G.Skill Announces Revolutionary 256GB DDR5 for AMD AM5 High-Capacity Memory

G.Skill Announces Revolutionary 256GB DDR5 for AMD AM5

If you're building a high-performance PC, say for content creation, virtual machines, or the latest demanding programs, you'd understand how quick you can through memory. Thus far, the process of attaining truly large amounts of RAM on a ordinary desktop motherboard and, more critical, for the AM5 platform of AMD took compromises. G.Skill's breaking with those conventions with the latest news: a massive 256GB (that's four 64GB modules!) DDR5 memory package for the Trident Z5 Neo RGB line.

Breaking Barriers to High Capacity on AM5

It is generally hard to fit four memory sticks into a general motherboard. It places a great burden on the CPU's memory controller and can make it hard to attain high speeds. In the majority of instances, even when all four slots are populated with high-capacity modules, the memory speed drops significantly from having just two sticks. JEDEC standards illustrate this challenge, showing a drastic speed drop in populating all DIMM slots.

In the past, getting this type of enormous 256GB capacity while maintaining speed high typically demanded special memory modules known as RDIMMs. These are mostly for workstation or enterprise systems and simply will not function on the majority of run-of-the-mill consumer motherboards. That is where G.Skill's new set comes in – they've designed it to provide this enormous capacity and decent speed via standard UDIMM modules, tuned specifically for AMD's AM5 platform through the use of EXPO technology.

Performance and Testing Highlights

So what's the speed we're expecting? G.Skill is launching this 256GB kit at a quick DDR5-6000 with an incredibly low latency CL32, all supported by AMD's EXPO profiles. They've shown the performance on some AM5 configurations:

Operational unproblematically at DDR5-6000 CL32 on an ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero board with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
Hitting the same DDR5-6000 CL32 on an MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi motherboard with a Ryzen 9 9900X.

So, if your motherboard and CPU's memory controller is capable, you should be hitting these mind-bending speeds off the shelf out of the box with the provided EXPO profile.

Pushing Further: Overclocking Potential

For the overclocking enthusiasts who want to extract every last bit of performance, G.Skill also hinted at this kit's overclocking potential. On a premium board such as the MSI MEG X870E Godlike, they were able to push this gargantuan 256GB kit to DDR5-7000 with CL38 timings. Also, for users looking for a sweet spot optimized for Ryzen 9000 series CPUs, tuning allowed them to reach DDR5-6400 with CL32 latency on some boards, but your mileage may vary depending on your specific hardware.

A Different High-End Build Option

Although 256GB is still more than most users require, the need for massive memory pools is increasing with contemporary applications, especially AI and professional workflows. G.Skill's accomplishment here is that you don't necessarily have to spend money on high-end workstation platforms such as Threadripper to achieve this type of memory capacity and performance. This kit makes new possibilities available for builders utilizing the mainstream AM5 platform.