Having reviewed the Corsair Dominator Titanium 7600 MT/s CL36 memory kit, today we’re going to take a closer look at a model in the same series, but clocked at 8000 MT/s in CL38. This model is not available in 2 x 16 GB but in 2 x 24 GB. It is equipped with the new Hynix M-die chips like the Teamgroup T-Force Xtreem 8200 MT/s CL38 kit we recently tested. Our copy of the day has timings of 38-48-48-98 and requires a voltage of 1.40 volts to operate. This is the fastest kit currently available in the brand’s catalog. It is available directly from the Corsair website at a price of 304.99 euros.
As a reminder, our test platform has evolved to include the Maximus Z790 APEX ENCORE motherboard and our i9-13900KS, which boasts an excellent BMI. Our previous tests are still available, but we’ve chosen to run only a few kits at reference frequencies in the first instance. The idea is to have at least one kit per frequency in order to have a sufficient panel. I’ll be adding the other previously tested kits in the weeks to come.
What’s more, since the arrival of the Hynix A-die and the new Hynix M-die chips several months ago, frequencies have risen sharply, requiring a test configuration capable of supporting these XMPs and, of course, overclocking.
Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you may have, either in comments or on our social networks. You can also join our community on the discord. We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Corsair for their support and the availability of this 2 x 24 GB Corsair Dominator Titanium 8000 MT/s CL38 kit.
Here’s an update on the kits we have available:
Since this is an article in which we’ll be doing comparative tests, we thought it would be a good idea to review the various kits we have. You’ll be able to find out more about the features of each one. You can also take a look at the section where our latest memory kit tests are available, and find the one that interests you. Don’t forget that as of today, our test platform is evolving, so we’ll have new performance tables.
- 48 GB Teamgroup T-Force Xtreem 8200 MT/s CL38 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Corsair Dominator Titanium 7600 MT/s CL36 (Hynix A-die)
- 32 GB Corsair Dominator Titanium 7200 MT/s CL34 (Hynix A-die)
- 48 GB Corsair Vengeance RGB 7000 MT/s CL40 (Micron)
- 32 GB GSKill Trident Z5 RGB 6400 MT/s CL32 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 7200 MT/s CL34 (Hynix A-die)
- 32 GB GSKill Trident Z5 RGB 6800 MT/s CL34 (Hynix A-die)
- 32 GB Teamgroup Deltra RGB 7200 MT/s CL34 (Hynix A-die)
- 32 GB Kingston Fury Renegade 6400 MT/s CL32 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Corsair Vengeance RGB 6400 MHz CL38 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Teamgroup Delta RGB 6600 MT/s CL34 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 6600 MHz CL32 (Hynix M-die)
- 16 GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB 6000 MHz CL40 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Corsair Vengeance 5600 MHz CL36 (Samsung)
- 32 GB Teamgroup Delta RGB 6400 MHz CL40 (Hynix M-die)
- 32 GB Dominator Platinum RGB 5600 MHz CL38 (Samsung)
- 32 GB Kingston Fury Beast 4800 – 5200 MHz CL40 (Micron)
- 32 GB GSKill Trident Z5 5600 MHz CL36 (Samsung)
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A look back at the history of the Dominator :
Corsair, which has been present on the memory market since 1994, is no longer a household name. Corsair’s catalog also includes cases, power supplies, gaming accessories and cooling systems. Many of the brand’s products have become benchmarks over the years, such as AX power supplies and Dominator memory modules.
The Dominator series featuring DHX(Dual-path Heat Xchange) heatsinks first appeared on DDR2 modules. Since then, Corsair has continued to develop its heatsinks, offering new series as well as ultra-sorted models for overclockers. If you’re a brand loyalist, you can’t have forgotten the red and black Dominator GT series. In recent years, we’ve been treated to Dominator Platinum versions, until the arrival of these new kits, this time bearing the “Titanium” label.
Our Dominator Titanium packaging:
While our Corsair Dominator Titanium 7200 MT/s CL34 kit featured unusual limited-edition packaging, this “mass-market” edition comes in a more traditional format. Corsair’s kit is delivered in a gray cardboard box with a photo of the Dominator Titanium kit, which in this case is black. The packaging has evolved and is totally different from the Dominator Platinum series.
Once the cover has been removed, we come face to face with our two black memory sticks. These are enclosed and protected in a transparent plastic cover. It would appear that black is the only color available, the white memory sticks having been reserved for the limited series we tested with the Dominator Titanium kit, clocked at 7200 MT/s CL34.
As has been the case for Corsair products for some time now, there are no longer any paper manuals available, but you can access them online via a QR Code. It’s a thought we appreciate.
Features and cooling :
Our kit is clocked at 8000 MT/s with timings of 38-48-48-98, requiring a voltage of 1.40 volts to operate. It is made up of two 24 GB modules, for a total of 48 GB. The heat sinks are full black, with a nuance between the color of the Heatspreaders and the top part, which houses the RGB backlighting.
The quality of the finish is simply perfect, with its sleek style! In terms of dimensions, we’re talking about fairly tall modules with dimensions of 133 x 7 x 57.3 mm. You’ll need to ensure compatibility with your configuration. The Heatspreaders are made of aluminum, in this case black. They are responsible for dissipating the heat generated by PCB components and memory chips. The two screws used to remove them are clearly visible.
The first side features two inscriptions: the series name, DDR5 and “DHX”. The Dominator series with DHX(Dual-path Heat Xchange) heatsinks first appeared on DDR2 modules. Since then, Corsair has continued to develop its heatsinks, offering new series as well as ultra-sorted models for overclockers.
On the other side, a label lists some of the features of our kit. Each strip features 11 individually addressable, ultra-bright RGB LEDs. Finally, the kit is XMP 3.0(Extreme Memory Profile) compatible. So don’t forget to activate the profile directly via your motherboard’s BIOS. We’ll come back to this in the following pages.
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Basic features :
You’re going to tell me that this is pretty easy, since all you have to do is look at the references advertised by the manufacturer. Yes, but that’s not enough, especially if you’re planning to overclock it! Some information is given by the manufacturer, but you’ll have to dig around or even remove the heat sinks to find out the rest.
One side of the heatsink reads “Dominator Titanium DDR5”, while the other has a label with the technical specifications of our model. This is what we’re going to look at in detail. For example, in the case of today’s model, here’s the information we know.
- Brand: Corsair
- Model: Dominator Titanium
- Capacity: 2 x 24 GB
- Frequency: 8000 MT/s
- Timings: 38-48-48-98
- Voltage : 1.40 volts
- Revision: 5.53.13
In order to get an idea of the overclocking potential of your kit, this information is insufficient and you’ll need to go further. It’s also very important to know the revision of the PCB and the model of the chips used in your memory kit. Depending on this information, the kit’s overclocking performance will be very different.
To find this information, there is currently only one solution: disassemble the heat sinks. The Taiphoon Burner software does not currently support DDR5 kits. Nor is there any indication that this will be the case in the coming weeks.
CPU-Z always present :
Fortunately, our trusty CPU-Z software is still at work, enabling us to verify this information, particularly with regard to the type of chips used in our kit. At present, there are three types of chip: Samsung, Hynix and Micron.
Our kit is perfectly recognized under Windows 10 and the various timings perfectly read. The memory chips used in our kit are Hynix. These are the chips with the best overclocking potential. But there’s one thing that catches our attention: the CPU-Z SPD tab shows us an XMP profile at 8000 MT/s and 8200 MT/s. Let’s reboot our PC to see if this profile is present in the BIOS.
Our memory kit PCB :
Our kit therefore benefits from 3 GB chips, of which there are 8. As the “M” in the part number stipulates, we’re here on Hynix M-die and not A-die, but this is a new generation which further improves frequency rise. Our kit is an “SR” model for single rank, meaning that all the chips are on a single side. On the other hand, there are “DR” kits for dual rank , with chips on both sides of the PCB.
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BIOS settings :
We can’t stress this enough, but your memory kit ‘s parameters are not automatically set once you’ve installed it. If this is the case for your processor, it’s not so for your memory kit, and you’ll have to go through the BIOS! This is what we had to do with our Maximus Z790 APEX to get the BIOS to load the XMP profile.
You can then configure it manually, choosing the right frequency, timings and voltage for your kit. For ease of use, we advise you to activate XMP (Intel) or DOCP (AMD) mode in ” AI Overclock Tuner ” to set it up automatically.
Without this, your performance will be impacted in all areas, and you’ll end up with a kit that doesn’t exceed the CL40 frequency of 4800 MHz. Performance will then be extremely limited. So we’re going to activate our XMP profile directly in the BIOS. And boom, good news: in addition to the XMP profile at 8000 MT/s, there’s a second profile at 8200 MT/s! This will also be used for our tests. You’ll notice that timings are more relaxed for the 8200 MT/s frequency.
ROG BIOS, whether on the APEX or Crosshair models, benefit from memory profiles. They are a good basis for overclocking your memory kit. We’ll start by using them in our overclocking tests. Our kit is now set up in the BIOS and will work with the manufacturer’s specifications.
As you can see from the screenshots above, once the XMP profile has been activated, the settings are automatically detected. The frequency is set to 8000 MT/s, timings 38-48-48-98 are activated and the VDD/VDDQ voltage is increased to 1.40 volts.
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Of course, this kit will only be tested on an Intel platform, as our comparisons have been based on this configuration from the outset. However, you can find our articles on EXPO kits, which are tested on AMD boards. Corsair also offers Dominator Titanium EXPO kits. We recently posted an article showing that AMD now supports high-frequency kits, which is excellent news.
- Motherboard: ROG Maximus Z790 APEX ENCORE (BIOS 0070)
- Processor: Intel i9-13900KS
- Memory: 48 GB Corsair Dominator Titanium 8000 MT/s CL38 – 8200 MT/s CL40
- Graphics card: MSI GT 710
- SSD: Western Digital SN850 NVMe SSD M.2
- Power supply: be quiet! Dark Power PRO 12 1500w
- Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit (22H2)
We also decided to stick with Windows 10 (22h2), as it’s proving to be a better performer, especially when it comes to overclocking. We’ve noticed a significant drop in processor and memory performance since the latest Windows 11 updates, which sometimes distorts the results. Our benchmarks are run a minimum of three times, and the result is the average of these scores. Remember that we’ve also added the performance of our kit of the day with the 7800 MT/s CL36 XMP profile present in the BIOS.
Aida 64:
This is a program that can provide you with a wealth of information about your configuration, but above all it has a memory benchmark. This calculates the read, write and copy speeds, as well as the latency, of your memory kit. It is often used to compare memory kits. It’s an excellent tool if you want to compare the performance of your memory kit with those we’ve already tested.
The version used for testing is 6.92.6603 beta, and we’ve used the performance of previously tested kits.
The performance of this first test seems totally logical to us, placing it at the top of our graph. As you can see, we’ve also set the kit’s performance to 8200 MT/s XMP, present in the BIOS. Throughput is unbeatable, with an average of 123,333 MB/s and the 120K mark broken at 7800 MT/s. This is quite logical, since this Dominator Titanium kit combines high frequency with tight timings. So, as usual on an Intel platform, you’ll have to give priority to frequency and tight timings.
The same applies to write speeds, which are very good, reaching 120,633 MB/s at 8000 MT/s CL38 and even 123,543 MT/s at 8200 MT/s CL40. The graphics logic remains identical to that of the previous model. The Corsair Dominator Platinum 4800 MT/s CL19 in DDR4 achieved 67,251 MB/s. Once again, we note a logical progression between the different frequencies.
The findings are identical in copy, with once again the same top four in our graph. The Corsair Dominator Platinum 4800 MT/s CL19 in DDR4 achieved a copy speed of 57330 MB/s. As you can see, it’s in reading and copying that DDR5 takes a clear lead over DDR4. Note also the difference between a DDR5 kit at 4800 MT/s (72,415 MB/s) and one at 8400 MT/s (123,193 MT/s). If we hadn’t activated our XMP profile in the BIOS, our kit, although sold as a 7600 MT/s model, would really have been clocked at 4800 MT/s, hence the importance of activating the XMP profile in the BIOS.
Finally, latency. This is the value on which all eyes are focused, as DDR5 lags a little behind. Our best DDR4 kit in this respect was the G.SKill Trident Z Royal Elite 4000 MT/S CL14, which achieved 41.4 ns. You’ll notice that the higher the DDR5 frequency, the narrower the gap. Note that a 3200 MT/S CL16 DDR4 kit has a latency of 50.3 ns. Here, it’s 55.8 ns for our Corsair Dominator Titanium 8000 MT/s CL38.
Geekbench 3.4.4:
This benchmark is available in several revisions, version 5 having just been released a few weeks ago. It provides two scores: one single and one multi. Using this benchmark, we’re going to focus on performance obtained on the ” Memory Multi-Core ” score, which differentiates memory performance.
The version used for testing is 3.4.4.
For the Geekbench 3 benchmark, despite the single-core frequency of our i9-13900KS being 6 GHz, we note a difference in score between the different memory kits. While at 8000 MT/s, our kit does very well, at 8200 MT/s, with more relaxed timings, performance is slightly less good.
In multi-core, the difference between our kits is smaller. Still for information, in DDR4, our best score was 48,800. Of course, DDR5 must be taken into account, as well as the performance provided by the Alder Lake CPU.
As soon as we isolate the memory score, real differences are visible between the kits. Our kit of the day scores 13,962 points! We’ll be keeping a close eye on this score when we start overclocking. It’s a good indicator of the gains made by overclocking . In DDR4, our best kit scored just 7,748 points. Once again, DDR5 combined with the Raptor Lake processor offers a huge advantage.
Geekbench 5.5.1:
We’ve decided to add this extra benchmark, but why? The CPU benchmark uses new tests that more closely simulate the tasks facing processors in the face of recent applications. Geekbench 5 also increases the memory used in the benchmark to better reflect the impact of this parameter on CPU results. For the time being, we’ll be keeping both, as version 3 is still widely used. We have also migrated to the latest version, 5.5.1.
Whereas in Geekbench 3, we had a difference in single core, here in version 5, the differences are less significant, but this doesn’t change the configuration of our graphics. The Corsair Dominator Titanium at 8000 MT/s scores 2,432 points and 2,433 points at 8200 MT/s.
Finally, the score for our Dominator Titanium kit at 8000 MT/s CL38 is 28,400 points. Still to give you a reference score in DDR4, our best score in Geekbench 5 was 11,179 points.
Geekbench 6:
We recently received a key for Geekbench version 6. We therefore took advantage of the change of configuration to add this new benchmark to our test suite. This is the latest benchmark and is intended to be more representative of current configurations. Primate Labs also assures us that the scores displayed by Geekbench 6 are more accurate in relation to the various existing devices and platforms. In fact, the test is much longer than the other two versions we use. Our tests will be carried out on the latest version, i.e. 6.2.2.
The scores in the single test are fairly close, which explains the slight but insignificant change in the leading order.
Let’s conclude this series of benchmarks with the multi part of Geekbench 6, where we end with the performance configuration encountered during all our tests. There’s no doubt that this kit offers very interesting performance, at a price, let’s not forget, of 300 euros.
[nextpage title=”Overclocking on our APEX Z790:”]
Choosing your DDR5 kit according to memory chips :
As was already the case for DDR4, if you want to clock your memory, certain brands will benefit from better potential. At present, the kits announced by the various brands benefit from either Micron, Hynix or Samsung chips. The latter two brands will be the most interesting. As you can see, our Corsair Dominator Titanium 8000 MT/s CL38 kit is equipped with Hynix chips. Unlike our last kits, these are not Hynix A-die chips, but the new Hynix M-die chips. These have the particularity of rising more easily in frequency, but being more complicated to tighten in terms of timing.
To take advantage of high-frequency kits, it’s best to be equipped with a motherboard dedicated to this type of kit, and in this game, the ROG APEX Z790 is certainly the best. It features two memory slots to facilitate memory overclocking. You’ll also need a processor with an excellent IMC(Integred Memory Controller). Beware: a processor may have excellent overclocking potential but, on the other hand, a disappointing IMC. These two factors are independent of each other.
Key DDR5 voltages :
For memory overclocking, there are 5 key voltages. These are the voltages that will have an impact on overclocking and therefore on frequency rise or timing tightness. These are the CPU System Agent Voltage (SA), the DRAM VVD Voltage, the DRAM VVDQ Voltage, the Memory Controller Voltage and the IVR Transmitter VVDQ Voltage. Here’s where you’ll find these voltages in the BIOS of our ROG Maximus Z690/Z790 APEX.
Please note that, depending on the type of memory chip (Micron, Hynix and Samsung), the balance between these different voltages is different. If your PMIC module is not locked, by activating ” High DRAM Voltage Mode “, you’ll have access to voltages up to 2.00 volts. Now it’s time to overclock this Corsair DDR5.
Step 1: use available BIOS profiles
It’s a strange thing to say, but a few months ago, we were happy to have the BIOS profiles available as a good basis for our work. However, since the arrival of the Hynix A-die and now the new Hynix M-die chips, the frequency of kits has exploded, and in the end, the profiles in the BIOS are lower than the current frequency of our kit. There’s a 7600 MT/s CL36 profile and an 8800 MT/s profile for Hynix A-die chips, so we’ll have to build our own profiles. Let’s hope that ASUS will offer dedicated profiles for 24 GB kits in future revisions.
Step 2: 8800 MT/s CL38 target
This is our first objective, to reach the 8800 MT/s CL38 frequency, as this type of chip should be able to do this quite easily. We set up the BIOS, modify voltages, timings and subtimings, and off we go.
The good news is that it starts without a hitch, and our two benchmarks go straight through. We’ve run several of them in a row, and there’s nothing to worry about in terms of stability. Finally, I thought the IMC of my i9-13900KS was limited to 8700 MT/s, but that’s not the case. As you’d expect, throughput in AIDA64 is through the roof, with read speeds of 136,860 MB/s and a Geekbench3 memory score of 16,659 points.
Step 3: creating new profiles
At the start of 2024, we’d like to develop our overclocking tests for DDR5 memory kits, whether Hynix A-die or Hynix M-die. We’re busy preparing test profiles that will enable us to evaluate the overclocking capabilities of the kits by checking their stability. As January is a busy month for hardware launches , we’ll be starting these new tests in February.
[nextpage title=”The last word:”]
Corsair’s new Dominator Titanium series is an excellent product at an excellent price, which has not always been the case in the past. The price on the brand’s website is 304.99 euros, making it a benchmark and surely the kit we could recommend to you with our eyes closed, provided your processor’s IMC is capable of accepting an XMP of 8000 MT/s and you’re equipped with a suitable motherboard. Unfortunately, the number of motherboards capable of handling such high XMP is quite limited. On the other hand, if you think your configuration is capable of handling this XMP, this is one of the easiest 8000 MT/s kits to acquire and, above all, less expensive than its direct competitor from G.SKill!
Corsair has chosen to combine this top-of-the-range 8000 MT/s kit with Hynix M-die memory chips, which are quite simply the best chips currently on the market, combined with modules featuring a perfect finish and sublime RGB backlighting. In short, this is another excellent memory kit from Corsair.
Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB 8000 MT/s CL38 :
We liked:
- The presence of dual XMP, at 8000 MT/s and 8200 MT/s
- The look of the heatsinks, with the possibility of modifying the top of the strip
- Quality of finish on memory modules
- The quality of the RGB backlighting, surely the most attractive of all our kits
- A high-performance DDR5 kit
- The excellent overclocking potential of Hynix M-die chips
- Lifetime warranty
- AMD EXPO-compatible modules
We would have liked :
- Even if it has nothing to do with the kit, don’t forget that few motherboards will be able to handle such an XMP!
Corsair strikes hard, even very hard, with this series of “Dominator Titanium” DDR5 memory kits. The whole range has been perfectly designed to offer 32 GB kits with Hynix M-die chips and 48 GB kits with M-die chips. And even if it’s not often the case, we wanted to emphasize that this range of Dominator Titanium DDR5 kits benefits from an excellent price compared with the competition! Performance-wise, it’s excellent out of the box, and the overclocking potential of this kit, combined with our APEX Encore Z790, works wonders. Once again, thanks to Corsair for the opportunity to test this Dominator Titanium kit at 8000 MT/s CL38.