Introduction

KLEVV is a manufacturer of DRAM memory modules and flash memory products in the consumer market, operating under the guidance of parent company Essencore Limited. Essencore is based out of Hong Kong and was founded in 2014, focusing on distributing memory (DRAM/NAND) related products.

KLEVV has a number of established and successful products, of which its system memory lineup is the largest. The company prides itself on rigorous testing procedures to ensure the highest quality and long-term reliability of its products. KLEVV has multiple memory lines to fit different markets, with plenty of DDR4 options available. These SKUs include the CRAS XR, CRAS II, and Bolt series. With the launch of DDR5 in late 2021, KLEVV released the standard "naked" U-DIMM and later added the CRAS XR5 series. KLEVV continues to develop new product lines with the refresh of Bolt (V) and introduced CRAS V RGB early on in 2023.


In this review, we will be taking a closer look at the KLEVV Bolt V DDR5-6800 memory kit, marketed mainly towards gamers and production workloads. The KLEVV Bolt V series is available in multiple size configurations (16GBx2, 24GBx2, 32GBx2) with currently three different frequencies options as well (6000 MT/s, 6400 MT/s, 6800 MT/s). What was a PC Enthusiast product tier when DDR5 was initially released in 2021, is now considered the middle ground for all types of users in 2024. Both AMD and Intel are supported by this kit, with XMP and EXPO 6800 MT/s profiles included. Now, with the introduction out of the way, let us now see how this memory kit stacks up against the competition, beginning with a look at the specifications.

Specifications

Packaging

Those who are looking to gather information about this product just from the box will be pleased to see KLEVV has it all covered. The RAM kit is held in hybrid blister-type packaging. The front gives a clear indication that this is indeed DDR5. It also shows the memory configuration and rated speed. At the bottom is both Intel XMP and AMD EXPO badges as well.

Flipping the packaging around and KLEVV provides more information about the product and warranty disclaimer.


Opening is easy, but destructive. The back peels open for easy access to the memory DIMMs.

A Closer Look

A quick look at the KLEVV Bolt V after removing it from the packaging, it has little resemblance to the DDR4 Bolt series that came before it. This is a new design and currently is only available with one color type for the heatspreaders (shown here). These are also quite low in Z-Height and without any RGB elements either.


In the top center has the product name (BOLT V), with word "KLEVV" in the corner written in white to contrast the gray aluminium heatspreaders. It also doesn't matter which side you look at, they have the same markings.


On one side of each DIMM module is the identification sticker listing the SKU, rated XMP operating frequency at its corresponding voltage of 1.35, and XMP/EXPO related timings. KLEVV keeps the information in an easy-to-read format, which is great for those who aren't that tech-savvy and will have a hard time deciphering a block of text into something useful.


Laying the DIMMs on the side, we can see the word "KLEVV" written in white on one corner.


The KLEVV Bolt V DDR5-6800 Z-Height is 34 mm after rounding up with calipers and weighs in at 37 g on the scale.


After taking the heat spreader off, we see that these are single-sided DIMMs with eight 2 GB ICs. This is as expected for a DDR5 32 GB kit, since densities increased with DDR5. The thermal pad covers all the memory ICs. This particular kit does have coverage for the PMIC and surrounding components.


A closer look at the ICs and KLEVV covers up the actual maker with its own silkscreen. Currently, Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are the three big suppliers of DDR5 ICs. CPU-Z tells us this is SK Hynix and, from the bin frequency alone, we can tell these are the A-Die revision.


With DDR5, one of the major changes is how the motherboard directly provides 5 V to the memory module's PMIC, which is then stepped down and split accordingly. No longer is the motherboard responsible for regulating the voltages, as with DDR4. The PMIC has the part number "OP=AH FG1", software reports this as Richtek being the manufacturer.