The newest DDR5 series by Colorful seems well-optimized to reach higher speeds with lower latency. The Shadow II DDR5 was able to hit a good 9600 MT/s on the AM5 platform at optimal latency.
Colorful iGame Shadow II DDR5 Pushed to 9600 MT/s at CL30 and 7200 MT/s at CL24 in Dual Channel Configuration Using Ryzen 9800X3D and 9950X3D, Respectively
AMD AM5 platform is getting good at supporting higher memory speeds, thanks not only to the memory makers who are creating faster DDR5 memory kits but also to the enhanced memory controllers on Ryzen 9000 CPUs, and great firmware tuning on motherboards. Colorful's latest DDR5 lineup, called iGame Shadow II DDR5, which was launched last month, is doing pretty well with AMD's high-end gaming CPUs from the Ryzen 9000 lineup.
Colorful announced that its iGame Shadow II DDR5 is now able to achieve a staggering 9600 MT/s of memory speed in "Dual-Channel" configuration on the AM5 platform. The configuration includes processors like Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and the ROG Crosshair X870E APEX, which is a solid high-end motherboard. The motherboard is designed specifically for extreme memory overclocking and therefore, limits itself to just 2x DIMMs with excellent support for premium RAM kits.
Using the Colorful iGame Shadow II DDR5 2x 16 GB 6400 MT/s memory kit, it was able to achieve 9600 MT/s at a low latency of just CL30. This particular configuration used the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and while it's already incredible to achieve 9600 MT/s speed, the AM5 platform using a single memory module, a dual-channel configuration is even harder to push to such speeds. Colorful's new memory kit did it, making the AM5 platform as solid as the Intel LGA 1851 in memory support, but of course, the component choice matters, and so does the tweaking of memory parameters.
In the second test, the memory was pushed to 9200 MT/s, and as you can see, we have the same UCLK (Memory Controller Clock) = MCLK / 2 (Memory Clock) mode, but this time the stability is excellent as verified by the RunMemtest Pro test. While this setup introduces slightly higher latency compared to running at 9600 MT/s with a 1:2 ratio, it is generally more practical and reliable for sustained high performance in the long run.
In the third setup, where the Ryzen 9 9950X3D was used on the same motherboard and same memory kit, at a 1:1 ratio (UCLK = MCLK), the memory kit was able to hit a good 7200 MT/s with tight timings of CL24-37-32-38. The configuration also passed the RunMemTestPro test with 100% accuracy, confirming excellent stability.
Colorful also showed some more results, such as 8900 MT/s in dual-channel at CL34-47-47-47 in a 1:1 ratio. It attributes these such high speeds and low latency to the use of carefully binned high-performance SK Hynix memory chips combined with the iGame Shadow II's 10-layer PCB stacking design that helps in reducing signal interference.
News Source: Colorful
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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