*Technical Limitations of both AMD and Intel respective DDR5 platforms, not KLEVV memory.

Now that we have benchmarked this memory and performed a bit of overclocking, it is time to put everything into perspective. We will go over which platform this memory kit is best suited for, what KLEVV could improve upon to make a better product, and finish up on a positive note.

First off, let's cover system compatibility. For Intel, the current consumer DDR5 platform (as of publication) has three generations of CPUs. DDR5 debuted in 2021 with Intel's 12th Generation processors, which saw a massive jump from what DDR4 could achieve, reaching all the way to 7000 MT/s and beyond. However, the 12th Generation processors were groundbreakers in that respect, with most users finding themselves limited to 6400 MT/s. This is in part due to the motherboard being a first-generation DDR5-compatible product. Later came the motherboard refresh (Z790) debuting alongside the 13th Generation processors, which, with a select few motherboards, made 8400 MT/s possible just with air-cooling. However, the trend continues, with most 4-slot motherboards being limited well below these frequencies. This brings us to DDR5-6800, which is at a high enough frequency that it is not recommended to be paired with any 12th Generation processors. This also includes any B660 Intel motherboard and most of the Z690 series as well.

While KLEVV doesn't outright market the Bolt V towards AMD users, it does have a EXPO memory profile included. This doesn't inherently mean AMD support, since EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking) is an open-source standard as opposed to Intel, which can restrict the use of XMP (Extreme Memory Profile). An AMD use recommendation here is a tricky one. If asked six months ago, the answer would have been a clear no. This is because for 6800 MT/s to work, the CPU memory controller must operate in a 2:1 ratio (UCLK:MCLK / 2) to the system memory if 6800 MT/s+ is to be bootable. This does introduce latency and can negatively impact game frame rates, which are sensitive to memory latency. However, the recently released AGESA Combo V2 PI 1.1.0.2B update by AMD has mitigated most of the problems. It is still not ideal for Ryzen 7000 CPUs (AM5), but future uses are still unknown. The next Ryzen series (9000) is just around the corner, which could bring better memory support.

With that compatibility stuff out of the way, it's time to talk about some of the selling points and how this might be a good product to put into your system. Firstly, while it is mentioned on KLEVV website, neither the packaging nor the marketing really pushes the fact that these are indeed actually low-profile DIMMs for DDR5. Naked DDR5 DIMMs have a Z-Height of 30 mm. Due to DDR5 having its own power circuitry onboard, as opposed to DDR4, which was solely delivered from the motherboard, DDR5 is inherently a bit taller than its predecessors. A Z-Height of 34 mm is about the lowest you will find that isn't just slow JEDEC memory. I think KLEVV should have pushed the low-profile aspect more, as bigger air-coolers often have compatibility issues with DDR5 due to the increased Z-Height, so a low profile memory kit is useful to have.

Next up is the basic aesthetics. While RGB lighting has received much loved by gamers over the years, not every product needs to have this included. Not only does it increase production costs (passed onto the consumer), but it does not always look great either. Here we get basic memory, which isn't designed to aesthetically impress. It functions, and that is really at the core what all users are looking for. A little extra points here given to the slightly lower operating voltage of 1.35 V. This may seem high to some buyers when compared to the JEDEC 1.1 V standard, but it is still modest. This is in comparison to other memory kits using 1.40 V+ for their XMP/EXPO profiles. As DDR5 matures, we will continue to see a drop in voltage requirements, thus needing to worry less about having to resort to active cooling for heavy workloads.

This brings us to the only complaint worth a mention. It is minor, but something I feel would benefit this product and consumers alike. Circling back to compatibility, this KLEVV Bolt V memory kit does not offer secondary (lower speed) XMP / EXPO profiles. Regardless of brand, lower tier motherboards exist that do not meet the requirements for DDR5-6800. An alternative lower speed profile could provide much-needed reassurance for those first-time buyers not sure about compatibility. If the primary memory profile does not work for whatever reason, a fallback profile is a good temporary solution while waiting for technical support to respond. Having a secondary profile at a lower frequency, but above the JEDEC DDR5-4800 baselines, also gives buyers a strong incentive to pick a brand that includes this. KLEVV currently does not, which is a missed opportunity. Even more bonus points if KLEVV included the JEDEC DDR5-5600 standard as well.

As we wrap up this review, it is time to reflect on what we covered. KLEVV has made a product that fits right in by offering consumers that are looking for a bit more performance over the baseline JEDEC specifications, but are not trying to push hard into the PC enthusiast realm. On the Intel platform, games that benefit from higher frequency memory should see a nice increase in frame rates (game dependent) over basic JEDEC DIMMs. AMD users, however, should consider KLEVV's Bolt V 6000 MT/s memory instead of this 6800 MT/s memory kit. On paper, this lower bin may look slower due to the lower frequency, but as covered in this review, AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs need to stick within the "sweet spot" zone for optimal hassle-free performance. This no nonsense Bolt V memory kit from KLEVV has some of the best features not pushed by marketing. Low-profile RAM, competitive pricing and zero RGB integration is a recipe for success. I only wish KLEVV leaned into this to stand out of the overly crowded DRAM market. Regardless, KLEVV has a good product, and it should be worth considering for that next system build.