To combat DDR5 shortages, Intel looks to the past to help users build affordable PCs

The ongoing DRAM supply crunch is on track to decimate the entire consumer tech market. Almost every sector has been hit hard. This also includes the DIY gaming PC market where the eye-watering prices of DDR5 memory and SSDs has made it impossible to build a decently powerful gaming PC without investing a substantial sum of money. After AMD’s reintroduction of DDR4-compatible CPUs like the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, Intel is also seemingly preparing to turn back to older CPU generations to combat the DDR5 memory shortage.

A report out of China now reveals that Intel is restarting production of old CPU generations that are compatible with DDR4 memory. This includes CPUs from the ancient 10th-gen to the 14th-gen Core chips. The report suggests that Intel will considerably increase the supply of these old CPUs, giving consumers more options.

While we appreciate the move and it could end up being good for consumers, we don’t know of anyone who should go out and buy a 10th-gen CPU, even if they are in abundant supply and super cheap. Intel’s 10th-gen CPUs began releasing all the way back in 2019. CPUs have come a long way since then, and even modern budget-friendly chips are, in many cases, more powerful than high-end parts of yesteryear.

On the other hand, the increased availability of 12th, 13th, and 14th-gen Intel Core CPUs is likely to be a good thing. These CPUs are still quite capable, especially the 13th and 14th-gen processors. Paired with fast DDR4 RAM, a high-end 13th/14th-gen CPU can still be decently fast in gaming and non-gaming workloads.

We know that this is not ideal. But, this is perhaps the best that Intel can do in a depressing market where Team Blue has already had to increase the prices of some of its best CPU offerings. Intel is not alone in these price increase, as everyone from Microsoft and Valve to Apple has had to scramble to handle the situation.

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