Asus has released new UEFI BIOS versions for its Intel 600 and 700-series motherboards that add support for 64GB DDR5 unbuffered memory modules. The new UEFI BIOS also enables systems with 256 GB of memory to be built using Intel's Alder Lake and Raptor Lake processors.
To build an Intel 600/700-powered system with 256 GB of DDR5 memory using four unbuffered DIMMs, one will need to download and install the latest UEFI BIOS version for their specific Intel 600/700-series motherboard from the Asus website.
This update enables the use of 64 GB unbuffered DIMMs, so owners of motherboards with four memory slots will be able to install 256 GB of DDR5, whereas owners of mainboards with two memory slots will be limited to 128 GB of memory.
Higher-capacity memory modules, such as 32 GB, 48 GB, and 64 GB are typically not as fast as 16 GB memory sticks. Currently, the fastest 48 GB modules from Corsair and G.Skill reach speeds of 6600 MT/s and 6800 MT/s and at this time these respected suppliers do not offer 64 GB UDIMM DDR5 modules compatible with Intel XMP 3.0. Consequently, LGA1700 systems with 256 GB of memory will feature lower peak memory bandwidth.
It is worth mentioning that Asus's AMD AM5 motherboards have officially supported 256 GB of memory for sometime. Yet, a cursory glance reveals that there aren't many 64 GB unbuffered DIMMs on the market right now.
While memory capacity is crucial for tasks such as image and video editing, data analysis, and heavy multitasking, gamers might prefer smaller amounts of faster memory. For instance, 64 GB of high-speed memory could be more desirable than 256 GB of slower memory for gaming purposes.
The list of Asus motherboards that can now accommodate 256 GB of DDR5 memory includes 75 models with an LGA1700 socket based on the Z790, H770, B760, Z690, W680, and Q670 chipsets. However, out of approximately 200 LGA1700 motherboards offered by Asus, not all are currently capable of supporting 64 GB UDIMMs and 256 GB of memory.
Asus may extend 256 GB DDR5 memory support to additional models in the future. For now, its focus seems to be on higher-end platforms that are aimed at content creators, data scientists, and other professionals who require substantial memory capacity for their work. The price of 256 GB of DDR5 memory kits consisting of four 64 GB modules will be quite high. One Crucial Pro 96 GB DDR5-5600 dual-channel kit costs $265, hence two of such kits (192 GB of memory) costs $530. A 256 GB kit will cost significantly more.
