With memory in short supply, Gigabyte unveils high-capacity set-up that can support up to 256 GB of DDR5-7200 and is bound to cost the prettiest of pennies
As the memory supply crisis rages, is now really the time to tout a set up with 256 GB of DDR5-7200 RAM? Gigabyte seems to think so.
At CES 2026, Gigabyte introduced its Clocked Unbuffered Dual In-Line Memory Module (or CQDIMM), allowing for high-capacity memory PCs to run without the otherwise common compromises to stability and frequency. The tech was shown off, alongside BIOS tuning software, in a set-up built upon the CQDIMM Edition of the Z890 Aorus Tachyon ICE motherboard. Inside were two beefy sticks of 128 GB RAM, for a total 256 GB of DDR5-7200 memory—twice as much as the standard version.
"On the hardware side, Gigabyte has optimized motherboard circuit layouts to significantly reduce memory channel loading, improving signal integrity and ensuring stable operation even under heavy workloads," the company explains.
"Complementing the hardware advancements is Gigabyte’s sophisticated BIOS tuning technology. Through an optimized clock driver architecture, Gigabyte’s BIOS intelligently manages timing, signal synchronization, and voltage behavior to unleash extreme performance."
Gigabyte has a track record of pushing DDR5 memory to its limits but, generally speaking, that much DDR5-7200 memory is overkill for even the tippy-top of gaming rigs. That said, Gigabyte clearly didn't craft CQDIMM with gamers primarily in mind.
As you may have already guessed from Gigabyte's 'AI Forward' CES showing (or the fact it's been calling itself an 'AI company' since at least 2024), this extreme-bandwidth-supporting hardware is geared towards AI computing. The company also posits the additional use cases of "content creation, data-intensive workloads, and professional applications".
No matter how you approach it, though, any PC with 256 GB of RAM is going to cost the shiniest, prettiest penny for the foreseeable future. Pricing for the Z890 Aorus Tachyon ICE CQDIMM Edition has not yet been announced but, besides that, many 128 GB DDR5 memory kits cost close to the eye-watering $1,500 mark right now. For reference, our top pick for the best overall DDR5 RAM for gaming is the G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 2x 16 GB DDR5-7200 CL34, and that alone currently costs $520 at Newegg.
As for Gigabyte and gaming, the AI-accelerated X3D Turbo Mode 2.0 was but one recent offering made to AMD Ryzen gamers back in September. Gigabyte's CES 2026 presence was somewhat lacking in this regard otherwise.
Arguably, its strongest show floor offering was its ultra-bright OLED gaming monitor and its questionably named 'HyperNits'. Beyond that, though…I mean, just look at this ugly Aorus RTX 5090 Infinity graphics card. And, no, saying it looks like something Eggman would use to try to splat Sonic doesn't actually endear me to it any more.