Patriot Memory Viper 4 Blackout DDR4 2x8Gb PVB416G400C9K

For serious people

Patriot Viper 4 Blackout DDR4 is a series of high-frequency RAM from an American brand with a strict, conservative design without backlighting. You can choose from paired sets with a total volume of 8 or 16 GB with a frequency of 3000 to 4000 MHz. In the latter case, the timings are CL19-21-21-41.

Cold metal

For more efficient heat dissipation, as well as for the sake of decor, the Viper 4 Blackout DDR4 modules are dressed in thick-walled aluminium heatsinks painted in night black. The height of the radiators is relatively small, so they should not interfere with the installation of even a large tower CPU cooler. But still this point should be considered before buying.

Beyond possibilities

Beneath the Viper 4 Blackout DDR4 heatsinks are hand-selected Samsung B-die memory chips. It is they that allow you to set the memory frequency of 4000 MHz, which until recently seemed sky-high, by simply activating the factory XMP profile. And manual overclocking can even achieve a frequency of 4233 MHz. But only on the latest Intel processors and motherboards. AMD computer platforms, for the most part, do not yet support even a frequency of 4000 MHz.

Backup plan

That is why the Viper 4 Blackout DDR4 has a second, alternative XMP profile — 3866 MHz with CL18-22-22-40 timings. Ryzen 3000-series processors and X570 motherboards can easily pull this frequency (check that the memory controller works in synchronous mode, otherwise the whole effect of high-frequency memory is leveled). Whereas owners of the Ryzen 2000-series are probably better off buying the Viper 4 Blackout DDR4 at 3600 MHz, and the first generation Ryzen at 3200 MHz. Fans of extreme overclocking are informed that Patriot has even higher frequency RAM: Viper RGB up to 4133 MHz and Viper Steel up to 4400 MHz.