The latest AMD and Intel processors can make use of the improved performance of DDR5 RAM, which is where the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-7200 kit comes into play. It's essentially the same as the G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-7200 kit I reviewed earlier this year, but comes rocking one of the best module designs in the biz. Remember the gold and silver royal RAM sticks of old? Well, they're back, and they look as good as their DDR4 counterparts! The price of DDR5 memory has slowly decreased and we're seeing tighter timings with faster rates.

With the power of Intel XMP and AMD EXPO, manufacturers can push their memory harder, improving overall system performance. This G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal kit is no exception with rated speeds of 7,200 MT/s. It's not the fastest kid on the block with other DDR5 RAM kits hitting speeds of 8,400 MT/s, but it looks great and this is still more than what's considered the sweet spot for both platforms. If you're seeking a RAM kit that looks the part and performs well under load, look no further than the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-7200.

About this review: G.Skill supplied XDA with a sample for the purpose of this review but had no input to its contents.

Price, specs, and availability

The G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5 family starts from $140 for the 32GB DDR5-6400 kit. Prices rise all the way up to $370 for the 32GB DDR5-8400. The kit we're reviewing today comes in at $230 for 48GB and could be considered a middle ground between affordability and enthusiast-grade performance. AMD recommends 5,200 MT/s but we've found the sweet spot to be 6,000 MT/s. The same goes for Intel, which states a 5,200 MT/s for its 14th Gen Core processors, though you can achieve stable results at 6,000 MT/s and beyond.

Design and features

You'll be familiar with the design of the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5 series if you've used a Royal kit from the previous generation. The modules look identical to their DDR4 counterparts, though the RAM chips attached to the PCB are where all the differences matter. Like other Tident Z5 Royal kits, this silver kit (also available in gold) is stunning and unlike anything else in the market. It's bling for the sake of bling and it certainly differentiates this RAM from the competition. Looks are entirely subjective, but it commands a glance.

Inside the box with the two 24 GB modules is a G.Skill sticker, a cloth to keep the fingerprint magnet surface clean, and necessary performance information, mixing incompatible modules alert, and other details. The top of each module has a crystal-like diffuser for the RGB lighting because of course this gamer-focused RAM kit has lighting effects. These can be controlled through G.Skill's software, or a compatible motherboard BIOS/UEFI. The heat spreaders are standard size and should fit below most CPU coolers with enough clearance.

Performance

To test the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal RAM kit, we used our resident Intel testbench, rocking an Intel Core i5-12600K processor, an Asus Maximus Hero Z690 motherboard, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti graphics card. A suite of tests was carried out to check system stability with XMP enabled and to grab some numbers we could compare against other RAM kits.

The G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal performed well, even when compared against other DDR5 kits.

The G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal performed well, even when compared against other DDR5 kits. This may not have the tightest timings and fastest speeds, but it performs well in synthetic benchmarks, as well as a few apps and games we used through the extensive testing sessions. Its bandwidth is slightly lower than likeminded Trident Z5 Neo modules, but the latency is right up there with the best DDR5-7200 RAM that's passed through our workshop.

Should you buy the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-7200?

You should buy the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-7200 if:

• You want one of the best-looking DDR5 RAM kits available.
• You want a stable and powerful memory solution for apps and games.

You shouldn't buy the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-7200 if:

• You don't want to spend too much money on RAM.
• You don't care for RGB lighting or want faster speeds.

There's plenty to love with the G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal DDR5-7200, especially this 48 GB kit. 16 GB is the recommended amount of system memory for Windows and Linux, so 48 GB provides ample space for storing data for heavier software and games. Even a browser window with a few tabs open can suck up to 1 GB of RAM (if not more), so having more available in reserve is just as important as ever. Capacity isn't everything, however, and having memory modules with weak performance will not provide much of a boost outside of storing more bits.

Capacity isn't everything, however, and having memory modules with weak performance will not provide much of a boost outside of storing more bits. Thankfully, G.Skill knows a thing or two about creating rapid RAM, and this kit is no exception.

Thankfully, G.Skill knows a thing or two about creating rapid RAM, and this kit is no exception. With XMP enabled, you'll be able to enjoy timings of 36-46-46-115. These aren't the tightest timings available on the market, but if you want the very best DDR5 performance, you'll be paying a small fortune for the luxury as the generation of memory is still in its infancy. Performance results with our configured test bench were in line with expectations and positioned the kit well against similar offerings from competitors as well as G.Skill itself.