Did you purchase G.Skill RAM in the past eight years? You may be eligible for a share of the $2.4 million settlement for deceptive advertising practices. The Taiwanese company G.Skill has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit, offering compensation to customers who bought its DDR4 or DDR5 RAM during the specified period. The lawsuit alleged that G.Skill's advertising was misleading, claiming its RAM could 'run at the advertised speed out of the box'. However, the lawsuit claimed that 'trying to get the advertised speed requires altering the PC firmware', and there is a 'substantial risk that the memory will not achieve the advertised speed or will not run stably'.
While G.Skill denies any wrongdoing, they have decided to settle. The settlement website (https://www.gskilldramsettlement.com/home) is now live, allowing affected consumers to submit a claim and receive a payout. The payout applies to customers in the US who bought DDR4 RAM with a rated speed over 2133MHz or DDR5 with rated speeds over 4800MHz between Jan. 31, 2018, and Jan. 7, 2026. The amount of the payment will depend on the number of valid claims filed.
However, it's important to note that experienced PC builders know that RAM speeds need to be configured in the BIOS settings. G.Skill was accused of failing to disclose this configuration requirement and the potential instability and crashes that can occur when overclocking RAM speeds. About $800,000 is expected to go toward attorneys' fees, and another $295,000 will pay for the settlement's administration. This leaves approximately $1.3 million for consumers. The settlement still needs final approval from the US District Court for the Central District of California, with a final hearing scheduled for June 5. In the meantime, eligible customers must submit their claim by April 7, 2026. The settlement's administrator plans to reach out to affected customers to notify them.
As part of the settlement, G.Skill will include a disclosure on its products stating: 'Requires overclocking/BIOS adjustments. Maximum speed and performance depend on system components, including motherboard and CPU'. This settlement highlights the importance of understanding the technical requirements of computer hardware and the potential risks associated with overclocking. It's a reminder that consumers should always carefully review product specifications and seek professional advice when necessary.
