Neo Forza Faye DDR4-3600 2X32GB

Introduction

The prices for computer memory have dropped significantly over the last few months for both DDR4 and DDR5. Now would be a great time to upgrade your aging system. Though, not everyone is ready to jump to the latest DDR5 platform as that requires a big spending that includes major new motherboards, CPU, and memory. If you still rocking a DDR4 system that is a couple of years old, it is still quite a capable machine. You may just need to swap the RAM for something that is higher speed or capacity which would allow you to keep more programs running and may even help boost game performance.

The Neo Forza brand is a relatively new player in the DRAM memory modules and flash memory products that established in 2018. However, its parent company Goldkey has been in the tech industry for over 21 years. Backing by the expertise of its parent company’s design and manufacturing, the Neo Forza is looking to compete in the enthusiasts markets with high performance products at an affordable pricing.

We previously reviewed NeoForza’s Faye DDR4-4600 2x16GB dual channel kit and today we will take a look at the Faye DDR4-3200 2x32GB kit.

Neo Forza Faye

Neo Forza carries both desktop and laptop memory modules. The company targets its memory toward gamers and enthusiasts that demand high performance memory module. The Black Faye is designed for budget conscious enthusiasts who are looking for the best bang for the buck when comes to the memory.  The Faye is available in frequency ranges from 3,000 MHz all the way up to 5,000 MHz. It is available in storage capacity from 8GB, 16GB, 32 GB and 64GB and in in single, dual, and quad channel configuration.

Our review sample is a dual channel kit 2x32B DDR4 running at 3,600 MHz. The 3,600 MHz speed may not be too exciting  to the enthusiasts who are always looking for that fastest number on the paper. However, not every single games or tasks would benefit from faster memory and some tasks such as video editing would benefit more from greater capacity. Furthermore, not every system supports faster memory clockspeed either due to motherboard’s overclocking ability or the CPU’s memory controller. Thus, a relatively fast 3600 MHz memory that takes only requires a moderate 1.35V ensures that the memory would run in virtually any motherboards and delivers good performance.

Shipped in a typical see through plastic clamshell packaging, the Faye requires minimal effort to open and no special tool is needed.

The DIMM module has black PCB with black aluminum heatspreader. The Neo Forza logo sits on the front and center of the heatspreader. I like that the logo is integrated into the heatspreader’s graphic design where the entire thing looks like a falcon with its wings spreading out.

The heatspreader is two pieces of thin aluminum with open top taped to the memory module. They extend about 1 inch above the memory module. We did not have issue with our Noctua NH-D14, one of the biggest cooler available, despite its height, it should not pose any clearance issue. The thermal tape used seems to have improved compare to what we saw previously. The adhesive on the previous module we tested is not particularly strong and it takes minimal effort to remove the heatspreader. Not with the latest unit as we need a bit more force to remove the heatspreader. So, we feel that the heatspreader should stay onto the memory module this time around.

Still, I personally am not a huge fan of the heatspreader that Neo Forza uses with the Faye. I found it too thin and the overhang over the top is a tad too tall. The gap between the two pieces of metal makes the heatspreader feels slightly flimsy. While the tape holds the heatspreader onto the memory modules without any issue, I cannot help but wonder over time if the tape would come loose and a simple pinch on the top could  cause the heatspreader to fall off the memory. A little bit more reinforcement such as thicker metal or a clip to secure the heatspreaders in place would be nice.

The memory of choice is SK Hynix. There are sixteen chips are on both sides of the DIMM for a total of 32GB per stick. The memory default speed is 2400 MHz and it is overclocked to run at the DDR4-3600 MHz speed with the 1.35 volts. The timing of the RAM also is kept at relatively loose at 18-22-22-42. One XMP profile is configured at the specified speed and timing. In addition, the JEDEC SPD of 2400 MHz is present though it is configured at rather high high latency timing of 18-17-17-39-55

In terms of aesthetic, the Faye is a no frills memory module. There is no shiny LED with ARGB effects or overly designed cooling solution. For me, I like the simplistic design and as long as the RAM lives up to its promise, I can live without the additional flares of the ARGB.

Despite being a newcomer to the market, we are glad to report that Neo Forza offers limited lifetime warranty for the product. This puts us in ease when purchasing a hardware knowing that it will be taken care of should there be any issue down the line.

Overclock

We install the Neo Forza Faye into our Asus TUF Gaming Z690 Plus WiFi D4 motherboard with Intel Core i5-12600K processor. The Intel’s Z690 chipset officially supports DDR4 up to 3200 MHz and most system should be able to run memory at 3600 MHz without much trouble. The Faye is detected in our system without any issue and once we enabled the XMP in the BIOS, the RAM is set to the correct clockspeed and timing at 1.35V.

Overclocking the Faye is fairly simple with minimal effort. We raised the voltage to 1.4V and was able to get the RAM to 4000 MHz at 19-23-23-46 timings. Since 1.4V is fairly high voltage for DDR4, we did not want to push it further. Nonetheless, considering that the RAM is already overclocked, able to push it even more to 4000 MHz is not to bad especially considering that we did not have to loose the timings too much.

Testing results

AIDA64

The default latency on the Faye is could have been slightly better.

Geekbench

Geekbench 5 single core prefers low latency whereas the multi-core really prefer higher frequency.

Rendering

We use Cinebench R23, Blender 2.931, and Corona 1.3 to test the rendering tasks.

The scores are virtually tied here though we do see the Faye slightly edges out a few points here.

Gaming

System Performance

Conclusion

The Neo Forza Faye DDR4-3600 may not be the most exciting RAM in terms of aesthetic or the specs but it just works. As expect, the RAM is not going to break and world record, its performance is where it is expected to be. Nonetheless, the memory modules run without any hitch in our system and we would envision that with only 1.35V requirement, it should not have any trouble with your system as long as your motherboard supports XMP.  Even without XMP, the default DDR4-2400 MHz at 1.2v ensures that the Faye would still be compatible even with older motherboards or boards with limited overclocking ability.

Aesthetically, the Faye is not the flashiest memory out there. While this may turn away some buyer who demands RAM modules that offers exciting light show, some may find appreciate the more subdue look. Clearly, the Faye is saving a few bucks forgoing the flashy LED and passing the value to the customers. If you want to boost the memory capacity of your system without spending a lot of money, the Faye is certainly a very good choice. While the timing is a little loose than what we would have liked, the memory does have some overclock ability if you choose to push it even further. Backed with limited lifetime warranty, you can assure you will be taken care of if there is any issue down the line.