Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review

Corsair's Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB dual-channel RAM kit offers impressive 10-zone lighting, but our testing showed performance could be better.

Published
Manufacturer: Corsair (CMH32GX5M2D6000C36W)
11 minutes & 37 seconds read time
TweakTown's Rating: 79%

The Bottom Line

The Corsair Vengeance RGB are stunning at the proper angle, and the lighting is some of the best on the market. However, performance is not what it should be, and much of the styling is lost when opting for the white version we tested.

Pros

  • + Dynamic 10-zone lighting
  • + Thermal pad on PMIC
  • + Lower timings
  • + iCUE support

Cons

  • - Hidden styling
  • - Limited overclocking headroom
  • - iCUE support

Should you buy it?

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Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 99

When buying a new set of RAM, very few companies pop into your mind immediately, but Corsair is one maker that has become the go-to for many system and custom builders. In their time producing kits, we have seen them set many trends and are one of the companies that tended to offer quite a bit of performance. However, there seems to have always been a single downside that makes many look beyond Corsair, and that is due to their typically inflated price points.

As we mentioned, performance was typically quite good with their various families of memory, where once, the Dominator line was the best of the best. However, when we looked at the days of DDR4, that seemed to have changed. Looking at what was available then, we always found faster kits under the Vengeance name. However, at that time, Corsair made it a point to tell me that the Vengeance line was not the overclocking brand for them, even though the specs and abilities of these kits told us otherwise. Even today, we do not hear much about the Dominator line of DDR5, as most of what is widely available are found with the vengeance name attached, and it appears that Corsair is now offering their fastest kits in the Dominator series, but where does that leave the Vengeance RAM in the current market?

To help answer that question, we are looking at what we consider an average kit from them. While Corsair has taken the time to bin the ICs tighter than we would expect in a 6000MHz kit, we shall soon see if the time and effort are worth the energy to do so. On top of slightly reduced timings compared to many of what we looked at early on, this is an RGB-equipped set of DDR5 with all the control and brilliance we are used to seeing from Corsair. As an added cherry on top of this sundae, Corsair has upped the styling of their most recent Vengeance offerings, although, in the version we have in hand, much of that effort is lost.

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Specifically, the set of DDR5 we have to look at today is the CMH32GX5M2D6000C36W, or, in other words, a Vengeance RGB 6000MHz with 32 GB of density. While these sets are available in white, you will also find them in traditional black. On both sides of the PCB, we get highly stylized aluminum heat spreaders and a diffuser at the top covering the ten RGB LEDs, which are individually controllable via iCUE software. More specifically, we get them with 6000MHz speed, using 36-36-36-72 2T timings, requiring 1.35VDIMM to run at the XMP 3.0 profile. Dimensionally, only height is of genuine concern, and here they stuck to 44.8mm, which is a height that will fit under most air coolers without issue. The last bit worth noting is that Corsair backs these kits with a limited lifetime warranty.

Looking deeper into what Corsair says about these kits is that they are compatible with both Intel 600 and 700 series motherboards. They are said to be great for gaming and content creation and can do so faster than ever. Next is Dynamic 10-Zone RGB Lighting, which is best controlled by iCUE to gain access to all pre-set profiles and individual LED controls. We then move into the more mundane, where Corsair speaks of their onboard voltage regulations, which all DDR5 offers, and so is the ability to program your XMP profiles. Corsair expands further, stating that these deliver maximum bandwidth with tight response times and that each stick has hand-sorted and tightly screened ICs placed on custom PCBs while offering aluminum heat spreaders.

While most of what Corsair seems to show as reasons to buy their kits is akin to an automaker listing a driver's seat and a steering wheel as features, we still hope the rest of their features ring true. Shockingly, the pricing is not as bad as we had expected this time around. Compared to other similar kits today, you can get a set of RGB sticks slightly cheaper than what Corsair is asking, but their $179.99 price point is not that bad. At the lower-end of the RGB offerings are some G.Skill at $162.99, while the high-end of this segment is well over $200, 3whuich happens to be where their Dominator version of the same specs lies.

Buy at Amazon

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$134.99$142.69-
* Prices last scanned on 3/18/2024 at 12:11 am CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Packaging and Corsair Vengeance RGB

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 02

In the typical yellow packaging, Corsair moved to a while back, we find the manufacturer name and logo at the top, along with the included kit's type, density, and speed. In the center is a high-contrast image of the RAM inside, showing off the new styling that the vengeance series now offers. At the bottom, we see the Vengeance RGB DDR5 naming and are told that this is performance DRAM. The last bits are in the bottom right corner, where we see that these are Intel XMP-ready and fully supported with iCUE software.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 03

At the back of the packaging, we are told that you can push the limits of your next-gen system performance with these. We are also told of the lighting and how to control it. We see another mention of the onboard voltage control for easier and more controlled overclocking, ending with more about the lighting. In the middle, parts of the package are removed so we can see the stickers on the sticks inside the box, which also match the product sticker at the bottom.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 04

Inside the box, you will find your sticks packed in plastic, which protects the coating on the heat spreaders and ensures static does not damage the sticks while en route to your door. We find a safety information insert and a user guide along with the RAM.

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At this angle, as the kit sits on the table, we lose most of what we saw with the image on the front of the box. However, the high contrast of white spreaders on black PCBs is attractive. We can differentiate the spreaders from the diffusers at the top, and we like the gray paint used for the DDR5 and the //RGB at the right, while the Vengeance name is on a brushed aluminum insert, currently covered with a layer of plastic as additional protection for that area.

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The other side of the sticks is nearly identical, as they sport tiny triangles and the exact center section. However, rather than the aluminum plate, we find the product sticker. On it is all the pertinent information one would need should an RMA be required, but otherwise, it shows all the exact specifications we mentioned earlier.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 07

Stepping back some, and trying another angle, most of the effort that went into the design is still lost visually, and it is only in a dimmer light that it becomes apparent. However, we still love this kit's look, and with the features and specs that Corsair pushed for these DDR5 Vengeance RGB, the bar is set relatively high, and we cannot wait to test them.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 08

The RGB diffusers run from end to end with no breaks or intrusions, and as we saw in other images, they are visible from the top and the sides. Corsair made sure to paint its logo on the top of the diffusers, but the log is so tiny that it almost gets lost when the lighting is active.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 09

Under the heat spreaders, we find tape to adhere the heat spreaders to the sides of the diffusers and the Ics, with a thermal pad used on the PMIC. On the PCB, we can see the LED layout and the ICs, which are made by Samsung, and have a K4RAH086VBBCQK part number in their 4.43.02 revision.

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This is a first for us to see, as the PMIC is made by NXP and is the APW8502CAY317. It is an unlocked voltage controller, which is excellent for those that want to push the kit further than spec, as the features list alluded to.

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Installed into the ASUS Z790 APEX we use, they aesthetically appear designed for this motherboard. The color match is terrific, the small gray bits match well, and the PCB disappears against the DIMM slots. However, they get even better looking once we add the power and boot it up.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 12

Once everything is up and running, the visual appeal gets better, even under the harsh brightness of our lights. The colors blend smoothly as they change and run down the diffusers and are bright enough to see them no matter how bright the inside of your case may be. Although, the darker the environment, the more brilliant the 10-Zone RGB Lighting is.

Test System Details

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 13

To obtain the Intel CPU-Z screenshots, you will see directly following this image; this is the system we used to do it, as well as in getting the results seen in the following pages. Thanks to Intel, be quiet!, ASUS, MSI, Corsair, and Sabrent for supporting us with this venture. Detailed specifications of the system can be found below.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 14

As it should be, when we enabled the XMP profile on these Vengeance RGB, we found them to be running at spec. With the speed at 6000MHz and the 36-36-36-76 2T timings, there are no surprises. They did need 1.35 VDIMM to do so, and with another trip back into the BIOS, we saw that the System Agent was at 0.865V, and our Memory Controller was set to 1.208V.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 15

We attempted to lower the timings by changing the voltages, using 1.45VDIMM, adjusting the SA to 1.00V, and raising the MC to 1.30V. While some wiggle room allows us to run them at 32-34-34-76 2T, we had hoped for a bit more flexibility.

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Changing the direction, now looking for all the speed the kit was willing to deliver, we are not upset by our findings. These Vengeance RGB sticks can run at 6600MHz while still using the XMP 3.0 timings. 6600MHz at CAS36 is decent for DDR5, especially considering we did not have to get crazy with the voltages to do so.

Chad's Intel DDR5 Dual-Channel Test System Specifications

Intel Performance

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We have no complaints with the CPU-Z single-threaded benchmark, as it is hard to argue with the highest score to date. On the flip side, both ways we attempted to overclock the kit resulted in lower scores, decent results overall, but still less than what XMP offered.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 18

Going by the claims from Corsair, we would have expected the Vengeance to supersede the Viper Venom in read performance, but second of all the 6000MHz kits is not a horrible turnout. Overclocking results are mixed. With more speed added, we get a boost of 6753 MB/s, but a reduction in timings gives us around 2000 MB/s less than XMP delivers.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 19

Write performance is similar, where the looser Viper Venom is slightly better than the Vengeance RGB. Again, additional speed delivers the best results with a 9539 MB/s advantage, and we took a hit running them at 6000MHz CAS32.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 20

Corsair Vengeance RGB does not do as well in copy performance, though, as the Renegade, Renegade RGB, and the Viper Venom surpass what Corsair accomplished. However, the 9090 MB/s gains by adding speed is a huge boost, and again, reducing timings lost us ground, although nowhere near as much this time.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 21

Latency does not show the Corsair in a spectacularly good light either, with both Kingston offerings outpacing the Vengeance RGB results. While starting in the middle of the pack, you can lower the latency if you like to tinker.

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Crunching a ton of numbers, Super Pi shows Kingston kits ahead of Corsair again, but the overall time is still respectable. Oddly, as it appears Corsair tuned the kit the best for this test, we lost ground either way we clocked this kit.

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The Physics score in 3DMark Fire Strike shows the vengeance RGB is better than the Vulcan Alpha and Viper Venom, but again, the Renegade kits are better. We gained some headway at 6600MHz but were still outpaced by Kingston, and we got the worst results to date by lowering the timings.

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Thank all that is good in the world for overclocking, as those results are respectable and best of all of the 6000MHz kits, but the XMP run was abysmal. While slightly better than the Renegade, all other 6000MHz kits yielded better results.

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While not the worst of the 6000MHz kits in our charts, the Vengeance RGB does not turn in anything extraordinary with the XMP results in 7-Zip. Reducing the timings gains us a bit of time back, but adding more speed drops fourteen seconds off the run time, not far behind the much faster Delta RGB at 7200MHz.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 26

Cinebanch R23 is another test that does not seem to appreciate what Corsair programmed into these kits. Next to last is never good, no matter what kit is below it. Even when overclocking, we got better results, but nothing to get overly excited about.

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review 27

Transcoding via Handbrake leaves Corsair in the middle of the pack, but two other 6000MHz kits can do it faster. We do like the boost overclocking gives us, but we are dealing with a two-second spread from XMP to 6600MHz CAS36.

Final Thoughts

We are torn at this part of the review, and rightfully so. As much as we like the look of white heat spreaders, just as in the automotive world, you tend to lose the body lines and intricacies without shadows and contrast. We love that Corsair updated the look, but we feel that the appeal of it all is best shown with the black version rather than in what we were sent. With that said, and that out in the wild, at least you will not be disappointed, and you have the information in hand if styling is number one in why you would want this kit of DDR5.

On a deeper level, we have things like the black PCB, which seems almost standard at this point, and the unlocked PMIC, which is excellent. It allowed us to take what was already decent concerning the specifications of the Vengeance RGB and push farther in both directions. For the tinkerer in us, we applaud Corsair for leaving any wiggle room in these Samsung ICs, which, if we are being honest, are not the best chips to work with overall.

Performance results in our charts can attest to this claim as well, and once we got past AIDA 64 results, the scores went further downhill with each test. Compared to the other 6000MHz kits in our charts, it is easy to see that both Patriot and Kingston, even TEAM here and there, but we do not feel that these Corsair RGB are anything special, and do not live up to the claims that Corsair shows on their product page.

If anything, the best part of this kit is a bit of hit-and-miss, depending on your stance. The RGB illumination is top-notch. Not only is it bright, but the color shifts blend well where the movement is buttery smooth, and no one LED stands out over any others. While you can use any motherboard sync system to run these lights, Corsair offers iCUE, a blessing, and a curse. While it does provide complete control and customization, the software can be overbearing, and it is possible that your kit could be written out of the next update, as they have done in the past. There are also revisions to think about. While we have Sammy ICs and saw fair overclocking results, there is no guarantee your kit will have the same setup.

Even though the Vengeance RGB we have looked at today is priced well against other offerings, you can find others around that $179.99 price point and even some in our charts that outpace these. We understand that many already live in the iCUE environment, where it makes sense to opt for a kit such as this, but overall, we would likely opt for the Patriot or Kingston offerings if running the kit by spec. At the end of it all, we are disappointed with the results, as performance is the key to any RAM, and without it, you are just spending money on looks and bragging rights to an all-Corsair build. If you want the RAM to perform over all other things, you may want to keep looking.

Photo of product for sale

Performance

70%

Quality

90%

Features

80%

Value

75%

Overall

79%

The Bottom Line

The Corsair Vengeance RGB are stunning at the proper angle, and the lighting is some of the best on the market. However, performance is not what it should be, and much of the styling is lost when opting for the white version we tested.

79%

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$134.99$142.69-
* Prices last scanned on 3/18/2024 at 12:11 am CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Chad joined the TweakTown team in 2009 and has since reviewed 100s of new techy items. After a year of gaming, Chad caught the OC bug. With overclocking comes the need for better cooling, and Chad has had many air and water setups. With a few years of abusing computer parts, he decided to take his chances and try to get a review job. As an avid overclocker, Chad is always looking for the next leg up in RAM and coolers.

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