Adata XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30 2x16GB Review — Turning salvage into pure performance

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from Latest from Tom's Hardware on (#77RRE)

The XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30 is Adata's latest memory kit to hit the market, going toe-to-toe with the best RAM. Although we are still living in a memory shortage, memory brands will continue to release new memory products. The releases are not as frequent as before, but we are glad that companies still support consumers. As always, more competition helps improve prices and offers more options for consumers to choose from. Adata recently brought a new Novakey series to the market. It is a product from the brand's XPG division, with a strong emphasis on gaming culture. However, unlike some of Adata's other series that are available with and without RGB lighting, the Novakey lineup is only available with the former.

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Adata's Novakey memory modules stand out for the company's commitment to sustainability. It produces the memory modules with recycled materials, specifically 50% aluminum and 85% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. The heat spreader, which features a brushed matte black aluminum construction, looks nice. The memory modules measure 1.79 inches (45.5 mm) in height, which we do not expect to pose a problem for big air CPU coolers, but it never hurts to double-check.

A defining feature of the Novakey memory modules is the debut of Adata's patented Infinity Mirror" design. When not powered on, the surface is synonymous with a reflective mirror. Once illuminated, though, it transforms into a dazzling visual effect. With the help of the lighting, the futuristic geometric silhouette gives the impression that the image looks 3D-ish and pops out.

The Infinity Mirror effect is present on only one side of the memory module, though. The opposite side features a standard black decorative strip. For customization, Adata offers its XPG Prime software, or you can use your motherboard's software, whether it be Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0, MSI Mystic Light Sync, or ASRock Polychrome Sync.

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Under the sleek heat spreader, you will find a black 10-layer PCB with eight integrated circuits (ICs) on one side. It uses 2GB SK hynix H5CG48MEBDX014 (M-die) ICs to reach 16GB on each memory module. Meanwhile, Adata sources the power management integrated circuit (PMIC) from Richtek, labeled 0P=CH QYK.

For maximum compatibility, the Novakey memory modules run at DDR5-4800 with memory timings at 40-39-39-77. It supports both Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO technologies. Regardless of the standard, the only profile onboard the memory modules will get them up to DDR5-6000 and configure the memory timings and DRAM voltage to 30-40-40-77 and 1.4V, respectively. See our PC Memory 101 feature and How to Shop for RAM story for more timings and frequency considerations.

Comparison Hardware

Memory Kit

Part Number

Capacity

Data Rate

Primary Timings

Voltage

Warranty

Trident Z5 NeoX RGB

F5-6000A3038F16GX2-TZ5NXRK

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (EXPO)

30-38-38-32 (2T)

1.35

Lifetime

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5

CMH32GX5M2B6000Z30

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (EXPO)

30-36-36-76 (2T)

1.40

Lifetime

G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB

F5-6000J3038F16GX2-TZ5NR

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (EXPO)

30-38-38-96 (2T)

1.35

Lifetime

Adata XPG Novakey RGB

AX5U6000C3016G-DCNKRBK

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (XMP & EXPO)

30-40-40-77 (2T)

1.40

Lifetime

G.Skill Ripjaws S5

F5-6000J3238F16GX2-RS5K

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (XMP)

32-38-38-96 (2T)

1.35

Lifetime

Lexar Ares RGB

LD5FU016G-R6000GDGA

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (XMP & EXPO)

34-38-38-76 (2T)

1.30

Lifetime

G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB

F5-6000U3636E16GX2-TZ5RS

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (XMP)

36-36-36-76 (2T)

1.30

Lifetime

TeamGroup T-Force Delta RGB

FF7D532G6000HC38ADC01

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (EXPO)

38-38-38-78 (2T)

1.25

Lifetime

Adata XPG Lancer RGB

AX5U6000C4016G-DCLARBK

2 x 16GB

DDR5-6000 (XMP & EXPO)

40-40-40-76 (2T)

1.35

Lifetime

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The Intel system features the Core Ultra 9 285K processor and the MSI MEG Z890 Unify-X motherboard with firmware version 7E20v1AA0. Conversely, the AMD system utilizes the Ryzen 9 9900X processor and the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi motherboard with firmware version 7E49v1AA3. The Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX LCD CPU liquid-cooling solution efficiently maintains optimal temperatures for both the Arrow Lake and Zen 5 processors, ensuring efficient thermal management across platforms.

The MSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X Trio efficiently handles demanding graphics workloads, preventing any bottlenecks during our gaming RAM benchmarks. The TeamGroup A440 Lite PCIe 4.0 SSD balances performance and capacity, delivering 2TB of ultra-fast storage with speeds up to 7,400 MB/s-perfect for Windows 11 24H2 installations, benchmarking software, and gaming applications.

The Corsair RM1000x Shift ATX 3.0 power supply delivers reliable and ample power to our test systems, directly supporting the GeForce RTX 4080 via its native 16-pin (12VHPWR) cable. The Streacom BC1 open-air test bench offers flexible, tool-free accommodation for all hardware components, streamlining assembly and component swaps.

Component

Intel System

AMD System

Processor

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

Motherboard

MSI MEG Z890 Unify-X

MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi

Graphics Card

MSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X Trio

MSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X Trio

Storage

TeamGroup A440 Lite 2TB

TeamGroup A440 Lite 2TB

Cooling

Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX LCD

Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX LCD

Power Supply

Corsair RM1000x Shift

Corsair RM1000x Shift

Case

Streacom BC1

Streacom BC1

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On average, the Novakey memory kit performed a bit slower than competing options like the Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 C36 and the Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 C32. The performance gap is not massive, though. Although the Novakey boasts an impressive CAS Latency (CL) of 30 clock cycles, its other memory timings are comparatively loose, which affects bandwidth and latency, leading to lower real-world performance.-world performance.

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Adata's memory kit delivered similar performance on the AMD system. It neither stood out as the fastest nor lagged behind the slower memory kit among the tested options. The performance was consistent across the range of different benchmarks.

Overclocking and Latency TuningZfhr7p95sfXFcVLj7QJBHK.pngTom's Hardwarefj55YZL8x4yjH8uDKnAF3c.jpgTom's HardwareKULS5ChWfKehZUMWQgPh5c.jpgTom's Hardware

Overclocking on the Novakey was a breeze. The only downside is that the kit already operates at a relatively high 1.4V for DDR5-6000, so we needed to increase the voltage further to 1.45V to gain any headroom for overclocking. The memory kit proved to be quite capable and handled DDR5-6400 speeds with the same timings.

Memory Kit

DDR5-6000 (1.40V)

DDR5-6000 (1.435V)

DDR5-6000 (1.45V)

DDR5-6133 (1.435V)

DDR5-6200 (1.40V)

DDR5-6400 (1.40V)

DDR5-6400 (1.45V)

XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30

N/A

N/A

30-36-36-70 (2T)

N/A

N/A

N/A

30-40-40-77 (2T)

Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 C32

28-34-34-74 (2T)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

32-38-38-96 (2T)

N/A

Trident Z5 NeoX RGB DDR5-6000 C30

30-36-36-32 (2T)

N/A

N/A

N/A

30-36-36-32 (2T)

N/A

N/A

Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 C30

30-36-36-96 (2T)

N/A

N/A

N/A

30-38-38-96 (2T)

N/A

N/A

Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 C30

N/A

30-36-36-72 (2T)

N/A

30-38-38-78 (2T)

N/A

N/A

N/A

The memory kit was unforgiving when attempting to tighten the CL timing, even with additional voltage applied. On the contrary, both the tRCD and tRP timings showed a bit more flexibility under 1.45V and allowed us to decrease them to 36 cycles, four cycles lower than the default values.

Bottom Line

The XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30 is not just about looking good inside your system, thanks to the vibrant and customizable Infinity Mirror design. The memory kit's performance will not let you down, even if it's not the fastest contender on the market. At DDR5-6000, Adata is intentionally targeting the sweet spot for both Intel and AMD platforms. The fact that the XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30 arrives with both Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO overclocking profile support ensures seamless integration regardless of the platform of choice.

The XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30 has yet to make its debut on the hardware shelves at U.S. retailers. However, Adata has put the memory kit up for pre-order through Adata's official online store for $589.99. While the price is certainly steep, it falls within expectations of a premium memory kit that is coming out during the memory shortage. Once things get back to normal, we should see Adata's memory kit at a more reasonable price. But for the meantime, the XPG Novakey RGB DDR5-6000 C30 represents a luxury that not many consumers can buy.

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