyers actually choose the DDR4 path once chips arrive.

HTT News has covered related strain across the chip and AI hardware supply chain, including Nvidia-backed Firmus scrapping a planned IPO amid AI demand doubts, a separate signal of volatility in the broader semiconductor and memory markets this year.