Is DDR5 compatible with DDR4 motherboards?

No. DDR5 memory modules are not compatible with DDR4 motherboards (and DDR4 modules are not compatible with DDR5 motherboards). Although desktop DDR4 and DDR5 DIMMs both use a 288-pin form factor, the pin layout and key-notch position differ, so a DDR5 stick will not seat in a DDR4 slot, according to CORSAIR.

Trying to force the wrong generation into a slot can damage the module or the motherboard DIMM connector. To use DDR5 you need a motherboard (and a CPU platform) that explicitly supports DDR5; some Intel socket generations offered separate DDR4 and DDR5 board SKUs, while platforms such as AMD AM5 are DDR5-only.

Source: CORSAIR: Is DDR5 backwards compatible with DDR4?

Image: Crucial DDR5-4800 SDRAM UDIMM, photo by Smial, Free Art License (FAL), via Wikimedia Commons.

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