Chinese CXMT DDR5 memory offers performance comparable to well-known brands, but it's not significantly cheaper. As the memory shortage persists, both Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and regular customers are exploring Chinese-made DRAM alternatives. One of the most discussed options is CXMT, capable of producing high-speed DDR5 chips. To assess the quality of these memory solutions, Hardware Unboxed purchased a DDR5 kit and conducted a thorough review.
The review focused on a retail 32GB DDR5-6000 CL36 kit from KingBank, an Australia-exclusive product featuring CXMT DRAM chips. The tests were conducted on an AMD AM5 platform with Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 7 9700X CPUs, along with an RTX 5090 to eliminate any system bottlenecks. Hardware Unboxed compared this KingBank kit to a G.Skill DDR5-6000 CL26 solution and a slower Kingston DDR5-5200 CL40, all made with SK Hynix, Micron, or Samsung memory chips.
In gaming tests, the KingBank DDR5-6000 kit performed similarly to G.Skill's DDR5-6000 kit in popular games like Rainbow Six Siege, Marvel Rivals, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Cyberpunk 2077, using both Ryzen 9700X and 9800X3D CPUs. Interestingly, the CXMT-based kit was up to 17% faster than Kingston's DDR5-5200, demonstrating its competitive performance. However, when paired with the Ryzen 9800X3D, the performance difference diminished as the 3D V-Cache technology mitigated the lack of memory speed, bringing all contenders close in performance.
The primary purpose of this test was to ensure CXMT's chip compatibility with consumer hardware, verifying that it works seamlessly with different setups. The modules themselves appear well-made, operating at 60°C under load. The question arises: how much do these kits cost? Hardware Unboxed reported that the KingBank 32GB DDR5-6000 CL36 kit was available for approximately 599 AUD, compared to 649 AUD for similar options with SK Hynix, Micron, or Samsung chips. While the price difference is notable, it may not be enough to entice customers to try CXMT, as the company needs to focus on price and build brand confidence.
The challenge for CXMT is balancing revenue generation to expand production capacity (estimated at 5% of global production) with convincing users of its product quality. If CXMT fails to establish a strong brand image now, it may struggle to do so once the memory shortage subsides. This scenario highlights the delicate balance between market demand and brand development.
