AMD adds support for Smart Access Memory to Ryzen 3000 processors

AMD is adding support for Smart Access Memory to its Ryzen 3000 desktop processors with Zen 2 architecture. Previously, the company only allowed this function to work with its Ryzen 5000 CPUs, in combination with a Radeon RX 6000 video card.

AMD briefly mentioned the upcoming functionality for Ryzen 3000 chips during its Where Gaming Begins presentation . The company provides more details on its website . For example, AMD reports that users with Ryzen 3000 systems should use the latest bios version for their motherboard for Smart Access Memory support. The functionality is added to Agesa version 1.1.0.0. The feature only works on motherboards with 500 series chipset, such as X570 or B550. Ryzen 3000 owners with an older chipset cannot use Smart Access Memory.

The company further clarifies that Smart Access Memory will not work on Ryzen 3000G APUs, such as the Ryzen 5 3400G and Ryzen 3 3200G. Those CPUs do have a Ryzen 3000 model name, but do not use the Zen 2 architecture on which the other Ryzen 3000 chips are based. Users must also own a Radeon RX 6000 video card to use Smart Access Memory, the company reports on its website.

The function can be enabled in the bios of a motherboard. Users do this by enabling ‘Re-Size BAR Support’ and ‘Above 4G Decoding’. The exact location of these settings depends on the motherboard type.

Smart Access Memory is based on Resizable BAR , a function that has been included in the PCIe specification for some time. This feature allows CPUs to access the full amount of memory of a video card at once. AMD introduced the feature last year with its Ryzen 5000 CPUs, claiming performance improvements of up to 11 percent in select games. During its Where Gaming Begins presentation on March 3, the company talked about performance improvements of up to 16 percent.

Although the feature was initially only offered by AMD, Intel and Nvidia have now also started supporting Resizable BAR. For example, Nvidia recently released its GeForce RTX 3060 video card, which immediately supported the feature upon release. Other RTX 30 video cards will also receive support for the feature via a bios update. Intel has also added the feature to its Z490 chipset.