At first we would like to thank Crucial for sending a sample of their 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-5200 Memory Kit for testing and reviewing.

 

 

About Crucial:

 

“Looking for computer memory or a new storage drive? You've come to the right place!

 

Crucial is a global brand of Micron Technology, Inc., one of the largest memory and flash storage manufacturers in the world. We make computer memory upgrades (DRAM) and solid state drives (SSDs), and offer more than 250,000 upgrades for over 50,000 systems. For 17 years, we've sought to provide the Crucial Difference — award-winning products, outstanding support, and a team of memory and storage experts who explain complex lingo in everyday terms. We're here to help improve the performance of your system.

 

Crucial memory and SSDs have been qualified and approved by major original equipment manufacturers, and every single module that leaves our doors has been rigorously tested at the component and module level. That's a big deal in the memory industry, but it's not all. When it comes to our SSDs, each drive undergoes over a thousand hours of prerelease validation testing and hundreds of qualification tests to ensure optimal reliability and performance.

 

To find upgrades in just a few clicks, our award-winning Crucial System Scanner or Crucial Memory Advisor™ tool will identify compatible upgrades for your system, and if you order on Crucial.com, we guarantee compatibility — or your money back. With fast and free shipping, outstanding tech support, and an exhaustive library of articles, videos, and install guides, we make it easy to find and install the right upgrade for your system.

 

Let us be your memory and storage experts.”

 

Product Features:

 

Faster load times and file transfers

Crucial DDR5 Desktop Memory can empower your computer to transfer 50% more data than DDR4 at launch, resulting in faster load times, file transfers, downloads, refresh rates and less lag time. Due to higher bus efficiency, DDR5 technology is not just faster than the previous generation, it’s better.

More responsive multitasking

Crucial DDR5 offers 50% faster speeds than DDR4 at launch, empowering users with extreme performance right out of the box. Even more impressive, Crucial DDR5 is optimized for enhanced performance and multitasking, not just during testing, but in real-world conditions. Opening more browser tabs and switching between apps now feels more responsive than ever.

Extreme innovation for stable performance

Crucial DDR5 takes an extreme step forward in engineering over the previous generation with two independent 32-bit channels per module for optimized performance. Designed with on-die ECC (ODECC) at the component level for long-term stability, Crucial DDR5 is engineered to maintain the same reliability as the previous generation, even with the rigorous demands of next-gen computing.

Optimized power efficiency

For improved efficiency and stability, Crucial DDR5 introduces on-module voltage regulation with a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), which was on the motherboard with older memory technologies. This results in improved signaling and cleaner power for the modules (DIMMs). Moreover, DDR5’s on-module operating voltage is only 1.1V compared to DDR4’s 1.2V.

Micron quality – tested reliability you can trust

As the vertically integrated consumer brand of Micron, Crucial is trusted by millions for reliability, performance, and compatibility. Unlike module assemblers, our unique relationship with Micron involves a deeper level of engineering collaboration to squeeze every ounce of performance from our products without compromising reliability. With Micron’s 43+ years of manufacturing excellence and Crucial’s 25+ years of consumer product development, Crucial DDR5 is backed by our limited lifetime warranty and delivers the powerful performance you can trust. When it comes to memory, don’t settle for less.

 

Product Specifications:

 

Technology - DDR5

Speed - DDR5-5200

PC speed - PC5-41600

Module type - UDIMM

DIMM type - Unbuffered

CAS latency - 42

Extended timings - 42-42-42

Voltage - 1.1V

Kit Qty - 2

Warranty - Limited Lifetime

 

It’s time to check another Crucial DDR5 memory kit, since new models have been released, with higher stock frequencies. The CT2K16G52C42U5 SKU incorporates two 16GB modules, running at 5200MHz and with a CAS latency of 42, while the operating voltage is 1.1V.

 

As the 4800MHz model, the kit has arrived inside a transparent plastic, simple enclosure, with two stickers on top:

 

 

 

The main sticker does show the total capacity of the kit, the running frequency, the internal code name, the rated voltage, CAS, but also its serial number:

 

 

 

The modules do not feature a heatspreader, so the ICs are clearly visible; for a more professional look, the module PCB is all black:

 

 

 

The frontal side of the PCB does come with a sticker, which shows two QR codes, the product code name but also the technical details we have mentioned before:

 

 

 

The new ICs come with the D8DDZ code name, as opposed with D8BNJ we have seen with the 4800MHz SKUs; these are eight in total:

 

 

 

The Power Management Integrated Circuit is a P8911Y0 from Renesas:

 

 

 

On the back side of the module, we won’t find any extra components (only 32GB modules are dual-sided):

 

 

 

Test Setup

 

CPU: Intel i7-13700K @ Stock

CPU Cooler: be quiet! Silent Loop 2 360mm AIO

Motherboard: EVGA Z690 CLASSIFIED

RAM: currently tested kit

Video: XFX Radeon RX 5700XT Ultra THICC III

Power Supply: Cooler Master 850W

SSD: Silicon Power US70 1TB PCIe 4.0

Case: Cooler Master ATCS 840

 

The pre-programmed timings and frequencies can be also found by using AIDA64; the DRAM IC manufacturer is listed as Micron:

 

There are four pre-programmed timings onto the modules:

 

-XMP 3.0 5200MHz CL42 with exact latencies of 42-42-42-84, 1.1V operating voltage

-XMP 3.0 4800MHz CL40 (failsafe mode) with latencies of 40-39-39-77, 1.1V operating voltage

-EXPO 5200MHz CL42 with latencies of 42-42-42-84, 1.1V operating voltage

-EXPO 4800MHz CL40 with latencies of 40-39-39-77, 1.1V operating voltage

 

We did first start testing this kit on our trusty Z690 CLASSIFIED from EVGA, running the latest 2.09 BIOS from the support page. We have started with the failsafe 4800 XMP profile, which has been proven fully stable:

 

 

 

We went then ahead and tested the 5200MHz frequency, which has proven as being fully stable as well:

 

 

 

Overclocking stage was next, which implied raising the frequency to 5400MHz, while leaving the stock CAS latencies and voltage. The system has proven itself very stable:

 

 

 

5600MHz was a non-issue for our kit, also at 1.1V!

 

 

 

We raised the frequency to 5800MHz but got errors in TM5 while running at 1.1V; after raising the voltage to 1.25, the system became again, fully stable!

 

 

Our journey stopped at 6000MHz, when the system became non-bootable.

 

Test Results

 

SuperPI XS 1.5 2MB

 

 

GeekBench 4

 

 

Blender Ryzen Rendering

 

 

 

 

AIDA64 Bandwidth

 

 

CineBench R20 Rendering

 

CineBench R23 Rendering

 

 

HWBOT X265 4K Encoding

 

 

3DMark

 

 

Ashes of Singularity - CPU Focused

 

 

Shadow of the Tomb Raider FHD Highest

 

 

PCMark 10

 

 

 

The new 5200MHz memory modules from Crucial are a great improvement in terms of overclocking versus their 4800MHz counterparts we have tested before, being able to reach 5800MHz without too much of a hassle, just by increasing the stock voltage to 1.25 and keeping the timings as the manufacturer intended. For compatibility sakes, we are also getting a 4800MHz XMP profile, while AMD users would be happy to know that these feature an EXPO profile as well!

 

The CT2K16G52C42U5 SKU does not feature any heatspreaders, but even at 1.25V we haven’t noted the ICs to heat up much; this aspect means that the compatibility is kept at a maximum with larger CPU cooling systems, so no need to worry about it.

 

The kit can be found online for about 156.58 Euros, a bit on the expensive side when compared to other entry-level 5200MHz kits which cannot go as high in frequency, but if you do intend on using the kit overclocked, it is surely worth it.

 

Crucial 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-5200 Memory Kit is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to Crucial for making this review possible!