It has been some time coming, but we finally have our first PC Part review for the site. Not including some of the cases we’ve touched upon already, like this one HERE. Hopefully, it’s not the last anyway, with many more to come down the line. Especially since, after receiving the XPG GAMMIX D20 DDR4 that we’re looking at today, I took the plunge on upgrading my motherboard and CPU too. So let’s get to it, shall we?
You may remember this from our coverage announcing the launch of the GAMMIX D20 a few months back. So you’ll know some of the stats already, but we’ll touch upon them again later on, along with some benchmark tests and comparisons. But let’s kick things off with how they look right out of the packaging.
Design
Whilst the GAMMIX D20 may not be the flashiest sticks of RAM you’ll ever see, because they don’t have that RGB lighting everywhere which makes it specifically for gaming, that’s how it works right? Their dark and edgy design with either the black or grey heatsink does look a little plain and simple, but at the same time, they keep the look of your PC sleek and stylish. With a really professional finish, these will complement any PC set up.
Benchmarks
But in fairness, it’s not really about the looks at all is it? You can have the nicest looking PC in the world, but if it runs like that guy who missed his bus, only to slow down and pretend he didn’t, your PC isn’t going to get very far. You ideally want it running like Usain Bolt, or maybe the Brownlee brothers if you’re in it for the long game, they may not be the prettiest, but they get the job done.
So to put into perspective how well this RAM performs, let’s take a look at what I was rocking before these 2x8GB GAMMIX D20 sticks came along. I’ve compared it to two computers I have at home, the first, which is the main I use for doing stuff on the website and gaming, has 2x4GB Ramaxel DDR3. They’ve been in ever since I bought this PC nearly a year and a half ago. It was a pretty basic budget build I got for £150 including keyboard, mouse and a 1080p monitor. So not bad given the price.
As you can see from the benchmarks, mine are average at best. And even then, they’re at the low end of average. They’re not particularly fast, and with the current PC, I can’t enable XMP to improve their performance so I’m capped at 1333MHz. But I do also have a PC with DDR4 in which will make for a better comparison to the GAMMIX D20. Although, it is a mixed bunch of RAM in there with one 8GB stick and 2x4GB.
As you can see, whilst it benchmarks slightly higher than my DDR3, it’s still sat in that average bracket. And because it’s a mixed set, I’m capped at the operating speeds of the slowest cards which are 2666MHz. Which is why when it comes to building your own RIG, it’s worthwhile getting matching RAM to maximise the performance of your computer. I mean, it will run, and as you can see it’s better than what I rock in my main PC, but it can definitely be better.
And you’ll see that when you check out the benchmarks below for the GAMMIX D20. They perform much better than both the previous sets of RAM I have, scoring ‘excellent’ in all areas except for latency, which surprisingly did come in lower than the mixed DDR4 in my other PC. Although not by much. Everything else, including the operating speed of 3200MHz comes out on top.
If you’re wondering what this all means, well, the GAMMIX D20 is some pretty solid hardware that performs extremely well. The set we have is clocked with one of the lowest speeds at 3200MHz, but it is also available in 3600MHz and 4133MHz, if you’re looking for something a little bit more powerful.
But in all honesty, I’ve had few issues with my older RAM running at slower speeds, and most places recommend when building a new rig, to go around the 3000MHz mark if you’re not planning too long term with your build. So, if you’re not looking for something too flashy that still surpasses some of the recommended specs, the GAMMIX D20 range is ideal.
Especially since XPG state, they have extensively tested the GAMMIX D20 to ensure it has a high level of compatibility. Undergoing comprehensive verification testing with a wide array of motherboards from different brands and tested to work with the latest AMD and Intel platforms. And luckily, our own tests would suggest they’ve done a good job, having planted these sticks of RAM into three different motherboards, each equipped with different processors from both manufacturers mentioned above.
Value for Money
But what is all this going to set you back? Well, word on the street is that the GAMMIX D20 3200MHz version should be around £65, with the 3600MHz setting you back an extra tenner at £75. However, like most parts right now, can you find them? Can you heck, and if you do find them, they’re slightly more expensive than the RRP is. So hold out until more stock becomes available if you’re thinking about getting these, don’t fall into the cold hands of scalpers.
In terms of how it compares to its competitors, well, it’s pretty bang average. You’ll find all the big names like Corsair, HyperX and more all selling around that very same pricepoint. Some are a little more expensive, some are a little bit cheaper, although a few of those are thanks to current offers on over Christmas.
There are cheaper alternatives out there, but sometimes going for a cheap unknown brand doesn’t always work out well. Especially if it seems to good to be true. Like when I tried to buy a GTX 1070 for £30 on Wish. It was a fake. But luckily, I only did it to test it out and knew I’d get my money back anyway.
XPG GAMMIX D20 DDR4 overall thoughts
If you don’t like the whole RGB gaming thing, and you want to keep your set-up looking simple yet stylish, the GAMMIX D20 is definitely worth looking at. It’s benchmarks prove that it performs exceptionally well, and is worth upgrading to if you’re currently rocking anything I previously was or worse. The only real downside is that the price point doesn’t make it any more particularly attractive than any of its rivals, and its lack of availability lets it down because anywhere with stock is inflating the prices.
You can find more info on the XPG GAMMIX D20 RAM by heading to the official XPG website HERE. And you can check out more of our reviews of other hardware HERE.