Intel's Arrow Lake official memory speeds are unchanged with standard memory sticks — pricier CUDIMM memory needed for faster base spec

The Intel Core Ultra 200S (codenamed Arrow Lake) chip spec sheets note that their maximum JEDEC DRAM speed is DDR5-6400, allowing users to use faster memory speeds without overclocking. However, hardware leaker @harukaze5710 shared some documentation on X that showed that the chips supported the faster standard when using more expensive CUDIMM. Standard UDIMM sticks would be limited to DDR5-5600 unless you use XMP to overclock them.

CUDIMMs have onboard clock drivers that improve memory stability at higher frequencies. This allows systems to take advantage of high-speed RAM, allowing users to enjoy better performance without worrying about whether their processor can support the lightning-fast speeds.

Several companies, like Micron (Crucial), TeamGroup, and Asgard, have launched several CUDIMM models, including memory that could hit faster speeds up to DDR5-9600. Even ASRock is getting onto the overclocking bandwagon, launching a motherboard designed for enthusiasts that could work with DDR5-10133+ memory after some experimentation and liquid cooling.

Note that the Arrow Lake chips are only specced up to DDR5-6400 with CUDIMMs and DDR-5600 with standard DIMMs. But if you prefer reliability and don’t want to make unnecessary changes in your system’s BIOS, you would appreciate Arrow Lake’s DDR5-6400 CUDIMM support. That way, you could still enjoy faster speeds without worrying about system instability. Of course, CUDIMM is more expensive than a DIMM stick with the same capacity speed.

AMD and Intel processors support CUDIMMs, but most recently launched models are targeted at the just-launched Intel Core Ultra 200S processors. Team Blue released the Arrow Lake processors earlier this month, with the chips expected to hit retail shelves on October 24. So, if you want to build a new high-speed PC and don't mind spending extra money, CUDIMMs could be a good option for your system. If you’re set on DDR5-6400, it should work out of the box at the prescribed speed; no XMP shenanigans and BIOS tweaks are required.