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G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB memory has been designed for DDR5-supporting Intel platforms. Available with a choice of two coloured aluminium heat spreaders and featuring customisable RGB lighting. We test the 32GB kit running at 6400MT/s and find out if it is worth the £107 asking price.
G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB product line is runs from 5200MT/s up to 6400MT/s in four kit capacities – 32GB (DDR5-5200,5600, 6000, 6400), 48GB (DDR5-5200), 64GB (DDR5-5200 5600 and 6000) and 96GB (DDR5-5200, 5600 and 6400) and in a range of latencies. The G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB kit we are reviewing here uses a pair of single-rank 16GB DIMMs (using SK Hynix A-die ICs), XMP rated at 6400MHz at 32-39-39-102 at 1.40v.
G.Skill backs the drive with a lifetime warranty.
Specification
- Model Number: F5-6400J3239G16GX2-RM5RW.
- Capacity: 32GB (2 x 16GB).
- Rated Frequency: DDR5-6400.
- Rated Timings: 32-39-39-102.
- Voltage: 1.4V.
- IC: SK Hynix A-die (H5CG48AEBDX018).
- Module Height: 41mm.
- XMP/EXPO: XMP 3.0.
The front of the box that the memory comes in has a cut-out near the top, allowing you to see part of one of the modules. Below this are two illustrations of what the memory looks like. The bottom left of the box is home to the Intel XMP 3.0 Ready” sticker along with the Ripjaws M5 RGB branding. The rear of the box has two more cutouts (top and bottom) which lets you see the SKU sticker attached to the module. To the right of the bottom cut-out is the product sticker that displays the module density, configuration and what the XMP profile provides.
The heat spreaders on the modules are made from aluminium finished in (in the case of the review sample) matt white (a Matt black finish is also available). The spreaders give the module a height of 41mm. The modules are a single-rank design, under the heatsink, there are eight 2GB SK Hynix chips (H5CG48AEBDX018 – A-die) along with a Richtek RTQ5132GQW power management IC (PMIC).
The top of the module is home to the RGB defuser bar which covers eight RGB zones which are controlled by either G.Skill's own controller software or by the motherboard RGB system.
The memory runs at DDR5-4800 with timings of 42-40-40-77 (1.10V) natively with the single Intel XMP 3.0 profile supporting DDR5-6400 with 32-39-39-102 timings at 1.4V.
G.Skill's Trident Z lighting control software allows you to set up four profiles independently with their own custom light setup. The modules can be set up together or as individual units. The software has fourteen lightening effects and a wide colour palette to set up your desired effect and as each module can be set up separately you can come up with some pretty radical effects. There's also a Music Mode which can be customised but once enabled all the other profiles are disabled. However, in this mode, the modules will stay dark if there is no audio output.
If you want the modules to sync up with the rest of your lighting scheme, Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASRock Polychrome Sync are all supported.
We will be testing the memory kit performance with an Intel Core i7-14700K CPU, MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi motherboard and a GeForce RTX 4060 VENTUS 2X BLACK 8G OC graphics card. The processor is maintained at its stock frequency.
Test System – Intel
Processor: Core i7-14700K (20 cores/ 28 threads)
CPU Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID E360
Motherboard: MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi
Graphics card: GeForce RTX 4060 VENTUS 2X BLACK 8G OC
Power supply: MSI MAG A850GL PCIE5 850W
SSD: MSI SPATIUM M570
Case: MSI MPG GUNGNIR 300P AIRFLOW
OS: Windows 11
Thanks to MSI for providing the test system above.
Test Memory Kits
Our DDR5 comparison kits consist of:
Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-5600 C36 64GB
Corsair Dominator Titanium DDR5-6000 C30 64GB
Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5200 C38 32GB
G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-7200 C34 32GB
G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-6400 C32 64GB
Kingston Fury Beast DDR5-5200 C36 32GB
Klevv Cras X5 RGB DDR5-6000 C40 32GB
Klevv Cras V RGB DDR-7600 CL36 48GB
Teamgroup T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-6400 C40 32GB
Teamgroup T-Force Vulcan a DDR5-6000 C40 32GB
Thermaktake Toughram RC DDR5-5600 C36 32GB
Thermaltake Toughram XG RGB D5 DDR5-7200 C36 32GB
Tests:
7-Zip v19.00 – Built-in 7-Zip benchmark test (CPU & Memory)
Cinebench 2024 – All-core CPU benchmark (CPU & Memory)
HandBrake H264 – Convert 1440p60 H264 video to 1080p60 H264 using the YouTube HQ 1080p60 preset (CPU & Memory)
AIDA64 – Memory bandwidth, memory latency (Memory)
Total War Pharaoh
Final Fantasy XIV-Dawntrail
Cyberpunk 2077
Memory Benchmarks
AIDA64
In the AIDA64 Memory Bandwidth test, G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB sits in between the two other G.Skill modules we've tested to date, being slower than the Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-7200 in read performance but faster than the Z5 Royal DDR5-6400. However, the Z5 Royal has a better write performance in this test.
The CL32 timings don't appear to hold the memory back too much in the AIDA64 benchmark.
Compute and Productivity Tests
7-Zip
In the 7-Zip Compressing benchmark, the G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB is the slowest of the G.Skill modules we tested to date putting it in a mid-table position, but its Decompressing performance is better.
Cinebench 2024
The G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 doesn't seem to handle the Cinebench 2024 multi-core test too well with only Corsair's Vengeance 5200 memory keeping it off the bottom spot on the results chart.
Encoding
Handbrake
In the Handbrake test, the G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB memory set sits in the penultimate spot in the results chart, some 12.68fps behind the fastest modules we've seen to date, the Tridemt Z5 Royal 6400, also from G.Skill.
Office Productivity
PCMark 10
Essentials
Productivity
Digital Content Creation
G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 memory handles two-thirds of the PCMark 10 benchmark very well. It's the fastest kit we've seen to date in the Essentials and Productivity test traces. However, when it comes to the Digital Content Creation part of the test things don't look so rosy, with the Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 sitting in third from last place.
Gaming (1080p)
Total War Pharoah – Battle
Using the Ultra quality settings the G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 memory sits in the middle of the results charts. Easing off the quality settings down to the Low setting sees the memory shooting up the chart to lie in second place behind the Trident Z5 Royal 6400 memory, also from G.Skill. Truth be told there isn't much separating any of the modules in these two tests.
Final Fantasy XIV-Dawntrail
Using the Ultra quality settings the G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 memory sits in last place in the results charts. Easing off the quality settings down to the Standard Desktop sees the memory moving up a couple of places to sit just behind Corsair's Vengeance RGB 5600 memory.
Cyberpunk 2077
When tested with the Cyberpunk game benchmark using the Ultra settings, the drive produced test results of 96.459fps (average) and 80.145fps (1% Low) which puts the memory in the middle of the pack in the results chart. Switching over to the low setting saw the modules drop to last place on the table but in reality, there isn't much to choose between the bottom half of the results table.
We will be testing the memory kit performance with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU, MSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi motherboard and a GeForce RTX 4060 VENTUS 2X BLACK 8G OC graphics card. The processor is maintained at its stock frequency.
Test System: AMD
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (8 cores/ 16 threads)
CPU Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID E360
Motherboard: MSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi
Graphics card: GeForce RTX 4060 VENTUS 2X BLACK 8G OC
Power supply: MSI MAG A850GL PCIE5 850W
SSD: MSI SPATIUM M570
Case: MSI MPG GUNGNIR 300P AIRFLOW
OS: Windows 11
Thanks to MSI for providing the test system above.
Memory Benchmarks
AIDA64
When tested with the AIDA64 memory benchmark the 32GB kit of G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 produced a read figure of 58,903MB/s a result which places the modules in the bottom half of the results chart. However, its write result of 83,551MB/s is the fourth fastest we have seen to date in this test.
Compute and Productivity Tests
7-Zip
In the 7-Zip benchmark, the G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB sits third from last place in the table but there isn't an awful lot in it between top spot and tenth place on the table.
Cinebench 2024
~In the Cinebench 2024 multi-core test, the G.Skill Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 sits in the lower part of the results table, just below the Trident Z5 Royal 6400, also from G.Skill.
Encoding
Handbrake
In the Handbrake test, G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 sits near the bottom of the results chart but in reality, there is hardly anything in it between it and Corsair's Vengeance RGB DDR5-5600 that sits on the top of the table.
Office Productivity
PCMark 10
Essentials
Productivity
Digital Content Creation
When tested with PCMark10, G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 produced a mix of results. It sits towards the bottom of the results chart just above G.Skill's Trident Z5 Royal 6400 memory for the Essentials part of the benchmark. However, for the Productivity suite of tests it's the second fastest we've seen and third fastest in the Digital Contest Creation group of tests.
Gaming (1080p)
Total War Pharoah – Battle
In the Total War: Pharaoh – Battle benchmark, G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 memory produces an average fps that puts it just outside the top five tested modules while its 391.791 fps at a Low image quality setting puts it just inside the top five. Its 1% Low figure is very good at both quality settings.
Final Fantasy XIV-Dawntrail
There's not much to choose from between all the kits in the Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail benchmark using either the Maximum or Standard image quality settings.
Cyberpunk 2077
The Ripjaws M5 RGB 6400 performs well in Cyberpunk 2077 using Ultra quality settings but oddly doesn't do very well using low quality settings.
G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB has been designed as performance DDR5 memory for PC enthusiasts and gamers supporting Intel platforms with a single XMP 3.0 profile. It also features customisable RGB lighting while the aluminium heatspreaders come in matt white or matt black finishes. The modules are 41mm high giving a wider range of compatibility with air coolers and motherboards.
The Ripjaws M5 RGB product line consists of four speeds; 5200 MT/s, 5600MT/s, 6000MT/s and 6400MT/s and four kit capacities:
- The entry-level 5200MT/s is available in 32GB, 48GB, 64GB and 96GB (all CL40-40-40-83 1.10V)
- The 5600MT/s comes in 32GB (with two latency options CL30-36-36-89 1.25V, or CL46-45-45-89 1.10V), 64GB (CL30-36-36-89 1.25V or CL46-45-45-89 1.10V) and 96GB (CL40-40-40-89 1.25V)
- The 6000MT/s version comes in 32GB (CL30-40-40-96 1.35V, CL32-38-38-96 1.35V, CL36-36-36-96 1.35V and CL36-44-44-96 1.35V) and 64GB (CL32-38-38-96 1.40V or CL30-40-40-96 1.40V)
- The current flagship 6400MT/s model comes in 32GB (CL32-39-39-102 1.40V or CL36-48-48-102 1.35V), 64GB (CL32-39-39-102 1.40V) and 96GB (CL32-39-39-102 1.35V).
The memory kit that G.Skill kindly sent in for review was one of the matte white 32GB DDR5-6400 kits (F5-6400J3239G16GX2-RM5RW) comprising two 16GB single-sided modules each using eight SK Hynix A-die memory chips. It runs natively at DDR5-4800 with timings of 40-40-40-77-117 (1.10V) but the single Intel XMP 3.0 profile bumps this up to 6400MHz at 1.40V (32-39-39-102-141).
The RGB system comprises eight LED segments per module. These LEDs are very bright but they can be turned down in the software. If you want the memory to be integrated into an existing light scheme most of the 3rd party software is catered for with support for ASRock Polychrome Sync, Asus Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light Sync and Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0. The other option is to use G.Skill's own Trident Z Lighting Control utility which can be downloaded from the G.Skill site. The Trident Z Lighting Control supports up to four independent profiles with their own custom light setup. The software has fourteen lightening effects and a wide colour palette and modules can be synced or set up as individual units so pretty much the sky is the limit when it comes to custom schemes.
We found the 32GB kit of G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB DDR5-6400 memory on Amazon UK for £107.05 (inc VAT) HERE.
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Pros
- Overall performance.
- Build quality.
- RGB.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
Cons
- Only one memory profile (XMP).
KitGuru says: G.Skill's Ripjaws M5 RGB memory may only be available in four speeds but within those four speeds are a wide range of latencies to choose from to suit most requirements. The Ripjaws M5 RGB memory offers pretty good overall performance while the Trident Z Lighting Control supports a mind-boggling number of options, so the sky is the pretty much the limit when it comes to lighting schemes for the modules.
