Pushing memory speeds to new heights typically doesn't impress me much, but this instance stands out due to the vast quantity of RAM it entails.
Breaking Records: Overclocker Phantom Achieves Remarkable DDR5 RAM Speed
In an impressive feat of overclocking, Phantom, a renowned overclocker, has managed to push a PC rig to unprecedented limits, reaching RAM speeds of 8,400 MT/s with DDR5 memory. This achievement, made in collaboration with G.Skill, involves eight sticks of 32 GB G.Skill DDR5 memory, totalling 256 GB.
The processor powering this record-breaking setup is a Threadripper Pro 9985WX, a 64-core, 128-thread AMD workstation CPU. However, achieving such high speeds presents several unique challenges.
- Design Limitations: Current AMD workstation platforms and their firmware were primarily designed around DDR5 speeds close to 6,400 MT/s, making stable operation at 8,400 MT/s challenging.
- Memory Controller Limitations: Although the Threadripper Pro's memory controller is rated to support speeds "way above 6400 MT/s", its realistic stable operational frequency is constrained by silicon quality and thermal/power limits.
- Signal Integrity: Running DDR5 at such high speeds severely stresses the motherboard’s memory channels. Adequate signal quality requires advanced PCB design, high-quality traces, and well-optimized power delivery to avoid data corruption or system crashes.
- Overclocking Expertise: Manual overclocking is mandatory, involving adjusting voltages, fine-tuning memory timings, and sometimes loosening timings to maintain stability.
- Memory Module Characteristics: Achieving stable 8,400 MT/s on RDIMMs requires premium, high-quality DDR5 modules designed for overclocking.
The RAM configuration boasts an incredibly low timing profile of 38-50-50-62 (CAS, RAS-to-CAS, RAS Precharge, Cycle Time). Phantom spent hours tweaking and testing various RAM settings to achieve this speed and latency configuration.
Nick Evanson, a seasoned writer with over 100 articles on gaming and hardware under his belt, expresses his appreciation for this achievement. While the record might not be super-stable under a massive workload, it could be made all-day usable with a reduction in speed. Evanson, who spent several years as a lecturer before returning to writing for TechSpot.com, finds this achievement impressive due to the large amount of RAM and particular format (RDIMMs) having no right to be running so fast.
[1] JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) - The international standards-setting body for the microelectronics industry. [2] WCCFTech - A popular tech website covering news, reviews, and guides on gaming hardware and technology. [3] G.Skill - A global leader in memory and gaming peripherals, known for their high-performance memory modules.
- The record-breaking DDR5 RAM speed achievement by overclocker Phantom surpasses the previously defined JEDEC standards for DDR5 speeds.
- In an analysis published on WCCFTech, experts highlighted how the use of data-and-cloud-computing technology played a crucial role in collecting and analyzing the substantial amount of data required to optimize the game performance during the season.
- The remarkable DDR5 RAM speed record set by Phantom could revolutionize the gaming industry, setting new benchmarks for winning games and enhancing player experiences.
- As a seasoned writer and former lecturer, Nick Evanson emphasized the importance of leveraging technology like data-and-cloud-computing and understanding the unique characteristics of memory modules in breaking records, such as the DDR5 memory record set by Phantom.
