Patriot Viper Elite 5 RGB DDR5-6000 CAS 30 48GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

When it comes to a company like Patriot, there are many things we expect to see. Sadly, these are not things we find across the board from all manufacturers but are all things that make sense, and we are unsure why others opt out. We look for things like a thermal pad on the PMIC and good thermal tape on the ICs, as heat is the number one killer of a DDR5 OC. We also know what ICs we are getting without question, no revisions, no funny stuff, just some better-than-average SK Hynix chips spread across all their lineups. Even though many of our Patriot samples are faster than the average user can cope with, they are also in tune with what mainstream users and gamers are looking for from their set of DDR5.

Demo of the RGB on the Patriot Viper Elite 5 RGB DDR5-6000 CAS 30 48GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit

Out of the many options, we are in the Elite 5 range and with RGB as well. Rather than the fancier TUF Alliance set we saw last, we are back to the typical appeal of the Elite 5 RGB with the high-contrast white and black we all love, but this time with speed anyone can appreciate and tighter timings than we typically see for this speed. There have been others like KLEVV with the Fit V, the Viper Venom we just looked at, or even the FURY Renegade, although they opted for CAS 32. We have an idea of where these Elite 5 RGB should land, but we will wait until we see what the charts have to say before spilling the beans.

Knowing how well the Viper Venom with similar timings does with 32GB of density will be an interesting comparison of what increased density does to performance. For those with a keen eye, you will spot the obvious differences, but we will be sure to keep you up to speed and explain why you see what you will and see if you will opt for the likes of these Elite 5 RGB from Patriot, or maybe you will want to select the 32GB option, depending on usage. For now, let's see what Patriot has sent over, and then we can get into the finer points and see how well this 48GB kit stacks up in our charts.

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The Patriot Viper Elite 5 RGB we have is the PVER548G60C30KW. As all the Elite 5 is, these are DDR5 with white aluminum spreaders with black trim and a diffuser on top for the RGB display. The part number tells us that this memory is 48GB in density, or 24GB per stick, with XMP 3.0 enabled; it delivers 6000 MT/s. The timing set isn't too shabby either, shown to be 30-40-40-76 2T, requiring 1.35V.

If you do not enable XMP, the kit will boot at 4800 MT/s with 40-40-40-76 2T timings, sipping only 1.1V. Even though just about everything should run this kit at XMP specs, Patriot offers a second XMP option for better stability. When enabling XMP, if you opt for the second setting in the dropdown, you will find the 5600 MT/s 36-36-36-68 2T with 1.1V used as another way to run them.

The Elite 5 RGB we have in hand is 133.76mm long, which is well within the DIMM locks. The 41.5mm height may concern some, but for many, it will be fine, and the 7.15mm thickness leaves space between the modules. Each stick weighs 53.5 grams, and if issues arise, they come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Patriot has sent this kit ahead of their release to the world, or in other words, before you can buy them. We have the MSRP and when they are expected to hit the shelves. We are told that the MSRP is currently set at $164.99 for the PVER548G60C30KW Viper Elite 5 RGB we have, and you will not have to wait long, as we were told it will be a week, so likely by the time you read this, you will be able to find them. In comparison to the current market, you can find more affordable solutions. Still, they also climb over $200 for solutions of this caliber, and being in the middle of the mix is a better spot to reside.

Best Deals: Patriot Viper Elite 5 RGB DDR5 48GB (2 x 24GB) 6000MT/s CAS 30 Memory Kit

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Packaging and Patriot Viper Elite 5 RGB

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The white backdrop allows everything presented on the front of the box to pop. The Viper logo and name, the sticker showing density and speed, the Elite 5 RGB, and the RGB notification are easy to see. Still, the Viper Elite 5 illuminated in the center is certainly pleasing to the eyes.

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Around the back, we were told that this is DDR5 performance memory with XMP 3.0 and EXPO support. Next to the product sticker and the social media tags are views into the box to see the Elite 5 RGB inside. At the bottom are nods to XMP and EXPO support and all the motherboard sync methods for lighting control.

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As they do, Patriot ships the Elite 5 RGB inside plastic clamshell packaging. This protects the paint and gold fingers in transit and ensures static does not damage them, ensuring plug-and-play capabilities.

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No matter how often we see the Elite 5 RGB, we cannot get over the sharp contrast of that stripe of black and the Viper head logo against the white backdrop. One look, and you know exactly who made this RAM, and with the size of the text and logo, it can be done at a distance.

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Flipping the module around, we found the Viper head logo on the left and VIPER on this side of the diffuser. What changes is that this side has the sticker. On it, we see the part number, type, density, speed, CAS latency, voltage, and serial number to the right.

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It's almost a shame that these are RGB. The milky white diffuser blends in with the rest of the white theme, and those pops of black drag your eyes to the important bits, like the company name and logo.

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Starting at a point on the left end, the diffuser angles up to the flat portion of the heat spreaders. Then, it flattens with chamfered edges across the rest of the stick, ending with the VIPER name in black, which shows well through the brilliant display of RGB that backs it.

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As expected, we love seeing a thermal pad for the PMIC and voltage control and good thermal tape for the ICs, ensuring any excess heat is expelled. Under the spreader, we found Patriot opted for an unlocked 0P=AL Richtek PMIC to control eight Hynix H5CGD8MGBD X021 (M-die) memory chips.

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With power involved and many bulbs blasting the RAM with light in our booth, the brilliance of the default RGB mode shines through. The color changes are smooth, and as you can see, hotspots are no concern.

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Thaiphoon burner shows us quite a bit. The left column shows us this is Patriot RAM, 4800 speed grade, and confirms the Richtek PMIC. The center column tells us they are Hynix chips, but the M is replaced with a question mark in the part number. Also, disregard the third XMP profile, as it is a bug.

Mem TweakIt shows that with 48GB comes a higher tRFC than with 32GB, but Patriot can keep the tREFI low to help with performance. The following three tabs are nearly identical to those of the Viper Venom 32GB kit of 6000 MT/s at CAS 30 for this 48GB Elite 5 RGB version.

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 ASUS, 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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As it should, once we cleared CMOS and enabled XMP 3.0, our Elite 5 RGB came to life at 6000 MHz with 30-40-40-76 2T timings. Voltages were at 1.35V for the VDD, VDDq, and Tx, but the System Agent used 0.833V, and the Memory Controller used 1.083V.

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With a tenth of a volt added to the VDD, VDDq, and Tx and adjustments to SA and MC now using 1.0V and 1.15V, respectively, we tried to mess with the timings. CAS 28 was as easy and stable as could be. Secondaries will move, but you will need to increase other timings to do so, with a loss in performance in the attempt.

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Using the same voltages as we did to find the lowest timings, we went for maximum speed with the XMP timing set applied. We got this 6000 MHz kit up to 6667 MHz without any fuss. We repeatedly bumped the RAM speed and tried it. 6800 is possible but requires a bigger spike in voltages to get it stabilized than we typically use. Nonetheless, 667 MHz for free is fine and dandy with us.

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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AIDA64 read performance has these Elite 5 RGB at the bottom of the barrel for all the 6000 MHz kits in the chart at 92,190 MB/s. Running them at CAS 28 netted us only 204 MB/s more, but using that free speed, we gained a boost of 9931 MB/s, landing much further up the chart.

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Write performance results show the Elite 5 RGB third form last again using the XMP 3.0 setting with an 80,825 MB/s result. CAS 28 shows more than with read results, to the tune of 644 MB/s this time, and clocking them up in speed gets us 8298 Mb/s versus XMP.

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Keeping that same place warm in the chart, the 82,788 MB/s delivered by Patriot is at the bottom of the 6000 MHZ options. A slight timing adjustment gets you another 1184 MB/s, or you could clock them as we have, and you see a 9852 MB/s boost from nothing but changing a few settings in the UEFI.

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Out of the box, the Elite 5 RGB showed us some of the slowest latency we have seen in a while, but there is a silver lining. Adjusting the timings helped some, but that isn't good enough for us. We do like that 65.8ns result, though, which happens to outpace the Trident Z Royal.

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If we are honest, the Super Pi results are a tad lower than we had expected. Most other 6000 MHz options are faster for this test, and while tinkering with the RAM did help the scores, we are still within four seconds of the XMP time.

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PCMark10 seems to love some kits while shunning others for no rhyme or reason. Even though we started at 9961, which is better than the Narvic Black TEAM kit, a little time with the settings goes a long way. CAS 28 raised the efficiency a few points, but with more speed, the Elite 5 RGB is running with much faster kits than they should be.

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The Elite 5 RGB we have now is meh at best, as we compress files. Tightening timings did reduce that time by over two seconds, but adding that extra fuel left in the tank gets us to the end almost nineteen seconds faster. That score gap must be the biggest improvement from XMP to OC in this test.

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If transcoding video is your jam, the Elite 5 RGB shows a much stronger ability. It's right in the mix with others in its class at XMP, which is what we love to see. Timing adjustment wasn't as productive in shortening the time to completion, but with an extra 667 MHz, the Elite 5 RGB climbed up into third place, right there with the Fit V at XMP.

Final Thoughts

As much as we enjoy Patriot RAM and all it offers, this is one time we wish for more. While we are used to testing the higher echelon of what DDR5 offers, we always like to know what is out there in the market, as not everyone can run the uber-fast 8200+ MHz offerings. We will use the term loosely, but this is right there in what the industry calls the sweet spot. With CKD around the corner, users will get a boost in the future, and new AGESA updates will give AMD users more room to go. However, most of the market wants something plug-and-play, with stability and no issues while using them. That is more the realm of where this Elite 5 RGB kit resides. It is simple to use, stable as a rock and does what is expected.

While most of the XMP results were poor, and while this is a lower latency kit, it is not tuned to the extreme, as that is not the place of the Elite 5 in the first place. You will get a solid set of DDR5 with stunning appeal, and for those willing to spend time in the BIOS, you too can have a ton more performance by changing seven settings and taking advantage of what Patriot left on the table. If there were a most improved by overclocking or the most significant gap between scores award, this set of Elite 5 RGB is a contender for both. Still, we must look at what you are getting and what sort of cash is involved in getting that sort of performance.

We also alluded to the fact that with 32GB kits, all things being "more or less" equal, the 32GB kit will be faster. Due mostly to timings fitting the density of the ICs, opting for higher density kits such as this delivers in other aspects, where if you run out of usable RAM, you would still have 16GB usable with a 48GB set of Patriot DDR5. While common sense would dictate that this would happen, it is good to see what the Viper Venom RGB and the Elite 5 RGB do in each metric to decide which way you wish to go.

The Patriot Viper Elite 5 we have in hand is priced in the middle of the pack, but the performance out of the box is nearer the bottom of the class. There are some bright flashes of hope here and there with real-world testing over the synthetics, but you are guaranteed these will run in just about anything, along with fantastic appeal and RGB display. With the segment starting at around $115 for a similar product from another manufacturer, we feel Patriot may be able to save things with a slight price reduction. At the $164.99 current MSRP, with what we have seen, it will be tough for Patriot to sell these to people in this segment, as KLEVV, Crucial, and Kingston all supply similar sets with better performance.