Described apparatuses and methods control a voltage or a temperature of a memory domain to balance memory performance and energy use. In some aspects, an adaptive controller monitors memory performance metrics of a host processor that correspond to commands made to a memory domain of a memory system, including one operating at cryogenic temperatures. Based on the memory performance metrics, the adaptive controller can determine memory performance demand of the host processor, such as latency demand or bandwidth demand, for the memory domain. The adaptive controller may alter, using the determined performance demand, a voltage or a temperature of the memory domain to enable memory access performance that is tailored to meet the demand of the host processor. By so doing, the adaptive controller can manage various settings of the memory domain to address short- or long-term changes in memory performance demand.