We are at the beginning of the new DDR5 standard for the mainstream sector and we have one of the best prepared models for the change. Not only because of its design with RGB lighting, but also because of the care that has been put into obtaining the best performance. For this generation, the capacity of the modules has been duplicated, among other aspects that we will see in more detail.
packaging and accessories
The packaging arrives in black with the model printed on the front, in the case of 2 modules of 16GB at a frequency of 5600 MHz. Inside we have two transparent blisters protected by foam rubber.
design and construction
The black aluminum constructed heatsink gives it a premium design that also helps cool both memory chipsets and pcmics. The upper bar is made of black zinc, also with a distribution of 12 CAPELLIX RGB ULTRA LEDs intense with individual addressing.
With a height of 55 mm, we must bear in mind that they are not designed for all air coolers, being the most recommended so that options such as AIOs are visible. You should also keep in mind that they can rub against radiators in a higher configuration depending on its width.
We can find packs of 2 memory modules for this frequency of 16 or 32 GB each. We can also choose other speeds that range from 4,800mhz to 6,400mhz and latencies between CL34 and CL40. Having recommended prices between 349.99 euros for the most basic pack and 719.99 euros for the top-of-the-range pack, prices that have been reduced, the models with lower frequencies being very attractive.
DDR5
After removing the four screws that attach the heatsinks and with some effort, since glue is used for a better fixation, we arrive at the PCB. We have all the memory and pcmic chips on one side of it, leaving the other almost deserted except for the connector for the lighting band.
Unlike the previous generation, DDR5 memories start at 4400 MHz frequencies, with Intel presenting native support at 4800 MHz and setting a target of 6600 MHz. Unlike DDR4, which had a 70-bit channel, the new generation has 2 channels of 40 Bit.
Each 40-bit channel will be made up of a 32-bit subchannel plus an 8-bit subchannel, achieving a bandwidth improvement of close to 50%. Such an arrangement resembles the Quad Channel configuration and in fact you will see in versions prior to CPUZ that it is collected in this way in the memories section.
In addition, its consumption has been improved by reducing it by 20%, so the starting point starts from 1.1v to 1.25v maximum, which we will see where a DDR4 module had to reach above 1.5v. The XMP 3.0 profile is also introduced for JEDEC overclocking profiles, with which we will find 5 profiles available in the memories. Three of them configured by the manufacturer and two more configurable by the user.
Characteristics
| Capacity | 2 modules of 16 GB or 32 GB |
| Frequencies | 4,800MHz to 6,400MHz |
| latencies | LC34 to LC40 |
| Dimensions | 55mm x 136mm |
| Voltage | 1.10v to 1.25v |
| Others characteristics | Black anodized or white aluminum heatsink High-performance 10-layer printed circuit |
Performance
To analyze its performance, we will carry out a series of synthetic tests, such as file compression/decompression, among others. We have run overclock tests on two motherboards to get the best possible result.
benchmark
software
Corsair makes its ICUE application available to us, will allow us to monitor all the components of the brand as well as configure certain aspects, including RGB lighting. We can individually select which DIMM we want to run one of its 15 modes or a custom one. We will be able to synchronize the lighting with other Corsair components or monitor its temperature. Everything from your software with very elegant lines and colors.
Overclock
The overclock is honestly one of the best I’ve tried from Corsair and we’ve managed to reach a 6200 MHz frequency, which is an increase of 600 MHz over the stock frequencies. We have also improved its latencies and timings so that its latencies have been even more reduced.
For the tests we have mainly used an MSI motherboard, we have been scaling frequencies up to 6200 MHz, we have even booted with 6400 MHz. It is possible that we can maintain 6400 MHz but at too high a voltage cost, so we stayed with 200 MHz which is already spectacular. We have continued to lower latencies until it shows stable behavior, achieving a great performance result from the starting point.
Verdict and alternatives
An excellent design for the Dominator with lighting that does not go unnoticed. Thanks to the Corsair iCUE software we can extensively configure this aspect and even combine it with our motherboard.
We have gone from a standard of 16 GB to 32 GB with a notable increase in bandwidth as well as ECC with which to avoid loss of information. We have several profiles in addition to XMP 3.0 that we can customize, having up to 5 saved in the memory itself.
The overclock is also strong for these memories whose chipsets manufactured by Samsung reach up to 6200 MHz, even up to 6400 MHz if we make a great effort to the component. Thanks to the heatsink and thermalpads provided, it is possible to achieve this and achieve improvements in frequencies and latencies.
With an approximate price in stores of 445 euros, it is currently difficult to find stock, which is not surprising, since we have just started with DDR5. As an alternative, we have its model without RGB Corsair Vengeance that also offers excellent performance whose 32 GB kit starts at 319 euros and offers high doses of overclocking.
