[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
After a series of tests of DDR5 memory kits, most recently with the test of a Kingston Fury Renegade 6400 MT/s CL32 kit, today we focus on the future of DDR5, with two kits equipped with Hynix A-die chips. The first one today is a kit, or rather a batch of two 32 GB strips each in dual rank. The second test will come later on the single rank version of two 16 GB bars each.
We are here on the first bars available for purchase (in China), designed and manufactured directly by SK Hynix. It will be very difficult to buy them without contact on the spot and we will have to wait for the next batch in production. But count around 400 € for a 2×16 GB kit and about 50% more for a 2X32 GB kit.
Here, no XMP, but only JEDEC profiles peaking at 5600 Mt/s CL46 for 1,1V with the promise to reach never seen frequencies and performances (we have seen 7800 Mt/s CL32 here in 2×16 GB).
As CornerJack is not testing this kit, I could not compare it to other previously tested kits. However, we leave you free to look at it and compare it with the results obtained on its Z690 APEX. 
Small summary of the kits previously tested by Cornerjack :
Although this is not a comparative test, we did run a kit with an XMP 6000 Mt/s CL40 so you can get an idea of the gain of dual rank vs single rank. A detailed article will be published in the future to shed light on the A-die SR vs A-die DR.
- 32 GB Kingston Fury Renegade 6400 Mt/s CL32 (Hynix)
- 32 GB Corsair Vengeance RGB 6400 Mt/s CL38 (Hynix)
- 32 GB Teamgroup Delta RGB 6600 Mt/s CL34 (Hynix)
- 32 GB Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 6600 Mt/s CL32 (Hynix)
- 16 GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB 6000 Mt/s CL40 (Hynix)
- 32 GB Corsair Vengeance 5600 Mt/s CL36 (Samsung)
- 32 GB Teamgroup Delta RGB 6400 Mt/s CL40 (Hynix)
- 32 GB Dominator Platinum RGB 5600 Mt/s CL38 (Samsung)
- 32 GB Kingston Fury Beast 4800 – 5200 Mt/s CL40 (Micron)
- 32 GB GSKill Trident Z5 5600 Mt/s CL36 (Samsung)
Don’t hesitate to ask us your questions if you have any problems with the settings either in comments or on our social networks. You can also join our community on the discord. [nextpage title=”DDR5 SK Hynix A-die 32 GB 5600B DR”]
The DDR5 SK Hynix A-die 32 GB 5600B DR
The kit we are testing today is actually a set of two separate RAM sticks and both are identical. You will notice that the PCB is green, it is actually a memory stick for PC assemblers. When I received the single rank version, I could notice that the memory chips of the dual rank version are a few millimeters lower.
As you can see below, the PCB and the chips are made by SK Hynix. The chips are A216, good quality A-die chips.
[nextpage title=”How to identify your memory kit:”]Basic features:
You’ll tell me that it’s quite easy since you just have to look at the references announced by the manufacturer. Yes, but that’s not enough, especially if you want to practice overclocking. In the case of this memory kit, it was bought especially to benefit from the Hynix A-die chips, so we already know that it is equipped with them.
For example, in the case of our copy of the day, this is the information we already know:
- The brand : SK Hynix
- The model: PC5-5600B-UB0-1010-XT
- Capacity: 2 x 32 GB
- Frequency: 5600 Mt/s
- Timings: 46-45-45-90
- Voltage: 1 .1 volt
- Review: –
CPU Z 
On CPU Z, we have the right to other information. The type of chips (SK Hynix) but also the serial numbers of the kit. We also find the brand of the manufacturer of the kit, here SK Hynix also. For information, there are chips of different brands (Samsung, Micron, Hynix, …) and with different revisions (B-die, M-die, A-die…).
The PCB of our memory kit:
As we have previously specified, we are on a green PCB. Far from the black PCB with RGB that we can find in the market. Apart from the SMDs around the memory chips and on the back of the PMIC, there are no additional elements on the PCB. As for the layers, no information on this side, but we can expect 8 to 10 layers for this PCB.
Our kit has a dual rank PCB with Hynix A-die A216 chips. The PMIC is a Renesas P8911 arranged on both sides of the PCB. An important point to underline because it is the only PMIC allowing overclocking at voltages above 1.435 V on the A die kits available on the market today. However, you will need a motherboard that is compatible with this particular PMIC, which the Z690 Dark is not.
[nextpage title=”Settings in the bios:”]
Settings within the bios:
During these tests, I relearned how to overclock the DDR5 memory on this Z690 DARK KINGPIN. Starting with the CPU VDDQ setting, it was set to auto during these tests with the PMIC turbo mode on 3. But at the time of writing, another method was suggested to me, it is to put the PMIC turbo mode on auto and to set manually the VDDQ CPU. In both cases, you need one of the two options in auto for the motherboard to train.
Then we have the RAM voltage setting which cannot exceed the 1.435V mark. This is because the Renesas PMIC unlock is not yet available on Evga Z690 motherboards. 
Now we come to the IMC and its limitations. During my tests, it was impossible to play with the VDDQ CPU, only the VDD2 could be modified. A value of 1.3 V is enough for 7000 Mt/s CL32 but the 7200 Mt/s mark requires to raise it to 1.4 V. We also have the option to disable Ecore to relieve the BMI and go even higher.
[nextpage title=”The Intel test setup”]
The test configuration
- Motherboard : EVGA Z690 DARK KINGPIN (BIOS XOC 0.00)
- Processor: INTEL CORE I9 12900KS
- Memory : 2×32 Gb SK Hynix 5600B / 2×16 Gb Adata lancer RGB 6000C40
- Graphics Card: GTX 750 ti / RTX 2080 Super
- Cooling system : Watercool Heatkiller IV basic + MO-RA3 420
- SSD : Western Digital SN850 500gb
- Power supply : Be Quiet ! Dark Power Pro 12 1200W
- Operating system : Windows 11 64 bits (version 21H2)
- Display : Millenium MD34-PRO 2
[nextpage title=”Intel configuration comparison”]
Aida 64 :
It is a software able to provide you with many information about your configuration, but it has the particularity to have a memory benchmark. This one will calculate the speed of reading, writing, copying and the latency of your memory kit. It is very often used to compare memory kits between them. It is an excellent tool if you want to compare the performance of your memory kit with what we have already had the opportunity to test. The version used for the tests is the latest 6.75.6100.
Let’s start with the read speed. Here our dual rank kit achieves the same throughput as the M-die single rank kit with handmade XMP.
In the case of write speeds, this dual rank kit achieves a few Mb/s with the same profile.
Same thing with the copy speed, here the speed gain goes up to more than 3000 Mb/s in favor of the dual rank A-die kit.
On the latency side, CAS Latencies (more details here) play an important role, but so does the frequency, as explained in our article on CAS Latencies. Here our memory kits manage to go below 60 ns, no noticeable differences for this benchmark not very repeatable in DDR5.
Geekbench 3.4.4 :
It is a benchmark available in several revisions, it is the standard for memory performance. It allows to obtain two scores: one in single and the other in multi. Using this benchmark, we will focus on the performances obtained on the score called ” Memory Multi-Core ” which allows to differentiate the memory performances. But also on the ” Multi-Core Score ” which does not always scale with the ” Memory Multi-Core “. The version used for the tests is 3.4.4.
We start with the single core part, here we can see the gain of the dual rank on the single thread performances.
[nextpage title=”Overclocking on the Z690 DARK”] To go even further, we overclocked our A-die dual rank kit to its maximum. And, one thing is clear, the capabilities of this kit even with the PMIC locked are mind-blowing. We managed to reach 7310 Mt/s CL32, a frequency never reached for a dual rank DDR5 kit. The previous generation M-die in dual rank could hardly reach 6600 Mt/s in ambient, that’s to say.
Overclocking on Geekbench 3 / Aida 64
So we start with Geekbench 3 with the Pcore and Ecore active, in a 5.2 GHz configuration on the Pcore, 4.1 GHz on the Ecore and 4.1 GHz on the cache. Here we managed to reach a benchmarkable maximum of 7000 Mt/s CL32.
And here is a screenshot of the best score obtained with the active Ecore. 
Then we continue with the CPU only in Pcore configuration, the CPU is at 5.2 GHz and the cache at 5GHz. Starting from the best performing memory profile of the previous table we have reached 7200 Mt/s CL32. But that’s not all.
After that, the memory was pushed again with the help of BCLK, but also the CPU and Cache to reach the best score ever in ambient on geekbench 3 on an eight-core CPU. 
[nextpage title=”The last word”] For this preview of the SK Hynix A-die memory, I hope we have regaled you. With its A-die chips, Hynix offers again the ” must have ” for overclocking enthusiasts. It goes without saying that for the upcoming AM5 platforms these dual rank A-die kits will be a wise choice to maximize performance because of the FCLK timing around 6000-6400 Mt/s.
Don’t miss the next test which will deal with the single rank A-die version, with which we have already passed the 8600 Mt/s mark in max freq test.
DDR5 SK Hynix A-die 32 GB 5600B DR :
We liked:
- The overclocking capabilities of a whole new level
- The possibility to have 64 GB on a 2 dimm motherboard
- The possible future good performances on the AM5 platform
- The new streamlined PCB
We would have liked :
- Hard to say..
This is my first platinum award test and the product tested deserves it. Because Hynix offers us with its new A-die chips a high frequency overclocking experience. The current M-die kits were the best in overclocking and reaching 7300C32 was already complicated in single rank. But here we do it in dual rank! Extreme overclocking aside, these upcoming 2×32 GB kits will be great allies for the upcoming AM5 platform.
