Gamers Gear Up for Legal Battle Against Team Group Over RAM Speeds

Gamers are up in arms over RAM (Random Access Memory) made by Team Group, a computer memory manufacturer. Two gamers filed a class action lawsuit against the company on Friday in the Central District of California, accusing Team Group of misleading customers about the advertised speeds of their high-end RAM products. The lawsuit takes aim at Team Group's marketing tactics, specifically how they advertise their memory kits.

Advertised speed vs reality: Don't believe the hype?

The core issue revolves around the difference between what Team Group claims their RAM can do and what gamers actually experience. The lawsuit, filed by Malcom Griffin and Karien Ibrahim, alleges that Team Group advertises their memory with impressive MHz (megahertz) speeds, like 3600 MHz. But according to the gamers, achieving those speeds often requires a risky process called overclocking.

Overclocking involves pushing hardware components beyond their standard settings to squeeze out more performance. However, the lawsuit warns that overclocking can be dangerous, potentially causing instability or even damaging your hardware.

Targeting gamers, leaving them in the dark

The false advertising lawsuit argues that Team Group specifically targets gamers looking to boost their computer's performance. Expecting the advertised speeds right out of the box, these gamers might unknowingly purchase RAM that falls short of those expectations. They might need to make adjustments most people wouldn't be comfortable with.

For example, Griffin bought 64GB of Team Group T-Force Vulcan Z memory advertised at "3200 MHz" back in 2020. He trusted Team Group's claims that the memory would reliably run at that speed. But after a year, he discovered it wasn't running as fast as advertised. To even attempt reaching the advertised speed, he had to make complex adjustments in his computer's BIOS settings. The lawsuit claims that if Griffin had known the truth, he wouldn't have bought the memory or paid as much for it.

Transparency in question: Where's the fine print?

The lawsuit accuses Team Group of failing to be upfront about the requirements for achieving the advertised speeds. The complaint alleges that neither the packaging nor the advertisements mention the need for overclocking or the potential risks involved.

The lawsuit dives deeper into the consumer experience:

• Focus on Default Speeds: Team Group's DDR4 memory advertised at 3200 MHz or 3600 MHz actually operates at a lower default speed of 2133 MHz when you first install it.
  
  
• Hidden Costs of Overclocking: Even if you attempt to overclock to reach the advertised speeds, there's no guarantee of success. It's a complex process that can lead to instability or even damage your hardware.

Seeking compensation for misled gamers

Griffin and Ibrahim are seeking compensation for everyone who purchased Team Group's High-Speed Memory products nationwide. The lawsuit also proposes separate categories for consumers in California and New York based on specific consumer protection laws in those states.

The plaintiffs are represented by Richard Lyon of Dovel & Luner LLP and Kevin Kneupper and A. Cyclone Covey of Kneupper & Covey PC.

The Team Group computer memory false advertising class action lawsuit is Griffin et al v. Team Group Inc., Case No. 2:24-cv-03681 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.