There's nothing we can do about RAM prices, so here's the best 32 GB DDR5 kit I could find in the Black Friday sales that's actually worth considering

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It still hurts that this kit was half the price barely two months ago.

An image showing a set of V-Color Manta XSky DDR5 UDIMMs against a colorful background, with a set of Black Friday and PC Gamer logos on the sides.
(Image credit: V-Color)
V-Color Manta XSky | 32 GB kit
DDR5
Save $15
V-Color Manta XSky | 32 GB kit: was $239.99 now $224.99 at Newegg

Fast 32 GB DDR5 RAM kits are currently ludicrously expensive and will likely remain so for a while, so if you need to build a decent gaming PC, this is the most affordable kit around. You're not getting any fancy RGB lighting nor the sharpest timings possible, but it's still all fine for any AMD or Intel rig. Use promo code BFAE523 to get the discount.

Key specs: 32 GB (2x16) | 6400 MT/s | CL32 | EPXO | RGB lighting

View Deal

I know this isn't a 'deal'. Anything that was less than half the price just a handful of months ago can only be viewed as anything but a deal. However, the price of RAM is out of our hands and more importantly, retailers' sticky mitts, too. So if you're hoping for a nice DDR5 kit to suddenly turn up cheap for your fresh gaming PC build or upgrade, then you're out of luck.

Anyway, let's get down to the important stuff. This kit is advertised as being for AMD processors only by virtue of its EXPO overclocking profile. However, I've yet to test a decent Intel motherboard that doesn't recognise EXPO. Raptor Lake and Arrow Lake CPUs are also generally quite happy with their memory controllers running at 6400 MT/s.

That's not quite the case with AMD's Ryzen chips. Only two of the Zen-powered processors I use in my full array of test equipment are happy with their integrated memory controllers running at this speed: the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Ryzen 9 9950X. It's not because those specific models are fine with it, but more just that the samples that I have are.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor

Not all Ryzen chips will like 6400 MT/s RAM but you can always tweak the speed down in the BIOS. (Image credit: Future)

However, since the V-Color kit is rated to 6400 MT/s CL32, it will have absolutely no problem running at 6000 MT/s CL32. What you'll need to do is dig into your motherboard's BIOS/UEFI DRAM settings to force those settings. Some make it very easy, though. For example, MSI's latest boards sport a 'try it' feature where you select a speed and CAS rating from a drop-down menu.

Obviously, that's far more time and effort than simply clicking on the overclocking profile in the BIOS, but at least you know you're not paying a silly amount of money for something that isn't fast and snappy.

👉Check out all of Newegg's Black Friday RAM deals👈

AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D processor
Best PC build 2025

1. Best CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2. Best motherboard: MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

3. Best RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 32 GB DDR5-7200

4. Best SSD: WD_Black SN7100

5. Best graphics card: AMD Radeon RX 9070


👉Check out our list of guides👈

Nick Evanson
Nick Evanson
Hardware Writer

Nick, gaming, and computers all first met in the early 1980s. After leaving university, he became a physics and IT teacher and started writing about tech in the late 1990s. That resulted in him working with MadOnion to write the help files for 3DMark and PCMark. After a short stint working at Beyond3D.com, Nick joined Futuremark (MadOnion rebranded) full-time, as editor-in-chief for its PC gaming section, YouGamers. After the site shutdown, he became an engineering and computing lecturer for many years, but missed the writing bug. Cue four years at TechSpot.com covering everything and anything to do with tech and PCs. He freely admits to being far too obsessed with GPUs and open-world grindy RPGs, but who isn't these days?

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