DDR5 memory was overclocked above 12,000 MHz for the first time without extreme cooling

Memory overclocking is a completely self-sufficient discipline in the world of overclocking. To achieve record frequencies, enthusiasts usually use liquid nitrogen to cool not only the central processor, but also the memory modules themselves. G.Skill claims that its Trident Z5 family of memory modules were able to reach the DDR5-12000 mark for the first time using only air cooling.

Image Source: G.Skill

Considering that the global memory overclock, installed almost a month ago, corresponds to the DDR5-12698 mode, then reaching the DDR5-12054 mode using liquid cooling on the processor and air cooling on the memory module is a very serious achievement. The only G.Skill Trident Z5 memory module from the 24 GB DDR5-8000 CL38 kit in this case worked with timings of 68-127-127-127-2. As can be seen from the illustration below, a water block was installed on the engineering sample of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor from the Arrow Lake family; the basis for the test bench was the Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Apex motherboard. The author of the record is the Indonesian overclocker speed.fastest, in the absolute standings he is in 15th place.

Image source: HWBot, speed.fastest

His Canadian colleague saltycroissant overclocked a similar memory module to DDR5-12052 mode with timings of 68-127-127-127-2 in the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF motherboard, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K central processor in this case also turned out to be an engineering sample. In other words, it can be argued that modern platforms allow memory to be overclocked to DDR5-12000 without using extreme cooling methods. True, practically achievable frequencies under conditions of long-term stable operation will be lower, and hardly anyone will want to be limited to a single memory module on an ongoing basis.