V-Color Manta XSky 32GB DDR5-6600 Memory Kit Review

V-Color pleasantly surprised us with the latest memory kit review sample, The Manta XSky, rated at DDR5-6600 and even arrived with an engraved Overclockers logo! The memory kit is remarkable on the outside but also the inside. V-Color is not afraid of product quality as one of the first memory brands to release DDR5-6600 in the wild. V-Color made some significant steps in the last few years, showing that good products don’t have to be expensive and nowadays have no problems competing with well-known brands. Also, overclockers noticed that the V-Color products have potential and are even used for competitive benchmarking.

Specifications and Features

The below key features come from V-Color, and you can also find them on the product’s website.

【EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST TECH】

DDR5 memory is built with an onboard PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit) chip and On-die ECC chips to ensure faster frequency and long-term stability for multitasking and gaming.

【TRUSTED QUALITY AND RELIABILITY】

Every DDR5 memory modules come equipped with original DRAM ICs, selected through strict, rigorous testing, and manufactured with high-standard production equipment.

They are designed to deliver quality and full-overclocking capability with a high tolerance for extreme overclockers and PC enthusiasts.

【ADVANCED RGB EFFECT】

Equipped with re-designed 16 LEDs for ultra-smooth and bright RGB lighting.

【PREMIUM TAILORED HEATSINK】

【WARRANTY】

Specifications

The V-Color XSky DDR5, regardless of speed, is available only in 16GB modules, so our memory kit has 32GB in total. Most users won’t need more than 32GB, and I feel we won’t need more for some more years. We ran into the same situation in previously reviewed DDR5 memory kits available at DDR5-6000 or higher speed.

The memory kit looks unique, but its performance is the same as that of retail memory kits, so if you decide to buy this product in any of the four color options, you can count on similar results. I wanted to mention this upfront, so the readers won’t suggest that our results were from a cherry-picked sample.

The modules have one programmed XMP profile, which works without issue on higher series Z690 motherboards. V-Color declares that DDR5-6600 kits work on MSI MEG Z690 Unify-X, MSI MEG Z690I Unify, and ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO. Of course, a couple more motherboards will work at such speeds, but the list isn’t long. The manufacturer’s unconfirmed list can be AORUS Z690 Tachyon, ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 APEX, or ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi. Our review is primarily based on the MSI MEG Z690 Unify-X results, while we ran additional overclocking tests on the ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi.

Remember that most not listed in the specifications motherboards won’t support more than 6200-6400MT/s.

V-Color XSky, the same as nearly all retail DDR5-6200 or higher kits, uses Hynix IC. Hynix IC overclocks high and produces less heat than the Samsung IC, so it promises good results. This is great news for all who are into overclocking.

Our review sample is at the bottom of the list, rated at DDR5-6600 CL34-40-40-105, and still relatively low voltage of 1.40V. I say low, but it already causes memory to run quite hot. However, it is low enough to keep the RAM stable without overheating during an extended high load. As you can see in the table, there is one memory kit at tighter timings. Considering that both use the same Hynix IC, we expect that our memory kit will run at the same settings (and even higher frequency at higher voltages).

Packaging and Product Photos

Packaging

Outside of the custom engraved Overclockers logo, the XSky memory kit is the same as the retail product and arrived in the same retail package you’ll see on store shelves/arriving at your door. The package is similar to the previously reviewed V-Color XPrism RGB memory. The installation is so straightforward that most, if not all, users won’t need a manual. DDR5 memory has an installation key, so it’s hard to do it incorrectly.

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RAM modules

The XSky modules are a bit smaller than the XPrism and look better for me. Our review kit has silver, polished heatsinks and a low-profile lighting bar. It’s a perfect combination with exceptional looks. This memory series is also available in white, black, and gold, so everyone can find something that will perfectly match their PC.

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RGB Illumination

The RGB illumination works without problems on our ASUS and MSI motherboards. We should have perfectly synchronized illumination as long as the software works without issues. I also see that the compatibility with V-Color memory improved, and the XSky series works perfectly out of the box.

Below are some test rig pictures with RGB illumination on the MSI Z690 Unify-X motherboard. Sadly, the Overclockers logo is barely visible because of all the light reflections.

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Test Results

Stability at Rated Speed

We tested the XMP in AIDA64 System Stability Test, which passed without problems. Like all performance tests,  we used the MSI Z690 Unify-X motherboard.

Comparison Tests

Tests were performed on popular synthetic benchmarks and benchmarks included in popular games. The list consists of tests that react well to memory performance. I skipped older popular benchmarks and tests based on pure CPU performance, as we wouldn’t see any difference.

For readers’ convenience, I added the highest overclocking result to the comparison, so you see if it’s worth the overclocking.

Benchmarks list includes:

• AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark
• PCMark 10 – default benchmark
• 3DMark: Time Spy, Time Spy Extreme, and Fire Strike Extreme
• Superposition Benchmark – 8K Optimized
• Final Fantasy XV Benchmark – 4K High Details
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider – 1080p, high details, default benchmark
• Far Cry 6 – 1440p, high details, default benchmark
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 1440p, high details, default benchmark

AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark

AIDA64 offers us the most popular synthetic memory benchmark. Results are easy to read; as we can see, it’s scaling great with memory frequency.

We expect to see the best results on the overclocked XSky memory kit. The result on the XMP profile is worth mentioning, as it’s the first memory kit I reviewed that passed 100GB/s out of the box!

PCMark10

PCMark 10 uses popular applications to perform tests close to daily tasks, so it suggests what improvements we can expect in a non-gaming environment.

Our results show that memory kits at tighter timings are optimal for this test. This is the only test in our comparison where another brand memory kit is slightly better than the XSky at XMP settings. All other tests will show a similar pattern with the V-Color XSky on top of the list.

3DMark – Fire Strike Extreme

In 3DMark series benchmarks, V-Color XSky is a bit better than other memory kits. It’s also the only DDR5-6600 memory kit in the comparison, and the memory frequency counts the most in these tests.

3DMark Time Spy

In all benchmarks from the 3DMark series, V-Color XSky is the best. In the Time Spy test, G.Skill Trident Z5 at DDR5-6000 CL30 is quite close to the XSky, which is surprising considering the frequency difference.

3DMark Time Spy Extreme

Time Spy Extreme is already scaling with the memory frequency; the higher the frequency, the better the score.

Unigine Superposition

Results in the Unigine Superposition benchmark are nearly the same on all memory kits. This is precisely the same situation as in our previous DDR5 reviews.

Final Fantasy XV Benchmark

The Final Fantasy XV Benchmark shows us nearly the same results on all memory kits. We can still tell that the XSky is the fastest.

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider

Current RAM performance is not a bottleneck for modern games, so it’s hard to see a performance gain going from DDR5-6000 to DDR5-6600 or higher. We can see up to 8FPS more, but it’s insignificant considering that the average FPS is above 220.

Far Cry 6

In Far Cry 6, we can see a similar story with the best results on the XSky memory. On the other hand, it’s only 1-3FPS faster than all other memory kits in the comparison.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Our results in the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are not surprising, as all memory kits are fast. The XSky is again on top of the list.

The XMP profile performs exceptionally well, and I’m sure barely anyone will need anything faster. However, since we are on Overclockers then, many of our readers count on more than the factory gave us. Let’s take a look at our overclocking results.

Overclocking

Temperatures and Voltages

The V-Color XSky uses one of the best Hynix chips I was testing so far, requiring lower voltages than most previously reviewed DDR5 memory kits. The difference isn’t big but significant enough to set slightly tighter primary timings at the same frequencies and voltages as some of the competitive memory kits.

Suppose we are overclocking DDR5 kits at higher voltages. In that case, we must remember about good airflow or water cooling as DDR5 memory kits don’t like too high temperatures and start generating errors faster than typical DDR4 modules. Depending on many factors, memory modules may lose stability at higher frequencies and over 60°C. If we push the limits, we may see differences even at 40-50°C.

For daily overclocking, including games, I’m not recommending anything above 1.45V as the performance gain won’t be visible, while some memory kits may generate random errors. The V-Color XSky was working well up to 1.45V at nothing but a standard test rig airflow. 1.50-1.55V tests already required a fan directly blowing on the RAM to keep the stability.

Below are typical temperatures with a standard PC airflow. You can expect better results with a direct fan or forced multi-fan push-pull configuration in the PC case. The temperature is about 2-3°C higher than the recently reviewed ADATA XPG Caster memory kit. On the other hand, V-Color memory works stable at higher temperatures.

For the performance comparison tests, I’ve used MSI Z690 Unify-X. However, this motherboard can’t work with memory above DDR5-6800, so I had to move to an additional setup based on ASUS Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi to try something more. ASUS motherboard also isn’t the best, but it works at DDR5-7000. This was the tested limit of stability. I hope we can get something better with the upcoming AMD X670E motherboards.

The below results were stable in various benchmarks but not tested in long stability tests. If you wish to use these settings, you may need to adjust some timings or voltages to make it work without issues.

DDR5-6600 CL28-37-37-28 1.55V

On most Hynix memory kits, DDR5-6600 CL28-37-37 is very hard to stabilize. Our reviews’ last two memory kits were above average and still couldn’t run at DDR5-6600 CL28. The XSky is the best kit in our tests so far. It still requires a relatively high VDD/VDDQ voltage of 1.55V, so it will have stability problems in a typical PC.

DDR5-6800 CL30-39-39-32 1.50V

DDR5-6800 is the maximum clock easy to set on MSI Z690 Unify-X. Most users will be limited to the same frequency on other, higher series motherboards with the Z690 chipset. Those lucky few with better luck with motherboards can count even on DDR5-7400 or more with the XSky DDR5-6600 memory kit. The memory kit is scaling great up to our motherboard limits, reaching DDR5-7200 CL30 on a single slot. In dual-channel, we are limited to DDR5-7000, but I hope it will change with the new generation of chipsets.

DDR5-7000 CL32-40-40-36 1.50V

DDR5-7000 works at CL32 or even CL30, depending on the voltage and cooling. CL32 was much easier to stabilize and required 1.50V, a voltage one can use for daily settings in a PC with better airflow.

The performance on our screenshots is lower than expected, but you can count on higher maximum bandwidth and lower latency on a freshly installed OS and a better motherboard.

Some of our readers will have more luck with the motherboards and achieve even higher frequencies. Feel free to share your results on our forums.

Conclusion

V-Color Manta XSky is, so far, the best DDR5 memory kit I have had a chance to review. The memory kit not only performs great but looks exceptional. Our review sample is unique thanks to V-Color’s engraved Overclockers logo, making it even more special. Regardless of the motherboard used, the illumination works well, and LEDs have the same colors as other components. Even rated at DDR5-6600, it works without issues at the XMP profile. There were no problems during tests with its stability and RGB illumination compatibility.

High overclocking potential is a cherry on top of the already great product. Even without it, we can count on excellent results, limited only by the current generation of motherboards. V-Color Manta XSky RGB 32GB, DDR5-6600 CL34 kit costs $389.99 in the V-Color store. For only $10 more is the CL32 version, and at this point, I would suggest that as we are already paying quite a lot. On the other hand, there are barely any DDR5-6600 memory kits in stores, and at least in the upcoming months, most other options will be significantly more expensive or offer lower performance than the similar-priced V-Color DDR5.

The XSky DDR5-6600 memory kit from V-Color is an exceptional memory kit that combines top performance and fantastic design at a still reasonable price. It’s definitely worth our recommendation.

Click the stamp for an explanation of what this means.

Bartosz Waluk – Woomack