If you're looking for fast RAM, you've no doubt seen G.Skill's kits; G.Skill is well known for its high binding memory and overclocking capabilities. The G.Skill kit we are reviewing here has truly impressive specifications: 15-16-16 timings on DDR4-4000 is probably the perfect combination of high frequency, low timing, and broad platform compatibility. To run at these specs, 1.5V is required, which is on the high side for default voltages, but don't worry, it's not a problem.

The basic design of the Trident Z has not changed much over the years, but it has never looked better. The module is housed in a windowed case and appears to be a luxury item with a mirror-like silver or gold finish. At the top of the module is a shining crystalline light bar with the requisite RGB goodness, and the colors are especially bright and vibrant. Too bright, some might say. Glance at it in a dark room and you'll probably squint.

As always, looks are subjective, but I can only describe this kit as stunning. The mirror finish may be prone to fingerprints, but that's only if you really want to touch it, and that's not a bad thing. The silver version shown here would add a touch of class to most builds.

G.Skill has its own RGB app, simply called Lighting Control Software. A quick touch around revealed that it can control the 8 LEDs on each module with a variety of effects. Brightness can also be controlled, and by default the kit is very bright, which is especially nice at night.

When looking at a kit like this, you want performance as well as looks, and the benchmarks reveal some interesting things. While bandwidth tests easily show the relative advantage of using faster memory (well, obviously), that's not what really matters. What matters is whether faster RAM makes a real difference in your PC experience. The real answer is yes and no, and depends on the type of tasks you perform and your individual applications and games.

In general, file compression has significant benefits. Rendering does not, but as in the Handbrake test, some encoders show very adequate advantages. However, the benefits of games with faster RAM are specific to each individual game. Some benefit, others gain nothing. If you want the best FPS, we recommend adding faster RAM to your system.

This G.Skill Trident Z Royal kit features the acclaimed Samsung B-Die IC. With a good CPU memory controller and a high-performance motherboard, you can push this kit beyond its rated specs.

Memory overclocking tends to perform best on motherboards with only two DIMM slots, such as the overclocking-oriented Asus Maximus XII Apex and many high-end Mini-ITX motherboards. Ryzen 3000 series can also use very fast RAM, but due to the nature of the Infinity Fabric, it is better to stick with DDR4-3600 on AMD; going above 3,733 MHz on Ryzen may actually degrade performance. We will discuss this further in a future DDR4 Gaming Deep Dive.

Turning to G.Skill's Trident Z Royal memory itself, this is a highly binned kit that will definitely appeal to those looking to get every last drop of performance out of a system with components that justify such a kit I can say with confidence that this is the one.

Changing the CAS latency from 15 to 16 allowed us to hit the DDR4-4400 at the stock 1.5V. 16-16-16-36 DDR4-4400 is a pretty impressive result even without increasing the voltage. Sure, 1.5V is higher than the typical 1.35V of mainstream kits, but there is no problem running a B-die module at 1.5V 24/7. After all, it is the default voltage for this silicon.

We were able to achieve DDR4-4600 without going crazy with IMC voltages, but such speeds are not stable on ASRock test motherboards: the ASRock Z490 Taichi only officially supports a handful of kits above 4400 MHz on the certified vendor list, and there is no Samsung-based kit. and no Samsung-based kits are available. As part of our deeper dive into gaming performance with ultra-fast memory, we plan to try again soon with the Maximus XII Apex.

How would you rate such a kit? They don't make sense for some users. You can buy a decent 3200 MHz kit and enjoy great gaming performance. But if you have a high-end gaming rig, say an overclocked 9900K or 10900K with an RTX 2080 Ti, you'll want to combine fast memory to maximize system performance. the G.Skill Trident Z Royal 4000 C15 kit is a perfect match.

This kit is not only a great XMP set-and-forget kind of kit, it is also overclockable. There are existing 4800 MHz and 5000 MHz kits available, but these kits, with serious tweaking, will not perform to spec on most systems. Also, these kits are expensive and have fairly loose timing, which always means some trade-off.

G.Skill has created a contender for the best all-around DDR4 memory on the market, and while some users may prefer 2x16GB kits, gamers and overclockers looking for something top-of-the-line should look at this G.Skill kit. There are cheaper RAMs available, but nothing better.