PS4’s GDDR5 RAM Latency Not A Problem But DDR3 May Have Better CAS Latency – Kursk Dev

When the PS4 was first showcased back in 2013, most developers in the games industry were surprised by Sony’s decision to include GDDR5 memory in the console. However there were questions regarding its latency. DDR3 reportedly has better CAS latency compared to GGDR5. CAS (Column Access Strobe) latency is essentially the delay that occurs when the memory controller triggers the memory module to gain access to a memory section within RAM, to the moment the data  is available on the memory section’s output pins. As a thumb rule, lower CAS latency is preferred.

Speaking to CEO and Creative Director of Jujubee Games Studio, Michal Stepien, who is currently working on Kursk, a multiplatform game for the PS4, Xbox One and PC, GamingBolt asked whether they have faced any issues arising out of GDDR5’s potential latency issue.

“I think latency is not a problem. The PS4 chip is quite interesting and because the CPU and GPU are in reality one single chip, the performance is not affected,” Michal said to GamingBolt. However he thinks that DDR3 might have better latency performance but it’s down to the programmer as opinions are divided. “It seems that DDR3 has a better CAS latency, but it’s really hard to tell and the bandwidth also plays a role, so I think that even programmers will have different opinions. For me what matters is the whole performance of the hardware and thus the framerate in the game.”

What are your thoughts on this matter? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned for our full interview with Michal.