TEAM T-FORCE XTREEM Narvic Black DDR5-8200 48GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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Over the years, TEAM is a company that has never been shy about sending us their latest products, and once we caught wind of their newest DDR5, we immediately moved to our email to request a set. Any avid reader knows we treasure performance over all other aspects of RAM, but every once in a while, the looks of a set send us on a mission to get them and now is one of those times. However, along with the looks, they are currently the fastest on our new charts, which should add some excitement beyond their appearance.

With the name XTREEM on a set of RAM, the first thing we go to is overclocking. Why else would you call it that? While overclocking is not for everyone, what we have is speedy and should liven up the top of our charts if TEAM has done its job well. Overclocking is only a small percentage of what we base our recommendations on, and with all of that Patriot goodness at the top of our charts, TEAM has a tough road ahead of them.

With so few words in the introduction, we are excited and want to get straight to what TEAM has supplied. You are about to see some of the most attractive non-RGB RAM on the market, not because of its overdone shapes and body lines, but because of its classic simplicity. If you are in the game for a fast set of DDR5 that will match any build and have you be the envy of a lot of your friends, pay attention and see if these new XTREEM Narvic Black DDR5 have what it takes to earn a position next to your latest and greatest CPUs.

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Our TEAM T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black RAM comes with the FFXD548G8200HC38EDC01 part number of this set of DDR5. From that part number, we can glean that this kit is set at 8200 MT/s with CAS 38 kicking off the main timings. We mentioned that this kit had a lot of aluminum, which is true, and it is all coated with a matte black finish. We say there is a lot of it because TEAM has supplied us with the heaviest DDR5, at 84.5 grams per stick.

Under the aluminum are 48 GB worth of ICs, sixteen of them, eight on either stick, which default on bootup at 5600 MHz with 46-46-46-89 2T timings at 1.10VDIMM. Once the XMP 3.0 option is enabled, you get a set of 8200 MHz DDR5 with 38-49-49-84 2T timings, but now using 1.40VDIMM, lower than most other kits at such a speed. Dimensionally, the sticks are 134.6mm long, 48.67mm tall, and 7.9mm wide, which helps to increase the mass of aluminum to help remove unwanted heat. Lastly, TEAM backs the T-Force XTREEM Nordic Black DDR5 with a lifetime warranty.

We fully assumed the cost would exceed $300 for a set, which is true from what we have gathered. While supply is currently non-existent on this side of the pond, we read that it will be arriving at an MSRP of $309. Considering that 8000 MHz kits in this density are already around $260 for a set, the cost is somewhat warranted in a flat-out comparison based on specs alone. However, as you know, it takes more than appearance and specs to get us to recommend a set of DDR5. So let's strap in, get a good look at what TERAM has sent, put it through our gauntlet of tests, and see where the TEAM T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black DDR5 stands when it's all over.

TEAM T-FORCE XTREEM Narvic Black (2x24GB) 8000MHz Dual-Channel Memory Kit

	Today	Yesterday	7 days ago	30 days ago
	$269.99	$269.99	$269.99	$251.22	Buy
* Prices last scanned on 4/26/2024 at 9:47 pm CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Packaging and TEAM T-FORCE XTREEM Narvic Black

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We get our T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black RAM set from TEAM in some simplistic packaging. The backdrop is black, with a well-lit look at a single stick in the center of the panel. At the top is the bright flash of red behind the T-Force logo, and to the right is a sticker showing the density and speed.

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On the reverse, we see that this is DDR5 desktop memory, followed by features on overclocking, heat dissipation, the IC quality, the PMIC, and on-die ECC. Along with the marketing and legal information for TEAM at the left, to the right is the product sticker with the model number and individual serial numbers for each stick.

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You will find the RAM kit in clear plastic packaging inside the box. It is designed to keep the RAM safe while traveling to your door, for all means of harm put to them in transit. You will also find a TEAM T-Force sticker inside of the plastic packaging.

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In full detail, we can now see what we were so excited about when they released: the looks. Using a textured finish, which is then blackened, with a simple single body line running across them, leading to that exposed metal badge at the right, is an eye-popping aesthetic. The XTREEM name and the "Narvic Black DDR5 from T-Force lab" use white paint for high contrast.

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The other side of the sticks sports the same textured aluminum finishes, but all of the naming is replaced by the product sticker covering the part number, density, speed, rank, timings, and voltage. You can also see the four wide and deep grooves at the top of this side, which allows forced air a better chance at removing heat from the ICs and PMIC.

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Standing as they would look installed in a motherboard, we get a better view as the light is angled to highlight the left end of the kit, where all the information is painted onto the heat spreader.

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Because we think the badge is cool enough, we will be showing it again, much closer this time, so that you may appreciate it in all of its glory, with the circular machined design of the exposed portion of this badge.

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The top of the heat spreaders is slightly angled, where the back of the sticks is higher than the front. However, TEAM did not squander the opportunity to put the T-Force name here, again in white paint, for that extra bit of pop and contrast.

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While it is ill-advised to try this, we opened the kit to see what is under the spreader and, in the process, bent the everloving hell out of the badge. However, we see a set of Hynix H5CGD8MGBDX021 ICs along with a 0P=AE PMIC, where the ICs use thermal tape, and the PMIC gets a thermal pad to help keep them cool.

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Using Thaiphoon Burner is the better way to verify components; in this instance, we find all we need. On the left, we see Team Group made the kit. We see the rank, speed grade, PMIC model, and when made. Down the center is all of the IC information, while the right shows the SPD hub model and the inclusion of thermal sensors.

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Mem TweakIt shows us that while fast, the TEAM RAM is set looser than usual. We are not upset with the primary timings, although we feel they could be tighter. In our opinion, the tRFC and tREFi are too high to do any good, but testing will show us the real answer.

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Installed on the Apex Encore and powered, the TEAM T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black kit looks exactly as it did when we started. There is no fancy lighting, just that all-black aesthetic with pops of white and exposed metal.

Test System Details

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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 to get the results seen in the following pages. Thanks to Intel, be quiet!, MSI, EKWB, and Sabrent for supporting us with this venture. Detailed specifications of the system can be found below.

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On the initial boot after application of XMP 3.0, we get what the box states we should. The T-Force XTREEM Narvi Black boot at 8200 MHz with 38-49-49-84 2T timings. Voltages needed for this were 1.40 VDIMM, 1.233 VSA, and 1.385 for the memory controller.

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As we lowered the timings, we found more VDIMM needed to stabilize it and more than we needed for many of the Patriot kits. To get the 8200 MHz stable with 36-47-47-84 2T timings, we had to supply 1.50 VDIMM to them while the VSA and MC voltages remained the same.

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We also searched for the maximum speed with XMP timings, and the TEAM kit stops at 8400 MHz with reasonable voltage. It takes 1.55 VDIMM to stabilize them at this speed, more than others in this class.

Chad's Intel DDR5 Dual-Channel Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS Maximus Z790 APEX Encore - Buy from Amazon
• CPU: Intel Core i9 14900K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB - Buy from Amazon
• Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming Trio 24G - Buy from Amazon
• Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 PLUS-G 4TB - Buy from Amazon
• Case: Custom Thermaltake Core P3 TG
• Power Supply: be quiet! DARK POWER PRO 12 1500W - Buy from Amazon
• OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Home - Buy from Amazon

Intel Performance

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Out of the gate, we find the T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black taking top honors, but within a margin of error of the Viper Xtreme 5 RGB 8000 score. While just barely in first place, overclocking does show promise. We gained 786 MB/s with tighter timings and 3183 MB/s, adding speed to the equation.

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Write performance is where things start to go downhill. Losing out to the Patriots in this respect by 1807 MB/s at 98,979 MB/s at XMP is disappointing. We gained only 974 Mb/s using tighter timings but reached the top of the chart by adding speed, giving an 1828 MB/s boost over XMP results.

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And again, Patriot wins over the faster TEAM kit, if only slightly; it shouldn't happen. Starting at 105,160 is decent, but putting this kit where it should be out of the box takes overclocking. We gained 1092 MB/s with a timing reduction, where additional speed nets us 2255 MB/s over XMP.

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Latency is pretty poor for an "extreme" kit of DDR5. At 66.5ns, we see better from Corsair at 7000 MHz, and even when overclocked, the latency does not get any better than the Patriot 7600s.

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Super Pi does not care for the TEAM kit, either. While four seconds does not seem that bad, in Super Pi, that is a lifetime of difference. Sadly, even with tighter timings or additional speed added, we could still not get the T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black to the top of the times.

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PCMark 10 loves an efficient kit, meaning speed and timings must be in perfect harmony to get to the top. TEAM also struggles with this test, landing very near the bottom with its XMP results. Tighter timings helped a bit, but it wasn't until we added speed to the kit that the efficiency boosted enough to reach the top of the chart.

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File compression with 7-Zip shows that TEAM isn't on the right page with an "extreme" set of DDR5. Both the 8000 and 7600 kits from Patriot outperform TEAM here, and even when overclocked, the T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black cannot surpass the Xtreme 5 RGB 8000 kit.

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If transcoding is your thing, you will want to find a different set of DDR5 than these TEAM sticks. Five seconds may not seem like much, but it is huge in such a test. Funny enough, more speed was decent, but we took top honors with tighter timings, which is where the XMP results should have been all along.

Final Thoughts

As we said in the beginning, it was the appearance that got us to ask for this kit, but we had high hopes as we knew we would be getting a set of 8200 MT/s RAM along with the styling. While the appearance grabbed us and still does, performance always drives us to recommend kits to our readers. With a name like T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black, our takeaway is that these should be some, if not the best-performing kit we have tested, and it fails to do what anyone expects of this DDR5 from TEAM.

We are trying to rationalize why TEAM calls this extreme, as it seems more like average gear from some no-name manufacturer trying to grab a piece of the pie. We could argue that this RAM hits 8200 MHz with less voltage than any other we have seen or that they are the heaviest RAM we have ever tested, but what does that do for the users looking for something extreme, like what Patriot delivers? On that note, even attempting to match what the Patriots are capable of, we needed more VDIMM to make it happen, and even then, the programmed timings let us down. Maybe it is the cost that makes them extreme? We are still uncertain why TEAM did what they did with this set of memory.

In our heads, when you sell a set of memory with the extreme or XTREEM moniker, it is intended for overclocking and getting the best from the ICs available at that time. In this instance, we didn't find joy there either. While somewhat flexible, and we had fun attempting to get the most from them, when you get beat by a set of 7600s and have an additional 600MHz behind you before entering the ring, it shows something is not right in how these ICs got binned and programmed.

On top of everything else, you will be expected to fork out $309 for this set of TEAM T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black kits at this speed. To us, this kit lacks any value, which could have been its saving grace, but sadly, TEAM felt they were worth more than others who could outperform them. Looking at both the Patriot 7600s at the top of the chart, at $199.99, and the 8000s from Patriot, at $259.99, why pay more for less? Even as attractive as the TEAM T-Force XTREEM Narvic Black is, we find nothing extreme about them and no reason to swing the extra cost. Had the timings been better, TEAM could have had a leg to stand on, but we feel this is more a cash grab based on specs alone, hoping potential customers never see how lackluster the performance is.