It's Got EXPO & XMP!
Review Summary
The Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 7200MHz is a high-performance memory kit with good value for Asus Strix users looking for white RAM with RGB lighting. It offers competitive performance at 7200MHz. However, this kit might not be ideal for those who prioritize overclocking or need low-profile RAM due to cooler clearance issues.
Hours Tested: 6
Overall
-
Value - 9/10
9/10
-
Performance - 9/10
9/10
-
Quality - 9/10
9/10
-
Features - 9/10
9/10
Pros
- Operates at 7200MT/s
- RGB Lighting
- Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO 0.9 Profiles
- White Color Finish and Aluminum heat spreader
- Build Quality
- Price
Cons
- Mediocre Overclocking Headroom
In this article, I am taking a look at a second DDR5 kit from Asgard. This time, it is a BRAGI ROG Strix kit that is designed to fit in the Asus Strix Ecosystem. My sample is white. It has 2x XMP profiles and 2x EXPO profiles. This kit is a 2x16GB config with 7200MHz CL34 maximum transfer rate and latency. The part number of this kit is VAM5UH72C34AG-CBRSMA.
Key Takeaways
- The Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34 kit is ideal for Asus users, especially those with Strix-themed builds, due to its matching design. It boasts a speed of 7200MHz and good value for money.
- You should buy the Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB if you are in the ASUS Strix ecosystem, prefer both XMP and EXPO support, and want good performance out of the box.
- You should not buy the Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB if you are building an SFF build or if you want the most overclocking potential.
Here are the key specifications
Tested Frequency | 7200MHz |
Tested Latency | CL34 |
RGB | Yes |
Color | White |
Memory Voltage | 1.450V |
Rated Frequency | 5600MHz |
XMP | Yes |
EXPO | Yes |
Warranty | Limited Lifetime |
These kits are available at the following speeds:
- 6000MHz
- 6400MHz
- 6800MHz
- 7200MHz
I am testing the 7200MHz kit which is the highest offering at this time from Asgard. This kit has a timing of 34-46-46-116 at 1.450V. These are bit lose timings compared to some other kits that we have tested.
This kit is programmed for Intel XMP and AMD EXPO profiles. It is strange that Asgard has used the same configuration for Intel XMP and AMD EXPO profiles.
Packing Box
This kit is no exception to what I saw on the Asgard BRAGI RGB DDR5 kit. In fact, it has the same presentation. The following are provided:
- 2x16GB Modules
- Bottle Opener
- 2x Label Stickers
- 2x Small Labels
- 1x pair of gloves
- 1x Paper showing stenciling
- 1x Microfiber Cloth
Our sample is tested for 7200MHz. However, the label shows 6800MHz. Asgard needs to address this. Also, I am a bit surprised. If stickers are not pasted, what is the point of writing “Warranty Void if removed”? These stickers are already removed, Asgard!
The RGB lighting is compatible with RGB sync technologies of motherboard manufacturers, and it is compatible with:
- ASUS AURA SYNC
- GIGABYTE RGB Fusion 2.0
- MSI Mystic Light sync
- ASRock Polychrome Sync
Design
The BRAGI ROG Strix series of DDR5 memory kits at present are among the flagship offers from Asgard. I am not sure if a black version is also available for these kits. These kits feature a true 16.8 Million color options that can be controlled via the RGB sync technology app from the motherboard manufacturers. These kits conform to JEDEC 5600MHZ base frequency.
The Asgard Bragi ROG Strix DDR5 kit has a dimension of 135x43x9mmm as per our digital caliper measurement approximately. Asgard did not provide any dimensions of these modules. You can see a thick diffuser with a step design. ROG STRIX is printed on one side. Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 Desktop Memory has on-die ECC which comes in handy for real-time data correction. It is an unbuffered DIMM with a 288-pin layout. There is also a protective cover on the connector on each module.
The white color finish is quite pleasant, and blue blue-accented action figure syncs well with the overall theme.
Looking at the backside, you can see a black color top cover with ROG Strix printed over it. The rest of the design is the same. Asgard is printed toward the lower right. There is an action figure on the left. I could not get more details about it. The heat spreader seems to be made of aluminum material. The CNC machining work is precise and up-to-date. The surface is not that glossy and fingerprint magnet. Still, please wear those gloves to handle the sticks.
Optionally, the user can paste the serial number labels on the modules, though I would not do that personally. Each module has 1Rx8, meaning a single rank design using 8 modules. This kit is made in China.
I know this is a BRAGI series kit, meaning it will have a similar design outlook, if not the same. But Asgard needs to be careful not to entrap itself into coming out with more options having the same footprint, as there is no innovation in that. I have seen many brands doing that and called these designs a signature series.
Looking at the top, we can still see that piano theme that was on the earlier tested BRAGI RGB 32GB kit. The black-and-white combination works perfectly, though, and I have no complaint.
Asgard uses black PCB. This is a single-rank design. There is a thick black pad on the non-populated side of the PCB running on the entire length. Its width makes up for the width equalization on the opposite side.
The populated side of the PCB has a PMIC chip in the center. This PMIC chip has 4x memory chips on both sides. This gives a 32GB capacity overall in 1Rx8 using a 2G x 64-bit design. Asgard has used a thermal pad over the memory chips.
This kit is manufactured in China by Asgard in the 32nd week of 2023. Asgard has used Hynix A-Dies having a part number H5CG48AAGBDX018. The PMIC controller is from Richtek having a part number RTQ5132GQWF.
This kit has Intel XMP Revision 3.0 and AMD EXPO 0.9 profiles programmed. This kit has an SPD device manufactured by Rambus Inc. having a model M88SPD5118A5-T, where SPD5118 has a temperature sensor that would report these thermals.
RGB Lighting
The Asgard BRAGI RGB DDR5 kit was tested on a GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX motherboard, and RGB lighting was controlled using the RGB Fusion 2.0 app. The lighting was responding to the changes in the app. There is an even diffusion of the lights across the diffuser and I appreciate the sublime lighting on this kit. Here are some pictures.
Testing
We are using this setup for testing:
- Intel i7 13700k [Stock, Auto]
- Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 ATMOS
- GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
- Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD [For OS]
- GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC Rev.2 [For Display]
- CORSAIR AX1200i Platinum PSU
- Open-Air Test Config
Other kits are:
- G.Skill Ripjaws S5 DDR5 32GB 6000MHz CAS30
- XPG Lancer RGB DDR5 32GB 6000MHz CAS40
- Sabrent Rocket DDR5 32GB 4800MHz CAS40
- Kingston FURY RENEGADE DDR5 32GB 6400MHz CAS32
- CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 32GB 6000MHz CAS36
- Kingston FURY RENEGADE RGB DDR5 32GB 7200MHz CAS38
- T-Force Delta RGB DDR5 32GB 6000MHz CAS30
- V-Color xPrism RGB DDR5 32GB 7200MHz CAS34
- Lexar ARES RGB DDR5 32GB 6400MHz CAS34
- ASGARD BRAGI RGB DDR5 32GB 6800MHz CAS34
- CORSAIR DOMINATOR TITANIUM First Edition DDR5 32GB 7200MHz CAS34
- Teamgroup T-Create Expert DDR5 48GB 7200MHz CAS34
- XPG Lancer RGB DDR5 32GB 7200MHz CAS34
- Teamgroup T-Force Xtreem DDR5 32GB 8000MHz CAS38
- Teamgroup T-Force Xtreem DDR5 48GB 8200MHz CAS38
- G.Skill Ripjaws Z5 Trident RGB DDR5 32GB 6600MHz CAS34
- Anacomda RGB DDR5 32GB 7200MHz CAS34
We are thankful to our sponsors for this test bench. The following software have been used for the testing:
- AIDA64 Engineer
- SiSoftware Sandra Suite
- Performance Test
- 3DMark Time Spy
- Super Pi
BIOS Run
I have checked, and there are a total of 4x profiles under XMP. There are two XMP profiles and two EXPO profiles. AMD EXPO profiles have the same settings data as on Intel XMP. The profile data is:
- Intel XMP1: 7200MHz, 34-46-46-116, 1.450V
- Intel XMP2: 6800MHz, 34-46-46-116, 1.450V
- AMD EXPO1: 7200MHz, 34-46-46-116, 1.450V
- AMD EXPO2: 6800MHz, 34-46-46-116, 1.450V
The JEDEC profile is 5600MHz, 46-46-46-90 at 1.10V.
CPU-Z and AIDA64 SPD Readouts
The above is a CPU-Z screenshot. You can see that the software is reporting the kit to be in quad-channel configuration. The reason for that is there are two 32-bit wide channels per module in DDR5 kits.
The above is an SPD readout from the AIDA64 Engineer edition.
Results
It is time to take a look at the results and see where this kit falls in the graphs. I am starting with the AIDA64 Engineer edition result. Technically, we would want to see this kit offering a competitive performance compared to other 7200MHz kits in the graphs.
You can see competitive performance from Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 kit within the 7200MHz speed category in the AIDA64 memory benchmark. Except for the Read operations, this kit has outshined the Copy and Write operations and came close to the 8000MHz kits.
The latency performance on XMP is also competitive. Overall, this is a good performance from the Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 kit in this benchmark.
Other Benchmark Software Results
Now, let’s take a look at the other benchmark results, starting with the SiSoft Sandra Software. The Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 kit scored 2.78 KPT, offering a competitive performance. In Super PI, this kit has 306.313 seconds to complete the 32M PI computations.
This kit has performed exceptionally well in the Performance Test, scoring 4218. We are seeing a similar performance in the 3DMARK Time Spy CPU Score result.
Overclocking
When it comes to overclocking, the Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 7200MHz, CAS34 has a mediocre performance. This kit was pushed to 7600MHz, which is a mere 400MHz over the tested frequency. It needed above 1.55V for 7800MHz and still was not stable. Everyone’s mileage would be different hence it is important to know the configuration on which the overclocking is done. Here are the settings for this overclock:
Memory Frequency Multiplier | 7600MHz |
Timings | 34-46-46-116 |
Gear Mode | Auto |
VDD A0 | 1.50V |
VDDQ | 1.50V |
VPP | 1.80V |
VCCSA | 1.280V |
VDDQ CPU | 1.350V |
VDD2 CPU | 1.350V |
Results
Below are some results with the overclocking.
In the AIDA64 Memory benchmark, we are seeing a good boost in scores compared to the stock run. There is a performance boost of 2.89% in the Copy benchmark. There is a performance boost of 4.44% in the Write benchmark. There is a performance boost of 5.78% in the Read benchmark. The latency was further improved with this overclock. It came down to 58.2ns from 60.7ns. We have seen marginal gains in the Time Spy and Performance Test as well. Overall, this is only a marginal gain.
Should You Buy It?
Buy It If
✅You are looking for a kit that offers XMP and EXPO profiles: If you want a kit that offers Intel XMP and AMD EXPO profiles under the hood, then Asgard ROG Strix RGB 32GB DDR5 7200MHz kit is a prime candidate.
✅You are in the ASUS Strix Ecosystem: If you have an Asus ROG Strix-themed build and are looking for a matching kit, then Asgard has got you covered in quite some style.
✅You want good value: The Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix 32GB DDR5 7200MHz CL34 kit retails at USD 125, which is a good price for your bucks given the good performance out of the box from this kit and stunning RGB lighting with even diffusion.
Don’t Buy It If
❌You plan to overclock: This kit has a limited or mediocre overclocking headroom, so skip it if this is your main domain.
❌You want a low-profile kit: This is a high-profile RAM standing at 43mm height. This could have considerations for the CPU air coolers.
Bottom Line
Asgard BRAGI ROG Strix RGB DDR5 7200MHz CAS34 is a high-performance memory that would suit Asus users particularly given its Strix signature. I have tested a white 16GBx2 kit from Asgard. This is the flagship offer from Asgard at this moment.
The kit has a tested speed of 7200MHz with CL34 at 1.450V. It has two Intel XMP profiles and two AMD EXPO profiles. The XMP1/EXPO1 has 7200MHz, 34-46-46-116, 1.450V settings whereas the XMP2/EXPO2 has 6800MHz, 34-46-46-116, 1.450V settings. The kit conforms to JEDEC 5600MHz.
The kit has the same piano theme from the top view which is a black and white combination. It has an aluminum heat spreader, which is nothing like the original BRAGI RGB DDR5 kit that I tested earlier. The build quality is top-notch. This series is available in 6000MHz, 6400MHz, 6800MHz, and 7200MHz configurations. Overall, the performance has been good in our testing using the XMP1 profile.
This kit has a limited lifetime warranty, but I am not sure how to claim this warranty if I cannot locate the manufacturer’s website and I remember complaining the same the last time. Customer service is very important, and I always pay attention to this aspect.
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[Hardware Reviewer & Editor]
Meet Nauman Siddique, a highly experienced computer science graduate with more than 15 years of knowledge in technology. Nauman is an expert in the field known for his deep understanding of computer hardware.
As a tech tester, insightful reviewer, and skilled hardware editor, Nauman carefully breaks down important parts like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, CPU coolers, and more.
- 15+ years of PC Building Experience
- 10+ years of first-hand knowledge of technology
- 7+ years of doing in-depth testing of PC Hardware
- A motivated individual with a keen interest in tech testing from multiple angles.
- I majored in Computer Science with a Masters in Marketing
- Previously worked at eXputer, EnosTech, and Appuals.
- Completed Course in Computer Systems Specialization From Illinois Tech