I can think of few things more ridiculous than a tiny OLED screen slapped on the side of some DDR5 RAM, but here we are
Look, I'm all for innovation. But I cannot stand idly by and watch hardware manufacturers slap screens on regular components like it's the second coming of PC hardware without comment, and these V-Color XFinity+ DDR5 RAM modules are the perfect example of why.
"Designed for overclocking enthusiasts and hardware lovers," the XFinity+ modules have been created as part of a collaboration between Gigabyte and V-Color, and what they've ended up with is a product I really, really struggle to see the use of (via Techspot). On the side of each module is a tiny OLED display, which can be configured to show voltage, speed, EXPO and XMP profiles, and much more.
What's wrong with that, I hear you ask? Well, think about it for a second. V-Color says that you can now see real-time information about your individual RAM modules during the POST process, without entering the operating system.
Cool. Except the BIOS is also part of the POST process, and where you'll likely be configuring the bulk of your memory adjustments. With your actual screen. That displays information about your RAM.
But okay, let's say something has gone spectacularly wrong with your setup, there's no display output, and you want to see if the RAM configuration might be at fault. Why, you can simply stick your head in your PC case (convenient!) and view the handy-dandy display—except not really, because it'll also potentially be blocked by the 24-pin cable that's powering your motherboard.
See that long socket, directly in front of the module? That's the one. The cable has been removed for photographic purposes, because with it plugged in you wouldn't be able to properly see the screen.
Not to mention that, given RAM sticks are often positioned next to each other in dual-channel configurations, at least one module is likely to be even further obscured from view. I suppose if you had a fishbowl-style case positioned on your desk at an odd angle, complete with some dubious internal cable management (do we really want to bend that vital connector more than we need to?) you'd at least be able to get a glance at your voltages or whatever on the fly—but really, I can't see the virtue of these sticks beyond the headline-grabbing quality of the display itself.
Which I have now contributed to. Anyway, this is part of a wider PC hardware trend that I'm determined to shake my fist at, because I'm a middle-aged man now and I need something to rail against. I sort of get the purpose of a screen on top of a CPU water block. They usually face outwards, towards your case window, making them easy to view. And CPU overclocking is a relatively straightforward thing to attempt for the first-time user, which means being able to keep an eye on the temps at a glance is potentially a good idea.
But screens on RAM modules, for the sake of, well, screens on RAM modules? It's a step too far, if you ask me. What's next, screens on gaming mice? Oh, for goodness sake. It appears I'm almost a decade too late. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm late for my afternoon nap.