Corsair Releases Record-Setting 4866MHz Memory for Ryzen 3000
Corsair last week took memory speeds to new heights with the release of new Vengeance DDR4 kits clocked at up to 4866MHz. Although compatible with platforms supporting DDR4, Corsair is aiming these new kits at the latest Ryzen 3000 processors on X570 motherboards.
The 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 kit (CMK16GX4M2Z4866C18) sets a record as the fastest memory commercially available, with the aforementioned 4866MHz rating and CL18 26-26-46 latency. The kit also includes Corsair’s Vengeance Airflow fan to provide direct cooling of the modules.
Those looking to trade slightly lower speeds for RGB lighting can instead opt for the 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO kit (CMW16GX4M2K4700C19), with a 4700MHz rating at CL19 26-26-46 latency. The Vengeance RGB PRO kit omits the Vengeance Airflow cooler but it can be purchased separately for about $30.
Speaking of price, plan to pay quite a high one if you want record-setting memory in your build. The 16GB 4866MHz Vengeance LPX kit carries a list price of $984.99 although street prices are a bit better at retailers like Newegg (currently $859.99). The 16GB 4700MHz Vengeance RGB kit is listed by Corsair at $704.99 but is thus far out of stock and unpriced at retailers like Amazon and Newegg.
Ryzen 3000 Compatibility
Corsair touts Ryzen 3000 compatibility for these new kits, reporting that the company has tested up to the maximum 4866MHz frequency on several X570 motherboards including the ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula, MSI MEG X570 Godlike, and the MSI Prestige X570 Creation.
However, faster may not always be better when it comes to Ryzen 3000 memory. As recently shown by outlets such as Gamers Nexus, actual memory performance for Ryzen 3000 processors is affected by the ratio of the Infinity Fabric (fCLK), memory controller (uCLK), and memory/DRAM (mCLK) frequencies, generally performing best when they are equal in a “synchronous” 1:1:1 ratio, especially for DDR4 memory rated above 3600MHz.
This is because many Ryzen 3000 processors cannot reach such high frequencies for the Infinity Fabric, which is normally limited to 1,800MHz (which equates to a 3600MHz frequency for DDR operation). Using faster memory would result in the user running their memory at an “asynchronous” ratio if they wish to hit the memory’s maximum frequencies, potentially reducing performance compared to slower memory that can match the fCLK 1:1.
But, as Corsair notes in its Ryzen 3000 Memory Overclocking Guide (PDF), faster memory at an asynchronous ratio with the Infinity Fabric can result in increased performance for certain workloads, albeit at an increased risk of system instability.
But if you have the budget to spare and want to test pushing the performance of your build to the limit, you can pick up both new kits of Corsair memory now.
