Now that we have benchmarked this memory, performed a bit of overclocking and checked out the accompanying Corsair iCUE software, there is a fair amount of stuff to go over. Being that DDR5 is fairly new, it is important to cover the different hurdles one may face when purchasing this kit or DDR5 memory in general.

If you happened to skip around, please consider reading the section covering Corsair iCUE software, as this is a big topic that goes into further detail than what will be discussed here. This is actually where we will start and take care of a concerning issues that will impact many potential customers. There is no easy way to convey the frustration that can occur when it comes to RGB lighting control not working correctly. Corsair has a valid reason for only allowing Dominator and Vengeance memory's RGB control to work with iCUE. This is Corsair's ecosystem and as such, the company wants to provide the best user experience in a single program. However, by doing so, unexpected consequences arise like this Dominator Platinum RGB memory kit not showing up at all in the iCUE software. Yes, this is correct. As previously detailed in the iCUE software portion of this review, the only way currently (as of publication) to have the memory recognized by iCUE if you are experiencing this issue, is to go into the motherboard and enabled "SPD Write" function. Considering every other DDR5 memory kits I tried does not need to make this adjustment, it raises a few questions with the answers only being of speculation. I am treading carefully here because it is easy to blame Corsair without all the details pertaining to how the communication happens on a coding level. This is far outside my expertise, so we will leave it open to interpretation.

With DDR5 availability increasing throughout the year, those who are looking at DDR5 will still find a pricing discrepancy between DDR4 and DDR5. As more companies enter this ultra-competitive DRAM market, pricing will continue to fall as adoption rates increase. With AMD announcing the company's next platform (Socket AM5) to be exclusively DDR5 compliant, production will rapidly increase to meet the demand throughout 2022 and beyond.

For now though, Intel's 12th Gen Core processors still offer consumers an alternative with support for DDR4 as well. Chances are you have heard the counter arguments that DDR4 offers better performance for a fraction of the cost. This is certainly true when contextualized. However, performance grade DDR4 with low timings is not cheap either, making the argument that DDR4 is still a better choice value wise harder to justify. It is certainly true that DDR4 offers a lot for the value when it comes to the base level performance. Whatever way you look at it, at this stage in the DDR5 lifecycle, DDR5 will remain an expensive premium investment when it comes to the higher memory frequencies. Given AMD is moving exclusively to DDR5 and Intel most likely will drop legacy support after the 13th Generation Core Processors, DDR4 production is winding down throughout 2023.

Whether you are sticking with DDR4 for now or looking at this review in a year, DDR5 is here to stay. It's also hard to predict what memory configuration is ideal in the future for AMD CPUs. Therefore, at the time of writing, Intel memory support is the main focus. This is where Corsair comes back into the conversation. The Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5-6600 CL32 is strictly marketed towards the PC enthusiast who desire to get the most of the system. Even if it may be only extremely small marginal gains. This kit is for people using 360 Hz monitors while playing games at 1920x1080 resolution, where frame-rate can be the deciding factor of a win. These are for the pro-gamers who already have their reflexes tuned to perfection. Using higher-speed memory will contribute to raising the 1% FPS lows, granting better precision when it's needed the most. However, this isn't a magical solution to increase your league rankings. Generally more performance can be gained from a better graphics card, higher clocked processors, or even lower the graphical settings. Higher frequency memory isn't a one-fits all type of solution, but it can provide a passive advantage when used in conjunction with already tuned player skills.

This brings us to the next point of motherboard compatibility. Strictly speaking in terms of Intel Z690 (LGA 1700 platform) support, chances are this memory will not be plug and play for a lot of motherboards. For example, using the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero, the memory did boot into windows with the XMP 6600 MT/s profile, but was not stable until voltages adjustments were made in the BIOS. To ASUS credit the, QVL list stops at DDR5-6400 for this particular motherboard as well. Switching over to the Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Tachyon and it executed the XMP profile with ease. Therefore, for the best compatibility, first make sure to update the BIOS to the newest for best overall support and system stability. Secondly, only buy this memory if the motherboard in question supports such frequencies. Lastly, it is always good to check the QVL list of the motherboard manufacturer for official memory support, or TechPowerUp motherboard reviews.

Coming around full circle, the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5-6600 CL32 kit reviewed here today has exceeded expectations in terms of build quality. Years ago, performance orientated DDR2 Corsair Dominator came with a triple 40 mm clip-on fan. In the years since, DRAM power requirements have decreased, thus allowing for passive cooling. As higher frequency DDR5 memory kits enter the market, a once staple of DDR2 enthusiast grade memory is starting to emerge once again. When it comes to overclocking, these memory kits get a bit toasty to say the least. Not enough to cause irreparable damage, but enough thermal buildup over a short period of time will produce system WHEA errors. This is exacerbated when overclocking is put into the mix. This is also where Corsair deserves a bit of praise. So far it is the only memory kit to be tested that did not fail the no-fan stress test when operating at 1.5 V. Corsair R&D team made sure everything has thermal pads under the heatspreader to offset the thermal effects of overclocking can have. This extends to XMP profiles that operate at a higher voltage as well. Given that this kit is using a low-latency DDR5-6600 XMP profile, it is certainly welcomed to have memory with proper passive cooling even in the worse air-flow situations.

Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5-6600 continues the evolution of DDR5 and aims to please those who are interested in memory overclocking or those who prefer to buy memory that is already binned and sold with a performance-grade low-latency XMP profile. This memory is absolutely not for the casual user, as it is not compatible with all motherboards. Rather, it is for those looking towards the future and the bleeding edge of what DDR5 can offer today. Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB get my approval for being a top performer, but misses the mark for an official TPU award due to a technicality. Until the iCUE software situation is resolved, I cannot recommend buying this memory without serious consideration to whether the RGB control workaround is acceptable to you. It simply comes down to the fact that if other memory vendors RGB portion works without adjusting BIOS settings, why can't Corsair as well. To some extent, making a big deal about this RGB control thing is a non-issue because some are willing to make the necessary adjustments to gain control, to others it is truly a deal breaker. Not everyone is willing to go into the BIOS or even know what look for, which is the biggest issue here. As a reviewer, I must follow some basic review principles as a guideline. It simply comes down to the fact Corsair is a selling a feature that could be interpreted as non-functioning without any user intervention. Thus, no award.