By: Jonathan Kwan
January 5, 2024
Happy New Year! To kick off APH Networks' nineteenth year of continuous operation, I would like to thank many of our loyal readers over the years for supporting this website. When I first started writing in 2005, I never expected this project to last so long, never mind the opportunity to work with so many incredible people, review so many products from so many different manufacturers, and even enjoy some totally awesome and unexpected experiences in the process. Since we are taking a trip down memory lane, RAM review has always been a big part of us, and I remember my first computer memory review in December 2006, the OCZ Special Ops Edition Urban Elite PC26400 2x1GB. In the introduction of that article, I wrote, "Instead of the plain old black-blocks-and-green-background sticks, it could actually look pretty exciting if heatsink on RAM were designed with thought and effort put into it." Fast forward a tick over seventeen years, nothing much has changed. The Lexar ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB we are reviewing today has the familiar SK hynix H5CG48AGBDX018 A-die chips under the hood, which is found in literally every DDR5-7200 kit we have reviewed here at APH Networks. Of course, ICs are rarely the differentiator in today's world, but rather the heatsink design and RGB LEDs. So how will Lexar's latest ARES RGB series compete with comparable units from Kingston, Patriot, and XPG? Read on to find out!
Our Lexar ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB arrived in a small brown corrugated cardboard shipping box from the company's public relations firm Brea, California, USA alongside the Lexar THOR OC DDR5-6000 2x16GB my colleague Aaron Lai recently reviewed. Using DHL Express, everything arrived in excellent condition to us here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for our review today.
Our review unit of the Lexar ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB arrived in its retail packaging. The ARES RGB's retail box is the same as the Lexar ARES RGB DDR5-6000 2x16GB, which means it is predominantly black with red highlights and white or silver text. Lexar's logo is at the top left corner, while an array of icons highlighting its ASUS Aura, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0, MSI Mystic Light, and ASRock Polychrome Sync compatibility is placed next to it. The product's model name, description, memory capacity, and speed are printed along the bottom. In the prime real estate across the center is a photo of both memory modules in three-quarter view with its RGB LEDs illuminated. The background is a color gradient consisting of a faded image of the RAM also with the RGB LEDs on. More branding and product description in various languages can be found on the remaining sides of the box.
Before we move on, let us take a look at the features and specifications of the Lexar ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB, as obtained from the manufacturer's website:
Capacity: 32GB (2x16GB)
Memory Type: DDR5
Interface: 288PIN
Standard: JEDEC & Intel XMP 3.0
Speed: 7200MT/s
CAS Latency: CL34-42-42-84
Voltage: 1.4V
Operating Temperature: 0°C to 85°C (Tcase)
Storage Temperature: -55°C to 100°C
Module Size: L140 x W43.3 x H7.9mm (with heat spreader)
Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty
Out of the box, you will receive each memory module in the Lexar ARES RGB kit packaged in its own compartment in the enclosed clear plastic tray. There is nothing else included, but I am not sure what else you can expect from a DDR5 kit either, haha.
A screenshot of the memory tab in CPU-Z with Lexar's ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB installed. The SPD timings table in CPU-Z reads standard JEDEC specifications programmed into the memory as well as XMP data for running the memory at various speeds. The Lexar ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB retails for approximately $140 at press time.
I tested the ARES RGB DDR5-7200 2x16GB with an Intel Core i7-13700K CPU on an MSI MPG Z690 Force WiFi motherboard. A 13th or 14th generation Intel CPU is required to operate RAM at 7200MT/s; it will not boot on any 12th generation Intel CPU at that speed from our experience. Even though it worked on our Z690 motherboard, a Z790 motherboard is highly recommended for better stability.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look, Test System
3. Benchmark: AIDA64 CPU
4. Benchmark: AIDA64 FPU
5. Benchmark: AIDA64 Memory
6. Benchmark: PCMark 10
7. Benchmark: 3DMark
8. Benchmark: PassMark PerformanceTest 10
9. Benchmark: SuperPI 1M, Cinebench R23
10. Overclocking and Conclusion
