Quick Look Review: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB Memory In White

CORSAIR’s DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB Gains A Second Style Option

Corsair began life as a computer memory maker back in 1994, first creating COAST modules before moving to DRAM production. And while a lot has changed in the last quarter century, Corsair (of course) still makes computer memory.

Fast forward to 2019, when we took a look at the Dominator Platinum RGB launch; the first modules to feature CAPELLIX LEDs. One year later we have another new set to check out, and this time it’s a 64GB kit rated for DDR4-3200, and featuring a new white heatsink design (with gold trim for good measure).

Overview and Teardown

Here is how Corsair describes both the design and approach to manufacturing that goes into these modules:

“DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR4 Memory continues to the iconic and refined design that perfectly complements the world’s best PCs. To achieve the best possible look and feel, each part of the module is built using different manufacturing techniques:

• Side-plates – forged aluminum with anodization
• Top bar – die-casted zinc alloy with microarc oxidation (MAO)
• Fins – stamped aluminum
• Lightbar – precision engineered lightbar with perfect diffusion level

Underneath the lightbar reside 12 individually-addressable CORSAIR CAPELLIX RGB LEDs that are not only brighter and smaller than those found in previous-generation RGB memory, but also more power efficient and with better longevity than the regular LEDs. The newly designed lightbar with light isolation gaps minimizes light dilution among the light boxes, further improving color accuracy per light box. With their purpose-built and eye-catching looks, DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB modules easily adjust to match the design themes of the world’s best PC builds.”

As much effort has been put into the appearance and lighting effects with this memory, performance is certainly not an afterthought, as Corsair explains:

“From hand-sorted, tightly-screened memory chips to a custom performance 10-layer PCB, the only goal is to deliver the highest possible performance with generous overclocking headroom and solid stability. DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB modules continue to use CORSAIR patented Dual-Channel DHX Cooling Technology, a heat-spreader embedded directly into the PCB that pull heat away from the modules, allowing DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB to stay cool even under extreme stress.”

So what is under the hood with this particular set? I disassembled one of the 16GB modules to find out. One of the nice things about DOMINATOR modules in my experience is their rugged, yet functional, construction. Grabbing a handy T6 bit I removed the four golden bolts and carefully removed the components to see what ICs might lurk beneath the surface.

First, however, I feel the need to point out the construction of these DIMMs. Lighting is a big part of Corsair’s premium memory, and here it is actually on a separate lighting strip that resides along the top edge of each DIMM. The light stip is connected via a ribbon cable, and was easy to remove. And now that this is fully disassembled let’s have a look at those ICs.

I’m not a memory expert, but I have seen a lot of talk about Samsung die versions out there over the past few years. A close look at these modules reveals these markings on each chip:

• SEC 007
• K4A8G08
• 5WC BCTD

From what I can gather these are C-die chips, but I could be mistaken. Regardless, these are from Samsung and not Hynix, if that makes a difference to you.

Performance Validation

Since these new white modules are functionally identical to their existing black counterparts, the benchmark results that Jim presented last year (as he set about testing his kit at 2666, 3000, 3200, 3500, 3800, and 4000 MHz like the madman he clearly is) are still valid for this set.

Check out our previous performance findings here.

But that didn’t stop me from running a few tests on a different platform; an AMD X570 system featuring a 3950X in an ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero Wi-Fi motherboard. The benchmarks were more for speed/timing validation and stability testing, but I’ll show the results from AIDA64 and Geekbench 5 anyhow.

After setting the memory to run at the speed of the next model up in the DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB family – 3600 MHz, CL18 – I found that it needed just a bit more power (moving from the 1.35V to 1.36V was sufficient) to be fully stable through an AIDA64 memory stress test.

We see some significant gains with this overclock, at least in synthetic testing. Here we have “synchronous” operation, with a 1:1 ratio between the FCLK and MCLK at 1800 MHz (3600 MHz effective as this is DDR memory, of course).

Nothing new here, but faster speeds without a big jump in latency is producing measurable increases in read/write/copy memory performance in AIDA64 at 3600 MHz. Here’s how things look between the default 3200 16-18-18-36 and our light 3600 18-19-19-39 overclock in Geekbench 5:

Moving beyond 3600 MHz with this set, on this platform, takes me out of my element entirely. A very casual overclocker at best, I set the memory to 3800 MHz and carried over the 18-19-19-39 (T1) timings from 3600 MHz, but these would either need looser timings or more voltage to POST at that speed. Plus, I was overclocking all four DIMMs at once, which is probably not ideal.

iCUE Software and Lighting Effects

And, as with the previous models, Corsair’s exclusive Capellix lighting is a key differentiator for the company with this line of memory. Using Corsair’s iCUE software, users have the ability to customize the lighting using a number of hardware playback presets, with additional software customization options also available down to individual LED control for each DIMM.

The predefined lighting options include:

• Rainbow Wave – Selected modules will cycle through the entire color spectrum in a single direction. Speed and direction can be customized.
• Spiral Rainbow – Selected modules will display a spiraling rainbow effect. Speed and direction can be customized.
• Rainbow – Selected modules will cycle through the entire color spectrum in unison. Speed can be customized.
• Color Shift – Selected modules will gradually shift between colors. Random/assigned colors and speed can be customized.
• Color Pulse – Selected modules will gradually pulse between colors. Random/assigned colors and speed can be customized.
• Color Wave – Selected modules will display a color wave in a single direction. Random/assigned colors, speed, and direction can be customized.
• Rain – Selected modules will display a rain effect in a single direction. Random/assigned colors, speed, and direction can be customized.
• Visor- Selected modules will display a moving visor effect. Random/assigned colors, speed, and direction can be customized.
• Sequential – Selected modules will light up each LED in sequence, eventually “filling” all selected modules. Random/assigned colors, speed, and direction can be customized.
• Marquee – Selected modules will display a solid color broken by moving white flashes of light. Color and speed can be customized.
• Static Color – Selected modules will display a single color

In addition to the lighting effects there are some more technical aspects to this memory’s functionality in iCUE, with a readout of the current speed and timings on one page, and the ability to view the current temps on a per-DIMM basis on another.

Pricing and Conclusion

Pricing for this memory naturally ranges based on both memory capacity and speed, with the high capacity 64GB (16GB x 4) 3200MHz CL16 kit we received (model CMT64GX4M4C3200C16W) carrying a list price of $429.99. At $107.50 per 16GB DIMM this is actually more competitive than you might think when comparing to other high-end options (HyperX Predator, Crucial Ballistix, etc.). But certainly, this memory is intended to be a flagship – and not a budget – product from Corsair.

The Dominator Platinum RGB lineup from Corsair was already impressive from both a performance and aesthetic standpoint, representing the top of the product stack from this venerable memory maker. The addition of this new white finish showcases the bright Capellix LED lighting all the more, and naturally compliments the look of Corsair’s white cases such as the iCUE 465X RGB and iCUE 220T RGB Airflow.

If you are putting together a system in a white case, or if this just fits either your theme or personal tastes, the new white heatsink option from Corsair’s Dominator Platinum RGB lineup is a well-realized, high-end product – just like the previous version. Of course, it’s also part of their most premium memory line, and it carries that ‘premium’ price tag.

If you’ve read this far you are probably not opposed to memory modules with a bright heatsink (and gold trim) that also happen to contain very colorful – and bright – RGB lighting. These attributes will naturally divide opinion – as specialty designs – and RGB LEDs – always do. I personally like this fresh, colorful look (I think white variants of cases show off RGB lighting a little better, too), but I know it isn’t for everyone.