In recent years, it's become common knowledge that Intel's CPUs run nicely with highly overclocked RAM, such as DDR5-7200. Not every chip does, of course, as it's not just about the processor, but having the right motherboard and RAM combination. Going much faster than 7,000 MT/s typically required buying special 'hand-picked' RAM modules and having an ultra-expensive motherboard.
With the launch of Arrow Lake, however, Intel introduced support for a new type of memory. Well, the DRAM itself is still good ol' DDR5, but these new kits sport something extra on their circuit boards—a clock driver chip or CKD for short.
This tiny integrated circuit takes the memory signals transmitted by the motherboard and stores them momentarily in order to tidy up and realign the signals, so that each RAM module on the circuit board gets its signal at the right voltage and timings. This ensures everything is stable, when the clock speeds are ramped up.
Such RAM kits are called CUDIMMs (Clocked Unbuffered Dual Inline Memory Modules) and they're the hottest thing in the RAM market right now. Corsair's first dip into this sector is its Vengeance CUDIMM series, starting with an RGB-less DDR5-8000 CL38 set, with the fastest and fanciest being an RGB-equipped DDR5-9200 CL44 kit.
RAM type: DDR5 CUDIMM
Chipset support: Intel 800 series (CUDIMM mode) / Any (Bypass mode)
DIMM capacity: 24 GB each (48 GB kit)
Base speed: 5,600 MT/s
Overclocked profiles: XMP 3.0
Overclocked speed: 8,400 MT/s
Overclocked latencies: 40-52-52-135
Overclocked voltage: 1.4 volts
Price: $350 | £349
Those speeds are overclocked ones, of course, and they're achieved by enabling the XMP 3.0 profile in the motherboard's BIOS. But that's all one needs to do—it's literally a case of slap 'em in and click on the option to get 'ludicrous' speed.
It's worth noting that Corsair's new CUDIMMs will work with non-Arrow Lake PCs, using a mode where the CKD is bypassed, limiting the speed to 6,000 MT/s or less.
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