The fastest way to find the right memory for a desktop motherboard is its chipset, the part of the model name such as B650, Z790 or X570. The chipset tells you the processor socket, and the socket decides the memory: DDR5 or DDR4, and for workstation boards, unbuffered or registered ECC. NEMIX RAM now groups 1,983 motherboard listings from ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE, MSI and Supermicro by chipset, across 24 chipset pages. This guide explains how to find your chipset, which memory each platform takes, and which page to open. Start at the hub: Motherboard Memory by Chipset.
The short answer
- AMD AM5 (X870, B850, B650, X670, A620): DDR5 only.
- AMD AM4 (X570, B550, B450): DDR4 only.
- Intel LGA1851 (Z890, B860): DDR5 only.
- Intel LGA1700 (Z790, B760, Z690, B660, H610): DDR5 or DDR4, decided by the board, not the chipset. If the model name ends in D4 or DDR4, it takes DDR4.
- Intel LGA1200 and LGA1151 (Z590, B560, Z490, H510, H310): DDR4 only.
- Workstation and high-end desktop (Threadripper, W790, C621, W680, X299): the memory type varies by platform; see the workstation section below.
How to find your chipset
For ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE and MSI boards, the chipset is in the model name: a ROG STRIX B650-A GAMING WIFI is a B650 board, a MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI is a Z790 board, and an X570S AORUS ELITE AX is an X570S board. The model name is printed on the board itself, usually between the memory slots and the graphics card slot, and on the box. In Windows, open System Information and look for BaseBoard Product. Suffixes do not change the memory: B650E boards use the same memory as B650, X870E the same as X870, and X570S the same as X570, so each pair shares one page.
Supermicro workstation boards do not name the chipset, so here is the mapping we use:
| Supermicro board | Chipset | Page |
|---|---|---|
| X13SWA-TF | W790 | W790, C621 & C422 |
| M12SWA-TF | WRX80 | Threadripper |
| X12SPA-TF | C621A | W790, C621 & C422 |
| X11SPA-T / X11SPA-TF | C621 | W790, C621 & C422 |
| X11SRA | C422 | W790, C621 & C422 |
| X13SAE / X13SAE-F | W680 | W880, W680 & C-series |
| X12SAE | W480 | W880, W680 & C-series |
| X11SCA | C246 | W880, W680 & C-series |
All 24 chipset pages at a glance
| Platform | Processors | Memory | Chipset pages (listings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD AM5 | Ryzen 9000, 8000, 7000 | DDR5 | X870 & X870E (110), B850 (153), B650 & B650E (186), X670 & X670E (46), A620 (62) |
| AMD AM4 | Ryzen 1000 to 5000 | DDR4 | X570 & X570S (73), B550 (149), B450 (53) |
| Intel LGA1851 | Core Ultra 200S | DDR5 | Z890 (74), B860 (88) |
| Intel LGA1700 | 12th, 13th, 14th Gen Core | DDR5 or DDR4 by board | Z790 (123), B760 (181), Z690 (91), B660 (72), H610 (80) |
| Intel LGA1200 | 10th and 11th Gen Core | DDR4 | Z590 (57), B560 (47), Z490 (43), H510 (40) |
| Intel LGA1151 | 8th and 9th Gen Core | DDR4 | H310 (50) |
| Workstation / HEDT | Threadripper, Xeon W, Xeon E, Xeon Scalable, Core X | DDR5 or DDR4; UDIMM, ECC UDIMM or RDIMM by platform | Threadripper (57), W790, C621, C622 & C422 (42), W880, W680, W480 & C-series (68), X299 & X99 (55) |
A handful of multi-board listings cover boards on two chipsets and appear on both pages, so the page counts add up to slightly more than the hub total.
AMD AM5: X870, B850, B650, X670 and A620
Every AM5 board takes DDR5 unbuffered DIMMs (UDIMMs) and runs Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 Series processors. X870 and X670 are the high-end chipsets, B850 and B650 the mainstream ones, and A620 the entry level; the memory type is the same across all of them. What differs from board to board is the number of slots (two or four) and the maximum capacity. Many AM5 boards also list support for DDR5 ECC UDIMMs, and those listings offer an ECC version; ECC operation also depends on the processor. Examples: MSI MAG X870E TOMAHAWK WIFI and GIGABYTE X870 AORUS ELITE WIFI7, MSI MPG B850 EDGE TI WIFI, MSI MAG B650M MORTAR WIFI and GIGABYTE B650 AORUS PRO AX, ASRock X670E Taichi Carrara and GIGABYTE A620M GAMING X AX.
AMD AM4: X570, B550 and B450
AM4 boards take DDR4 UDIMMs. B450 boards run Ryzen 1000 through 5000 Series processors (newer processors may need a BIOS update first); X570 and B550 boards run Ryzen 3000 and 5000 Series. Install identical modules in matched pairs for dual-channel operation. Examples: MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI, MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK and ASUS ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (WI-FI) and MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX.
Intel LGA1851: Z890 and B860
LGA1851 boards run Core Ultra 200S processors and take DDR5 UDIMMs only. Z890 is the overclocking chipset and B860 the mainstream one. Examples: GIGABYTE Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 and ASUS ROG STRIX B860-F GAMING WIFI.
Intel LGA1700: the one platform where you must check the board
LGA1700 boards run 12th, 13th and 14th Gen Core processors, and the platform supports both DDR5 and DDR4, but each board is designed for one or the other. The two are not interchangeable: a DDR5 module will not physically fit a DDR4 slot. Board makers mark the DDR4 versions in the model name, usually with D4 or DDR4 at the end. In our catalog, 18 of the 123 Z790 listings are DDR4 boards, as are 65 of 181 B760 listings, 32 of 91 Z690 listings, 52 of 72 B660 listings and 45 of 80 H610 listings. Compare MSI PRO Z790-P WIFI (DDR5) with GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX DDR4, or ASUS ROG STRIX B760-F GAMING WIFI (DDR5) with MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4. More examples: MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI, ASUS ROG STRIX B660-A GAMING WIFI D4 and GIGABYTE H610M S2H DDR4.
Chipset pages: Z790 (123), B760 (181), Z690 (91), B660 (72) and H610 (80). Every listing title names the memory type, so open the listing for your exact model.
Intel LGA1200 and LGA1151: Z590, B560, Z490, H510 and H310
These boards take DDR4 UDIMMs. LGA1200 boards run 10th and 11th Gen Core processors (Z490 boards run 11th Gen on many models after a BIOS update); H310 boards run 8th and 9th Gen Core. Entry-level H-series boards often have only two memory slots, so check the slot count on the listing before ordering a kit. Examples: ASUS PRIME Z590-A, MSI MAG B560 TOMAHAWK WIFI, ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO (WI-FI), MSI H510M-A PRO and MSI H310M PRO-C.
Workstation and high-end desktop platforms
- AMD Threadripper (57 listings): WRX90 and TRX50 boards take DDR5 registered ECC (RDIMM); WRX80 boards take DDR4 RDIMM or LRDIMM; TRX40 and X399 boards take DDR4 unbuffered memory, with ECC UDIMM on boards that support it. Examples: ASUS Pro WS WRX90E-SAGE SE, ASUS Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE SE WIFI and GIGABYTE TRX40 AORUS MASTER.
- Intel W790, C621, C622 and C422 (42 listings): W790 boards for Xeon W-2400 / W-3400 and W-2500 / W-3500 take DDR5 RDIMM; C621, C622 and C422 boards for Xeon Scalable and Xeon W-2100 / W-2200 take DDR4 RDIMM or LRDIMM. Examples: ASUS Pro WS W790-ACE / W790E-SAGE SE, ASUS WS C621E SAGE and ASUS Pro WS C422-ACE.
- Intel W880, W680, W480 and C-series (68 listings): workstation and entry-server boards for Core and Xeon E processors. They take unbuffered memory and are typically run with ECC UDIMM: DDR5 on W880, C266 and many W680 boards, DDR4 on W480 and the C2xx chipsets. Examples: ASUS Pro WS W880-ACE SE, Supermicro X13SAE-F and ASUS WS C246 PRO.
- Intel X299 and X99 (55 listings): high-end desktop boards for Core X-series and Core i7 Extreme processors. They take DDR4 UDIMMs across four channels, so install modules in sets of four for full bandwidth. Examples: ASUS ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING and ASRock X99 Extreme4.
Registered (RDIMM) and unbuffered (UDIMM) modules cannot be mixed, and LRDIMMs cannot be mixed with RDIMMs. See DDR5 RDIMM, DDR4 RDIMM, DDR4 LRDIMM, DDR5 ECC UDIMM and DDR4 ECC UDIMM for module types.
Speed, slots and kits
NEMIX RAM desktop modules are JEDEC-standard: DDR5-5600 and DDR4-3200 for most current boards. They run at the board's default memory settings without overclocking profiles, and a faster module simply runs at the speed the processor and board support. Each listing offers only the module sizes the board supports, and kit sizes no larger than its slot count. For dual-channel boards, install identical modules in matched pairs; for quad-channel Threadripper, X299 and X99 boards, install them in sets of four.
Frequently asked questions
Does the chipset or the processor decide which RAM I need?
Both point to the same answer: the chipset tells you the processor socket, and the socket sets the memory generation. The one exception is Intel LGA1700 (Z790, B760, Z690, B660, H610), where each board is designed for either DDR5 or DDR4, so check the model name.
Can I put DDR5 in a DDR4 motherboard?
No. DDR5 and DDR4 modules are keyed differently and will not fit each other's slots. Buy the generation your board is designed for; every NEMIX RAM listing names it in the title.
My board name ends in D4. What memory does it take?
D4 or DDR4 at the end of an LGA1700 model name, for example ROG STRIX B660-A GAMING WIFI D4 or Z790 AORUS ELITE AX DDR4, means the board takes DDR4. The same model without the suffix takes DDR5.
Is RAM for a B650 board the same as RAM for an X670 board?
Both are AM5 boards that take DDR5 UDIMMs, so the module type is the same. Slot count and maximum capacity differ by board, so choose the listing for your exact model.
Do I need ECC memory?
Workstation boards on Threadripper PRO, W790 and C621 platforms require registered ECC memory. W680, W880 and C-series boards are usually run with ECC UDIMM. On consumer AM5 boards, ECC UDIMM is optional and works only where the board and processor support it.
Will faster memory work in my board?
Yes. A faster module runs at the highest speed the processor and board support. NEMIX RAM modules use JEDEC-standard settings, so they run at the board's default speed without an overclocking profile.
I am buying memory for many PCs. Can NEMIX RAM help?
Yes. Purchase orders, net terms and volume pricing are available for IT departments, system builders, schools and government buyers. Send us the board models and quantities and we will quote the matching modules.
Buying motherboard memory from NEMIX RAM
NEMIX RAM is a US-based memory specialist, in business since 1993. Every module is researched, matched, and compatibility-tested by NEMIX RAM, is JEDEC-compliant, and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Purchase orders, net terms and volume pricing are available for system builders, IT departments, studios, schools, government buyers and resellers. Request a quote for a fleet of PCs or workstations, or send us your motherboard model name and we will confirm the right module before you order.
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