Winners & losers: G.Skill has started paying customers who joined a $2.4 million class action settlement over claims that it misled buyers about the speeds of its DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Those set to receive payouts shouldn't start shopping for a yacht, though: claimants are receiving around $20 to $25.<\/p>\n
The payments began landing this week, six months after the settlement was announced. Screenshots shared online show one claimant receiving $19.68 through Zelle, while two others reportedly received $24.60 each. As is usually the case with class actions, the amount depends on how many valid claims were filed and the number of qualifying products each person purchased.<\/p>\n
The settlement administrator began issuing payments on August 18, following final court approval on June 9. The deadline to submit a claim passed on April 7, so anyone who forgot to file is out of luck.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused G.Skill of deceptively advertising desktop DDR4 and DDR5 modules at speeds they couldn't achieve out of the box (i.e., they needed to be overclocked).<\/p>\n
Also read: Testing AMD's EXPO Ultra Low Latency Memory<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs argued that buyers were not clearly told they would need to enable an overclocking profile or adjust BIOS settings to reach the figures printed on the packaging.<\/p>\n
Modern memory kits usually boot using conservative JEDEC settings. Hitting their advertised speeds often requires enabling Intel's XMP or AMD's EXPO, while the maximum stable speed also depends on the processor's integrated memory controller and the motherboard. This is something most PC enthusiasts understand, but the case centered on whether the distinction was made sufficiently clear to less experienced buyers.<\/p>\n
The settlement covers US residents who purchased non-laptop G.Skill DDR4 products rated above 2,133 MHz or DDR5 products rated above 4,800 MHz between January 31, 2018, and January 7, 2026. Claimants could include up to five purchases per household without receipts, but proof was required for additional products.<\/p>\n
G.Skill denied wrongdoing and maintained that its memory was correctly labeled and performed as advertised. Settling allowed the company to end the litigation without a court deciding whether it violated consumer protection laws or breached express warranties.<\/p>\n
In addition to the payouts, G.Skill agreed to change its packaging, product pages, and specifications supplied to retailers. Rated speeds will be described as "up to" figures, accompanied by a warning that overclocking or BIOS adjustments are required and that maximum performance depends on the motherboard and CPU.<\/p>\n
Of the $2.4 million fund, up to $800,000 was allocated to attorneys' fees and $295,000 to administration. Earlier court filings estimated that about $1.17 million would remain for buyers, which is why the payments aren't going to fund anyone's next high-end memory upgrade.<\/p>\n