We have reached the end of another review, so it is once again time to consolidate everything and get straight to the major talking points. Does HP have a worthy contender in the DDR4 low-latency market or is there a bit left to be desired?

When it comes to DDR4, a few things are continually asked on forums, mainly around what is best for one's system. Statements like "don't waste your money on low latency memory" or "2133 MT/s is all you need" often show up as a reply. While these statements bare some truth, it will always come down to what the memory is being paired with. A general recommendation for years has been the higher the frequency at the lowest timings, the better. That has all changed as the newer generation of CPUs from Intel and AMD have a bit more complexity, which makes memory reviews and general recommendations more complicated.

It has been widely suggested in casual tech conversations that faster memory—an increase in memory frequency—equates higher CPU performances. This stems from the idea that higher-frequency memory provides more data bandwidth for the CPU to utilize. On paper, there is no debate about whether higher-frequency memory provides more bandwidth—it does. Basic math tells us so. However, this does not take into account any additional latency placed upon the system memory and whether the CPU can actually utilize this bandwidth in a linear scale. Many applications are bound by more than just memory bandwidth.

Setting aside things like memory timings, dual or single rank, or the number of DIMMs, AMD Ryzen benefits the most from keeping a memory controller 1:1 ratio with Infinity Fabric. This "sweet spot," as AMD has named it, is the best balance between cost and performance. Having the CPU Infinity Fabric stay in 1:1 ratio with the memory controller can grant significant improvements and a measurable difference in certain scenarios for applications and games alike. Breaking 1:1 ratio with the memory controller adds a latency penalty, resulting in limited practical reason to switch to 2:1 ratio.

With Intel 11th and 12th Gen CPUs, Infinity Fabric does not exist, but in its place, the memory controller (IMC) follows a similar practice as AMD Ryzen. Once the CPU IMC is forced to switch to a 2:1 Gear Ratio owing to its own interal clock limitations, a latency penalty is added that will offset many potential benefits of higher frequency memory. The HP V10 RGB perfectly aligns itself with both platforms and provides a memory kit for the consumer market that has an XMP profile of DDR4-3600. It is also geared towards those PC enthusiasts desiring a low latency kit that is still considered hassle free plug-and-play, just enable XMP.

The HP V10 RGB aims to be an enthusiast-grade product using the infamous Samsung B-Die ICs. With great overclocking and low latency timings where it counts, the RGB implementation has set a new standard for DDR4 lighting. As a winner of the Red Dot and iF 2021 design awards, those looking for the final piece of that top-end gaming PC or simply wanting an unmatched light show will not be disappointed. The HP V10 RGB is not for everyone, but certainly a welcome addition to the low-latency DDR4 market.