Crucial Pro Series Overclocking DDR5 6000Mhz Memory Review

As an avid overclocker I love the process involved to get the best performance from a computer system.  Sometimes this process is simple and requires changing a few BIOS settings or a bit of specialized software.  Other times you need to invoke some more drastic methods which may include hardware modification, voltage tweaks, exotic cooling methods or just a LOT of trial and error.

What these methods have in common is that the chips used will often have a quality associated with them.  This quality, or “Bin” will ultimately determine how fast that component can go regardless of voltage input, chip temperature or frequency.  There are also physical limits that need to be considered along with artificial limits configured by the hardware maker to maintain quality levels and prevent users from abusing the RMA process.    

In this review we will be looking at the Crucial Pro Overclocking DDR5 memory.  These new memory modules are clocked in at 6000Mhz (MT/s) and making them some of the fastest memory you can get from Crucial and the first set of performance memory modules to be released after the closure of the Ballistix brand. 

On the package you can clearly see that these memory modules are for “Overclocking” and is something we will have to dive into.  What I described early in this review could be considered “Extreme” overclocking and often requires specialized hardware and exotic cooling methods.  As you can imagine, that is not the only type of overclocking out there but, does describe a certain process that not everyone fully understands. 

The type of Overclocking intended by Crucial is what I would call a “Factory Overclock” and is something we see video card makers do on a daily basis.  They take a normal product and increase the clock frequency.  Overall, the results you will get are higher than intended by chip makers with the ultimate goal of increasing performance without requiring anything more than setting a switch in the UEFI BIOS.  The important thing to remember is that you buy your way to higher performance you still get a full warranty and works out to be great for everyone.

Can you buy faster modules?  Yes,

I have several reviews of DDR5 memory clocked higher than 6000Mhz and from well-respected brands, also with full warranties.  Some have a good track record for reliability while others can only be used on specialized motherboards with specific processors.  The difference here is that Crucial is well known for selling some of the best memory modules for the OEM computer market and basic systems where reliability is the primary concern.  The Overclocking Edition memory just kicks things up a notch.