Intel’s version of “Smart Access Memory” is ready to go for 11th gen chips

Things are about to get better for gamers thanks to the swift standardization of the PCIe Resizable BAR feature. AMD led the charge last year with its “Smart Access Memory,” which required both a Ryzen 5000 CPU and RX 6000 GPU in order to make the feature work. Intel and Nvidia were not pleased to learn about the competitive edge, however. Both companies quickly promised to deliver versions of the feature, which they referred to as Resizable BAR. Intel is now ready to deliver on that promise, and officially announced Resizable BAR support for its 11th gen CPUs.

Intel GM Fredrik Hamberger announced the feature in a recent discussion with Tom’s Hardware. Hamberger discussed the process of working with both Nvidia and AMD to develop Resizable BAR support, and referred to it as more of a standardization rather than a premium Intel feature. The suggestion is accurate too, because Resizable BAR has apparently been around since PCIe 3.0, but went unutilized until recently.

Dialing it up to the next level

The standardization of Resizable BAR means that gamers will be able to achieve 5-10% better performance in games simply by using the feature. According to Nvidia, the feature allows the CPU to “efficiently access the entire frame buffer,” while moving through levels and open-world environments. It’s an exciting “extra” to go along with the improved architectures and manufacturing processes that allow for better gaming experiences. Tack on things like Nvidia’s DLSS software, and cutting-edge hardware sure does sound attractive.

AMD shows that the results are real when it comes to “Smart Access Memory.” Expect the same with Intel.

Intel suggested that some 10th gen products are technically able to leverage Resizable BAR, though exact details on what to expect have not been released. Whatever the case, Intel expects OEMs to finish updating custom drivers for 11th gen CPUs to include support for Resizable BAR in the near future. Gamers can look forward to support on both desktops and laptops. Once Resizable BAR becomes widely available, it should be possible to mix and match between AMD, Intel, and Nvidia hardware configurations that support it.