Klevv Cras 16GB DDR4-3000 Memory Review

Early Verdict

Great for show systems, Klevv Cras DDR4-3000 pricing will turn away buyers who put performance for the money ahead of aesthetics.

Pros

  • +

    The best-looking DDR4 we’ve seen, Klevv Cras DDR4-3000 also supports clock increases and timing reductions far beyond its ratings.

Cons

  • -

    Neither the fastest nor the quickest, Klevv Cras buyers pay a hefty price for those fancy, lighted heat spreaders.

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Another Bright Idea

The latest brand to bring illuminated DIMMs to these labs, Klevv is actually the newest name…in memory. Founded in 2014, Essencore introduced Klevv as its first retail brand. The firm even secured Web marketing giant Newegg as its first seller.

Perhaps getting Newegg on-board wasn’t so difficult. After all, Essencore didn’t simply burst onto the scene by the power and grace of individual efforts, but was instead spawned as a consumer/prosumer brand of SK Hynix. It’s going head-to-head with Crucial. And, like Crucial, it gets first crack at the top ICs produced by its parent manufacturer.

Pick-of-the-litter status should give Klevv buyers access to the most overclockable parts Hynix produces, especially if they pick from among its top-model Cras DDR4 or even its Urbane DDR3. Cras even comes with machined heat spreaders to maintain overclocking stability over time.

These modules also come with eight LEDs and an acrylic light spreader, just to let everyone else know that you have something special.

Like most high-end DDR4 kits, Klevv's Cras DDR4-3000 contains DDR4-2133 boot values, offering only its XMP value as an alternative. That means going into your BIOS and enabling XMP on most motherboards, though Asus has quite a few boards with an XMP always-on selector switch.

Unlike several competitors, Klevv rates its Cras DDR4-3000 at super-lengthy 18-cycle tRCD and tRP. We weren’t sure if this was due to a limitation of the memory or the company’s desire to enhance stability, but it’s being compared to modules with XMP-determined turnaround types up to three clock cycles shorter.

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Rated Specifications
Model NameData RateCapacityTimingsVoltageWarranty
Klevv Cras KM4C4GX4N -3000-16-18-18-36-0DDR4-3000 (XMP)16 GB (4x 4GB)16-18-18-36 (2T)1.35 VoltsLifetime
G.Skill Ripjaws 4 16GB F4-3000C15Q-16GRRDDR4-3000 (XMP)16 GB (4x 4GB)15-15-15-35 (2T)1.35 VoltsLifetime
Kingston HyperX Predator HX430C15PB2K4/16DDR4-3000 (XMP)16 GB (4x 4GB)15-16-16-39 (2T)1.35 VoltsLifetime

A few hours of stability testing proved that Klevv’s Cras XMP-3000 is just as capable as Kingston’s HyperX Predator DDR4-3000, providing pure stability at the same 15-15-15 CAS-tRCD-tRP. Dropping from the 125MHz BCLK required to reach DDR4-3000 to the CPU’s default 100MHz, we were also able to drop the latencies of both module sets to 12-12-12 and DDR4-2400.

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Best Stable Timings
Row 0 - Cell 0 DDR4-3000DDR4-2400DDR4-2133
Klevv Cras KM4C4GX4N -3000-16-18-18-36-015-15-15-30 (1T)12-12-12-24 (1T)11-11-11-22 (1T)
G.Skill Ripjaws 4 16GB F4-3000C15Q-16GRR14-15-14-28 (1T)11-11-11-22 (1T)10-10-10-20 (1T)
Kingston HyperX Predator HX430C15PB2K4/1615-15-15-30 (1T)12-12-12-24 (1T)11-11-11-22 (1T)

One problem for premium memory kits from both Klevv and Kingston is that G.Skill's competing samples can be pushed a little tighter. Another issue is that those tightly-timed modules are no longer priced as premium products. In search of a better kit, we’re going to push for a maximum overclock to see if Klevv can still come out on top.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
  • blackmagnum
    DDR4 is not ready for prime-time and this maker blings the looks and jacks up the price to match, thus scaring away price weary up-graders. Am I on the right track?
    Reply
  • shrapnel_indie
    DDR4 is not ready for prime-time and this maker blings the looks and jacks up the price to match, thus scaring away price weary up-graders. Am I on the right track?
    They do come off as pricey to me... in cases, pricier than their competition, in both DDR3 and DDR4 modules.
    Reply
  • ykki
    Huh.... another RAM came, lost to gskill, and went.
    Reply
  • Crashman
    If you're paying hundreds of dollars to dress up your system, these modules could up your game. I just can't give them an overall recommendation to the more value-oriented buyers that read most of these reviews :)
    Reply
  • obababoy
    If you're paying hundreds of dollars to dress up your system, these modules could up your game. I just can't give them an overall recommendation to the more value-oriented buyers that read most of these reviews :)

    Haha "game". That term outside of its literal meaning does not exist when you are talking about building and showing off a computer. The only way to up your "game" is to ditch your computer so lets just keep to nerd fest terms. I am more comfortable here anyways. With that said these and all of DDR4 is way overpriced right now. Not worth it.
    Reply
  • Newbbuilder11
    Saw these DIMM's at PAX south, they aren't that bad actually. They are a bit flashy for my taste but overall they can handle there own. Since they are the first DIMM's of DDR4 I've handled in a PC I can't say whether or not they are the best.

    I also remember touching one of the display DIMM's and a security guy got mad at me... but one of the KLEVV people said it was alright and let me see a pair of showcase DIMM's and they feel nice, but again I have not handled any other DDR4 DIMM's besides this one.
    Reply
  • Newbbuilder11
    As well, I've tested these on a X99 platform(only platform that can use these anyways.)

    Guestimated specs as to what I remember these where on


    Intel Core I7 5820k (Liquid Cooled)
    KLEVV DDR4 RAM
    X99 Motherboard(By ASUS i think..)
    GTX 980(forgot company)

    This is basically what I think where in these systems..
    Reply
  • Eggz
    DDR4 = Meh
    Reply
  • Sabishii Hito
    G.Skill DDR4 3000C15 modules aren't so special these days, I'm 99.9% sure the sample used in the review is a lot stronger than retail.
    Reply
  • Kridian
    $479 @ NewEgg!! Eh... NOT IN THIS CENTURY! Try again.
    Reply