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Killer performance, Beautiful RGB
Review Summary
The XPG Lancer ROG DDR5-6600 is the new hero in the Lancer lineup, tuned for ASUS ROG Z890 boards, but also standing up to the task of others. This is an ECC memory kit that performs up to the mark for the speed on offer and looks excellent with its polished black design and RGB. With its towering performance comes a towering design (43mm), too, which renders it incompatible with certain air coolers. It has both EXPO and XMP profiles for ideal performance on AMD and Intel builds, although, at 6600 MT/s, it won’t perform optimally on AMD ones.
Hours Tested: 4
Overall
-
Performance - 9/10
9/10
-
Design - 9/10
9/10
-
Features - 8/10
8/10
-
Value - 8/10
8/10
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Beautiful design featuring RGB
- Both EXPO and XMP supported
- Has ECC
Cons
- Slightly pricey
- Latency problems on AMD CPUs
After testing G. Skill’s Trident Z5 Neo RGB kit a few weeks ago, we’re expanding our DDR5 review arsenal with the XPG Lancer ROG DDR5-6600 CL32 kit. This is an XMP kit designed in collaboration with ASUS ROG to enable improved performance in ROG Intel Z890 motherboards. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways
- The XPG Lancer ROG DDR5-6600 CL32 is an impressively fast DDR5 kit with a real-world latency of 9.69ns. It features a shiny black heatsink and a flamboyant RGB diffuser, providing plenty of illumination.
- Get this kit if you need a high-performance DDR5 kit, like RGB in your memory, and/or run an ASUS ROG Z890 board (XPG promises speeds of up to 7400 MT/s on these boards).
- Don’t buy this memory if you’re running an AMD build (as you’ll face higher latencies due to the memory controller’s limitations for speeds DDR5-6600 or faster).
Have a look at the kit specifications:
| Serial No. | AX5U6600C3216G-DCLARROG |
| Tested Speed | 6600 MT/s |
| Tested Latency | CL32 |
| RGB | Yes |
| Color | Black Mirror |
| Memory Voltage | 1.40V |
| Rated Speed (JEDEC) | – |
| XMP | Yes |
| EXPO | Yes |
| ECC | Yes |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime |
| MSRP | $159 |
The memory has an XMP speed of 6600 MT/s at a tested CAS latency of 32 nanoseconds. Its true latency is 9.69ns. This is an ECC (error-correcting code) memory, meaning it can correct bad data (if present) in real-time while reading back from stored data.
This kit is also offered in 7200 MT/s CL34 configuration in 2x24GB size.
Packaging
The kit is packed inside a red cardboard box, essentially the same packaging XPG has been using for all its Lancer DDR5 RGB kits.
On the front, we have the RAM pictured in the centre. The memory capacity and speed, XMP 3.0, and ASUS Aura Sync support are highlighted. On the back, we have a cutout showing the two modules and a sticker with the RAM product code and bar codes. We also have a QR code for product details and various compliance symbols.
Design
The kit has a similar layout to the regular XPG Lancer DDR5 but with a beautiful, crystal-clear mirrored finish. In comparison, the regular Lancer features a plain finish with a brushed aluminium texture on the rightmost section. The front has “ROG Certified” printed in the striped section, while the back has the XPG logo on the bottom right. On both sides, “DDR5” is printed on the striped section
The sticker on the back has the key specifications, a bar code, and certification marks. Removing this sticker voids the limited lifetime warranty offered with the kit.
Looking at the top, we get a triangular cutout for the RGB diffuser. The top has the XPG logo, this time accompanied by the “ROG Certified” logo. You can control this RGB through AURA Sync or your motherboard manufacturer’s dedicated software. We’ll look at the RGB in a bit.
The module’s dimensions and weight are the same as those of other Lancer kits (133.35 x 43.56 x 8mm, 72.4g), with a height of 43.56mm.
RGB
Here’s the RGB overview of the kit. It is very nicely and evenly diffused. ASUS’ Aura Sync allows you to use 8x different lighting modes. We used MSI’s Mystic Light sync software on our system, and things went smoothly.
Test Build
Here’s our test system for the kit:
- CPU Cooler: DeepCool Mystique 360
- CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D [Auto, Stock]
- Motherboard: MSI MEG X670E ACE
- GPU: Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC
- Storage for OS: Western Digital SN850 Black 500GB NVMe SSD
- Storage for Software: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB Gen4x4 NVMe SSD
- Storage for Games: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 4TB Gen4x4 NVMe SSD
- Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i ATX 3.0 Platinum
- Operating System: Windows 11 Pro Build 23H2
We have chosen the EXPO profile for the kit so that it operates at advertised speeds. We left all other settings on default.
The Ryzen 7000 memory controller runs at a 1:2 ratio with the memory at 6600 MT/s, as the Zen Timings menu shows. This will induce higher latency than normal—let’s get to that in our benchmarks.
Test Results
Let’s get into the results. We have compared this memory kit to the following others:
- G. Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5 2x 16GB @6400 CL30 (AMD EXPO)
- G. Skill Trident Z5 Neo DDR5 2x 16GB @6000 CL30 (AMD EXPO)
- G. Skill Flare X5 DDR5 2x 16GB @6000 CL30 (AMD EXPO)
- G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5 2x 16GB @6000 C30 (AMD EXPO)
- Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB DDR5 2x 16GB @6000 CL30
- Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB DDR5 2x 16GB @6000 CL30 (AMD EXPO)
- Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 2x 16GB @6000 CL30
Our build with this kit showed chart-topping performance among the other DDR5 kits in AIDA64 read, write, and copy tests. Of course, the other kits are slightly slower DDR5-6000 (and DDR5-6400) kits, but this shows us that the kit is performing as it should.
However, the latency performance was relatively sub-optimal, at 74.4 ns. This is because the memory controller, which transfers data between the RAM and CPU cores, runs half as fast as the RAM. Thus, the RAM sends data faster to the controller than it can transfer to the cores, introducing a bottleneck.
It’s better to run the kit at DDR5-6400 or 6000 MT/s so no extra latency is introduced. You will probably achieve the best performance at these speeds.
In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the CPU scored 18489 points paired with the XPG Lancer ROG-certified kit. However, all the kits are within a very close margin of each other.
Overall, the kit’s performance is excellent. It could do even better if latency wasn’t an issue. Of course, this won’t be a problem if the kit is run at 6000 (or possibly 6400 MT/s).
Should You Buy It?
Well… should you?
Buy It If:
✅You prefer sleek designs and good-looking RGB: The kit has a beautiful black mirror finish and a well-lit RGB bar up top, which makes for a pleasing design.
✅You’re running an ASUS ROG motherboard: The kit promises memory speeds of up to 7400 MT/s through a dedicated “ROG Certified” memory profile for users with ASUS ROG motherboards.
✅You want an ECC kit: This kit comes with built-in Error Code Correction.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌(For AMD users) You want the lowest latency: If you want the lowest latency, you’ll be better off with a DDR5-6000 (or DDR5-6400 if you’re lucky), which can run at 1:1 with the memory controller on Ryzen 7000/9000 CPUs. This can also save you $50 or more!
My Thoughts
The XPG Lancer ROG DDR5-6600 CL32 is a fantastic kit for those looking for fast memory that overclocks well, especially on ASUS ROG motherboards. XPG promises speeds of up to 7400 MT/s on ROG Z890 motherboards. It is particularly suitable for Intel builds over AMD ones, as even the latest AMD CPUs won’t be able to utilise this speed to the best potential. With a real-world latency of 9.69ns, its performance in our tests was satisfactory, toppling over DDR5-6000 and DDR5-6400 kits.
The kit has a unique “Black Mirror” theme, where the heatsinks feature a reflective black coating. It doesn’t differ much from the regular XPG Lancer DDR5 designs that we’ve seen, but this shiny new look does enough to add a touch of class. Its RGB diffuser offers very brightly lit LEDs that diffuse evenly across, making for a nice look. The RGB can be controlled through all the different motherboard manufacturer software.
In terms of height, the kit stands at 43.56mm–which makes it fairly tall and renders it incompatible with some dual-tower air coolers (ensure compatibility before purchase). XPG offers two variants of this kit: a 32 GB (2×16) DDR5-6600 CL32 model (reviewed today) and a 48 GB (2×24) DDR5-7200 CL34 offering. The 32 GB offering is priced at $159, which is not the friendliest tag, but it is alright considering its polished design. XPG offers a limited lifetime warranty for the kit.
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