G.Skill Launches DDR5-8000 CL38 48GB Memory Kit For Raptor Lake CPUs

G.Skill has announced a new, high capacity DDR5 memory kit for Intel’s 13th Generation Raptor Lake processors and accompanying LGA1700 platform. The Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 CL38, which features a capacity of 48 GB (2 x 24 GB), comes with an Intel XMP 3.0 profile for a fast and effortless setup on high-end systems that can accomodate the high-speed hardware

With the release of 24Gbit DDR5 memory chips, memory manufacturers are working to fill in the gap between current 16GB and 32GB UDIMMs. As these new, higher capacity dies allow for larger single-rank DIMMs, this is allowing DIMM vendors such as G.Skill to launch higher capacity versions of their fastest DIMMs.

The memory timings on the Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 aren’t great, but they’re decent enough. G.Skill binned the memory for CL 38-48-48-127 and 1.45 volts on the DRAM side. The specifications are almost identical to the Trident Z5 RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) memory kits that G.Skill announced a few months back. The principal difference is that the vendor has bumped the memory kit capacity from 32 GB to 48 GB. Unfortunately, G.Skill didn’t reveal which DRAM vendor’s chips they’re utilizing in the Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 memory kit. Considering the data rate, it’s plausibly using SK hynix’s latest A-die ICs, as many vendors are utilizing those for premium memory kits DDR5-7000 speeds.

Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that although the Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 has XMP 3.0 support, the memory kit won’t quite be plug-and-play on many LGA1700 motherboards. Consumers need to own a processor with a very strong IMC that can tolerate high-speed memory (i.e. top-tier Raptor Lake chips). An equally capable motherboard is required as well. Even then, judging from G.Skill’s validation list, it sounds like 1 DPC motherboards are going to be the prime choice. G.Skill has only validated the memory kit on Asus’ ROG Maximus Z790 Apex and EVGA’s Z790 Dark K|NGP|N, two over-engineered motherboards tailored to extreme overclocking. Interestingly, Gigabyte’s Z790 Aorus Tachyon isn’t on the list, nor is MSI’s MEG Z690 Unify-X.

G.Skill’s Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 memory kit is scheduled to hit retail shelves globally in April of this year, going up against as-of-yet released kits from TeamGroup, V-Color, Galax, and Netac. In the meantime, the company is keeping a tight lip on the pricing, preferring to keep the shock factor under wraps for now. Suffice it to say, given the binning required to produce this speed grade of RAM, and the premium pricing of DDR5 overall, we don’t expect that the Trident Z5 DDR5-8000 kits will come cheap.