A Closer Look

The XPG Lancer NEON RGB is unique, with no other brand using the same RGB implementation. XPG states the NEON series has 60% illumination, giving the appearance that the entire DIMM is glowing.


The XPG Lancer NEON memory features a clean and understated design, with minimal branding. Against the backdrop of a black-brushed aluminium section, the XPG logo is placed on the left, while the DDR5 and ECO markings are on the right. Notably, the actual memory modules themselves do not bear the "NEON" or "Lancer" branding.


On one side of each DIMM module is an identification sticker listing the product number, rated XMP / EXPO operating frequency, voltage, and primary profile timings.


When viewed from the top, the DIMMs reveal the "XPG" logo in black lettering positioned in the corner. A notable departure from traditional RGB memory designs, which is a plastic strip in the middle, the XPG Lancer NEON memory is designed to illuminate along both sides and the top when the system is powered on. The RGB lighting effects can be customized and controlled using popular motherboard software, including ASUS Aura Sync, GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASRock Polychrome Sync.


The XPG Lancer NEON RGB DDR5-8000 Z-Height is 45 mm measuring with calipers and weighs 56 grams on the scale.


After taking the heat spreader off, we see that these are single-sided DIMMs with eight (16 Gbit) 2 GB ICs. Included is the standard thermal pad that covers all the memory ICs. This particular kit does not have coverage for the PMIC and surrounding components.

A closer inspection of the heat spreader reveals that it is made of plastic, rather than a metal alloy. Furthermore, the DRAM thermal pad only makes contact with the plastic portion of the heat spreader, which means that the metal strip running through the middle serves a purely aesthetic purpose and does not contribute to thermal dissipation. This design choice raises concerns about the effectiveness of the heat spreader in managing temperatures during intense operation.


To assess the thermal implications of using a plastic heat spreader, we conducted a preliminary thermal test. It's essential to note that this test only measures the temperature of the SPD sensor, which reflects the PCB temperature rather than the actual DRAM temperature. With this clarification in mind, our results show a significant temperature disparity between the XPG Lancer and the XPG Lancer NEON series. The primary difference between the two is the heat spreader material, with the Lancer series featuring a thick metal heat spreader and the NEON seen in this review is using a plastic one. However, when we introduced airflow by placing a fan on top of the memory, the temperature gap between the two narrowed, suggesting that direct airflow across the memory can help mitigate the thermal limitations of the plastic heat spreader.


A closer look at the ICs shows that these are SK Hynix (H5CG48AHBD-X018). Which can be abbreviated to SK Hynix (16 Gbit) 2 GB A-Die. Currently, Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are the three major suppliers of DDR5 ICs. When it comes to higher frequency memory, SK Hynix is currently unmatched and without a direct competitor in the high frequency market. Up until the release of 3 GB ICs, the previous world record title was held by SK Hynix A-Die (2 GB), which is still considered a great choice for high frequency overclocks paired with lower primary timings.


With DDR5, one of the major changes is how the motherboard directly provides 5 V to the memory module's PMIC, which is then stepped down and split accordingly. No longer is the motherboard responsible for regulating the voltages, as with DDR4. The PMIC has the part number "OP=BH 3YA," software reports this as Richtek being the manufacturer.