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MSI has apparently introduced a new performance optimizer for its X870E motherboards, improving DDR5 memory latency. Uniko hardware on X found that the Latency Killer feature can reduce memory latency by up to 8 ns.

This feature was introduced to combat the alleged memory latency degradation that started with AGESA 1.2.0.2a on AM5 motherboards: 1.2.0.2a was the microcode update that added support for Ryzen9000X3D Processors. An AIDA64 benchmark comparing the latency booster to default operation reveals an 8ns improvement in latency when enabled. This test was carried out on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D and a MPG X870E Carbon WiFi motherboard paired with DDR5-8000 CL38 memory working in combination with a high efficiency mode set to the highest preset.

The new Latency Killer option can be found in the advanced menu section of MSI’s latest MPG X870E Carbon WiFi BIOS in the overclocking submenu next to the high efficiency mode and FCLK frequency options. There are three options in total: Auto, On, and Off. It is unclear what the default value for the automatic setting is, but it is likely that it is disabled by default to ensure stability.

The BIOS description for Latency Killer states: “improves latency performance but could potentially reduce CPU performance.” So even if DDR5 latency improves, it could hurt CPU performance.

Contrary to its name, Latency Killer restores memory latency performance to what it was with previous AGESA updates rather than improving performance beyond what those updates provided in the past or the present. It’s unclear exactly what Latency Killer does to reduce latency, but these latency adjustments are usually made via memory controller optimizations.

Regardless, this latency degradation issue is said to be fixed in future AGESA microcode updates for AM5 motherboards.

Fortunately, 8 ns memory latency is not a big deal, and most people will probably never notice such latency even in gaming, especially with X3D-equipped Ryzen CPUs, which help mask latency memory thanks to their massive 96MB L3 cache capacity. So unless you’re an extreme overclocker looking to break world records, 8ns isn’t something to worry about.