G.Skill Unveils First-Ever 256GB DDR5-6000 Kit Using 64GB Modules For These PCs
Remember when 640Kb of memory was enough? Even though Bill Gates never actually said that (despite often being attributed as doing so), there was actually a time when such a paltry amount of memory was common. Not anymore, and not for a very, very long time. How much memory is enough is debatable, and if you're of the mindset that you can never have too much, G.Skill just unveiled a new memory kit that might be right up your alley.
It's an ultra-high 256GB capacity DDR5 U-DIMM kit comprised of four 64GB modules, not eight 32GB modules, that's been goosed to DDR5-6000 at CL32. It's the first large-capacity kit of its kind, and it's built specifically for AMD Ryzen systems with EXPO support. Otherwise known as Extended Profiles for Overclocking, EXPO is basically the AMD equivalent of Intel XMP, which are pre-configured memory setting profiles.
"Built with high-performance SK hynix DDR5 ICs, this overclock memory speed and timing pushes the boundaries of memory overclocking by fully loading 4 modules of high-capacity DDR5 64GB U-DIMM modules on a single system; marking a new milestone for high-performance computing, content creation, AI applications, and advanced workstation workloads," G.Skill explains.
To be clear, this isn't the first-ever 256GB DDR5 memory kit, or even the fastest at that capacity. However, all 256GB kits up to this point have been of the 32GBx8 variety. Not anymore, and it comes at a time when memory-hungry AI workloads are gaining steam.
G.Skill says it stress-tested its new high-capacity kit in both an ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard alongside an Ryzen 7 9800X3D with timings set at 32-45-45-96, and an MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi system with a Ryzen 9 9900X processor riding shotgun, with timings set at 32-44-44-126.
Not impressed? G.Skill also shared a screenshot showing its 256GB memory kit running at DDR5-7000 with timings set at 38-50-50-126. For that achievement, it used an MSI MEG X870E Godlike motherboard with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU installed.
Finally, G.Skill demonstrated the ability to run the same kit at DDR5-6400 at 32-44-44-102 timings on both an MSI MAG B850M Mortar WiFi motherboard and ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard, each with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Click the screenshot above for a much more detailed view (we cropped G.Skill's screenshot to highlight the CPU-Z data).
G.Skill never mentions pricing, because as it told us in the past, the memory market is too volatile. That said, other 256GB DDR5 kits (albeit of the 32GBx8 variety) that we found are going for between $1,379 to $2,495, so don't expect this kit to be cheap.
Some slightly more direct comparisons include this 64GB (32GBx2) kit of G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB RAM for $208 on Amazon, and this 96GB (48GBx2) of the same type of RAM for $423.99 at Amazon (on sale from $699.99).
Using those as reference points, this new kit is likely to sell for north of $1,000, and perhaps in the neighborhood of $1,500 to $2,000.
