Klevv Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 C46 2x24GB review: Binned for pure speed, not your wallet

The Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 C46 absolutely screams performance and is a strong contender for the title of the best RAM. Having launched almost six years ago, DDR5 has finally hit its stride. Capacious 64GB memory modules are now available, increasing the memory kit capacity. On the other hand, retail DDR5 memory kits are aggressively pushing toward the jaw-dropping DDR5-10000 barrier, thanks to the conception of CUDIMMs.

However, just when DDR5 is flourishing, a memory shortage rains on its parade. It's such a terrible time for high-end memory kits, such as the Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 C46. However, it represents the pinnacle of DDR5 performance and deserves a place in the spotlight, even if it's unobtainable for many.

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It's not the first time that the Cras V RGB has gone through our labs. Admittedly, the previous review was of a more modest DDR5-6400 configuration. For those unfamiliar with the Cras V RGB's design philosophy, the memory modules feature a premium aluminum heat spreader with a matte finish that's available in either obsidian black or brilliant white trim. The kit we're testing today features the former.

The heat spreader flaunts an angular design with a raised central ridge that tapers toward both the top edge and sides. Klevv has exercised restraint with the Cras V RGB and kept the branding to an absolute minimum. Even with the RGB diffuser, the memory modules only measure 1.73 inches (44mm) in height. The good news is that you don't need proprietary software to customize the lighting. The Cras V RGB is compatible with Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASRock Polychrome Sync.

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As a 48GB memory kit, each module has a capacity of 24GB and uses a single-rank design. Removing the heat spreader reveals eight SK hynix H5CGD8MHBDX021 (M-die) integrated circuits (ICs) residing on a single side of the 10-layer black PCB. Each M-die IC contributes 3GB to the total capacity. Power management duties fall on the 0P=CD 5YB power management IC (PMIC) from Richtek. Although not advertised as a CUDIMM on the packaging, the Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 memory kit employs CUDIMM technology, specifically the DR5CKD1GC0 clock driver (CKD) from Rambus.

When first installed onto the motherboard, the memory will run at DDR5-4800 with the usual 40-40-40-77 timings. There are two memory profiles on the memory modules, supporting Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO. The primary DDR5-9600 profile will increase the timings to 46-58-58-125 and DRAM voltage to 1.45V. Surprisingly, the secondary profile is just a notch below with data rate and timings at DDR5-9200 and 42-56-56-148, respectively. The DRAM voltage remains at 1.45V. For additional details on timings and frequency choices, refer to our PC Memory 101 feature and the How to Shop for RAM article.

Comparison Hardware

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The Intel system features the Core Ultra 9 285K processor and the MSI MEG Z890 Unify-X motherboard with firmware version 7E20v1A60. Conversely, the AMD system utilizes the Ryzen 9 9900X processor and the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi motherboard with firmware version 7E49v1A64. The Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX LCD CPU liquid-cooling solution efficiently maintains optimal temperatures for both the Arrow Lake and Zen 5 processors, ensuring efficient thermal management across platforms.

The MSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X Trio efficiently handles demanding graphics workloads, preventing any bottlenecks during our gaming RAM benchmarks. The TeamGroup A440 Lite PCIe 4.0 SSD balances performance and capacity, delivering 2TB of ultra-fast storage with speeds up to 7,400 MB/s—perfect for Windows 11 24H2 installations, benchmarking software, and gaming applications.

The Corsair RM1000x Shift ATX 3.0 power supply delivers reliable and ample power to our test systems, directly supporting the GeForce RTX 4080 via its native 16-pin (12VHPWR) cable. The Streacom BC1 open-air test bench offers flexible, tool-free accommodation for all hardware components, streamlining assembly and component swaps.

Intel Performance

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Overall, the Cras V RGB memory kit outperformed all competitors in our application benchmarks on the Intel platform. However, gaming performance was somewhat disappointing, with the memory kit finishing second-to-last.

The memory kit showed several strong results, achieving many of the highest scores to date in the 48GB category. The standout results include Adobe Premiere, Cinebench 2024, and Corona 12, among others.

AMD Performance

Running DDR5-8400 and higher memory kits is more feasible on Intel platforms, thanks to their support for CUDIMMs. While it is possible on AMD systems, it requires a processor with an extraordinary integrated memory controller (IMC). Unfortunately, neither our Ryzen 9 9900X nor Ryzen 7 9700X has an IMC of that caliber, so we were unable to run those tests.

Overclocking and Latency Tuning

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Manufacturers rarely leave any overclocking headroom on the high-frequency memory kits. With the Cras V RGB DDR5-9600, we increased the DRAM voltage to 1.5V, but no timing configuration allowed us to surpass DDR5-9600. We even tested with timings set in the high 60s. Pushing the voltage further might yield higher overclocks, but such a high voltage isn't very practical for everyday use.

We encountered similar difficulties when optimizing memory timings on the Cras V RGB DDR5-9600. Klevv has likely gotten them down to borderline possible. Increasing the DRAM voltage to 1.5V didn't help either. There's a direct relationship with high-speed memory and memory timings after all. Once you start exceeding certain data rates, memory timings are unlikely to improve further.

Bottom Line

The Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 C46 is the memory equivalent of a high-performance supercar. Not everyone has the budget to bring one home, and that's perfectly okay. The memory kit isn't about offering the best value for your money; there are other memory kits for that. Quite the opposite, the Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 C46 targets enthusiasts who live and breathe cutting-edge hardware. Those who buy into these niche products know that peak performance comes at a cost, and often a very high one.

Klevv demonstrated the memory kit at Computex 2025, but it hasn't yet reached the retail channel. The ongoing memory shortage likely contributed to the delay. And then there's the issue of rising memory chip prices. Although Klevv didn't set a firm price for the Cras V RGB DDR5-9600 C46 at the time, the general ballpark figure was between $400 and $500. Given the current gloomy memory market, the memory kit's value has likely doubled or even tripled if Klevv decides to ultimately release the memory kit in the near future.