AMD EXPO 1.2 is launching soon, and with it, some new features, along with support for Chinese DDR5 memory, are being added too.
AMD EXPO 1.2 Enables Support For Chinese DDR5 Memory Makers To Tackle DRAM Shortages & Increasing Prices
New information about EXPO 1.2 comes from 1usmus, the author of HYDRA, CTR, and DRAM calculator for Ryzen, & leaker chi11eddog. The new information covers various aspects of the new memory tech, which is anticipated soon.
Starting with the details, AMD EXPO 1.2 will be adding support for module geometry, allowing users to mix and match various memory capacities. But the biggest feature is support for MRDIMM, CUDIMM & CSODIMM.
It is said that existing AGESA 1.3.0.1 and AGESA 1.3.0.0 BIOS releases already include DDR5 CUDIMM support on AM5 motherboards, but it is still not what you'd call "Full" support. The final DDR5 CUDIMM support will be added with AMD's Zen 6 lineup, and we will also see newer AM5 motherboards with full compatibility for the memory technology.
To sum up the EXPO 1.2 highlights as per 1usmus, we are looking at:
- Support for module geometry.
- Added support for MRDIMM (CUDIMM and CSODIMM are already supported). AGESA 1.3.0.1 still lacks full CUDIMM support; AMD is preparing this for Zen 6.
- New! tREFI, tRRDS, tWR, ULL Enable — Unified Latency Lock and VDDP(V).
One more thing, EXPO 1.2 will still retain CKD bypass mode, so platforms that don't support CUDIMM will still be able to run the modules but at normal UDIMM speeds.
EXPO ULL (Ultra-Low Latency) Mode Further Tunes Latency
Additionally, AMD is working to add new memory modes with EXPO 1.2 geared towards low-latency. With EXPO 1.2, we will see the launch of new EXPO memory kits enabling the ULL (Ultra-Low-Latency) mode. With this mode, users can see a latency drop of 5-7ns versus a traditional 6000 MT/s DDR5 kit.
1usmus further states that AMD is working with DDR5 memory makers based in China to expand its EXPO lineup. These kits will address the current memory shortages and price increases, which have affected PCs, mainly budget and mainstream tiers.
New Chinese Vendors & First EXPO 1.2 BIOS Rolling Out Now
Three new memory brands are mentioned, which include RAMXEED Limited, Conexant, Rui Xuan (formerly Rei Zuan), and Fujitsu Synaptics. These three memory vendors are likely to offer EXPO 1.2 DDR5 Memory kits optimized for the AM5 platform.
ASUS is one of the first motherboard vendors to have enabled EXPO 1.2 support on its X870 boards, and we expect to see other memory vendors add to this list soon.
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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