Patriot Memory now offers an extensive range of DDR3 memory modules with their latest Viper 3 series covering a wide range of timings and frequencies. Today we are not just taking a look at a memory kit from the Viper 3 series but also the elite Viper 3 Intel Extreme Masters limited edition series, which has been hand tested and verified for guaranteed performance...

The new Patriot Viper 3 series offered a surprising amount of overclocking headroom, though despite this we found little room for improvement when it came to the memory timings. The timings of the Viper 3 series are fairly standard, as you will find most DDR3-1866 memory supports CL 9-10-9-27. The same can be said about the Viper 3 Intel Extreme Masters kit, as most DDR3-2133 memory works at CL 11-11-11-27 timings.

Those wanting to build the ultimate performance system will naturally turn to Intel’s new LGA2011 platform which recently made its debut with the Sandy Bridge-E processors. This highly refined architecture takes the original Sandy Bridge design and pumps it full of steroids, while adding a few new things. Moreover, the platform is expected to support enthusiast-level Ivy Bridge processors that are slated for release by the end of 2012, adding to the platform's longevity...

Although I wouldn’t go as far as to say you shouldn’t bother with quad-channel memory, it is fair to say you don’t need it. Based on our findings the Sandy Bridge-E processors perform just as well when using dual-channel memory as they do with quad.

Patriot Memory now offers an extensive range of DDR3 memory modules with their latest Viper Extreme and Gamer 2 series covering a wide range of timings and frequencies. Today we are taking a look at the PXD38G1866ELK and PG238G1600ELKA, which are both dual-channel 8GB kits...

Nevertheless, when testing we found that the relaxed CL10 timing of the Ballistix Sport memory made it much slower than the Patriot Gamer 2 memory which uses CL8 timing. Therefore in short we believe that the Patriot Gamer 2 is the best value DDR3-1600 memory money can buy and in fact we would go as far as to say it’s the best value 8GB DDR3 memory kit available period.

Today we are checking out three dual-channel memory kits, each offering an 8GB capacity with a 1600MHz operating frequency. These kits come from the likes of Crucial, G.Skill and Kingston, and all cost under $100, making them very affordable...

Although we were impressed with both the Crucial Ballistix Sport and Kingston HyperX Genesis Grey memory kits, it was the G.Skill RipjawsX that impressed us the most. By providing the best out of the box performance, best overclocking performance and best timings, the RipjawsX was untouchable.

Today on the menu we have six impressive looking dual-channel DDR3 memory kits that are designed for AMD and Intel platforms. These dual-channel kits are all price around $100 US for the 4GB version and for our article we will be taking two kits from each manufacturer to compare how they perform when populating all banks...

It was interesting to find that while some memory could achieve similar frequencies and timings across multiple platforms, others could not. The ADATA XPG Plus v2.0 Series DDR3 1600MHz+ for example was quite consistent as its best timings, being CL6-7-6-18, were achieved on the AM3, LGA1156 and LGA1155 platforms. Furthermore it maxed out at 1866MHz on the LGA1156 platform and 1833MHz on the AM3 platform.

Today we are checking out a new memory kit from G.Skill designed for the Intel Lynnfield processors. However this is not just another low-latency, dual-channel DDR3 memory kit with some flashy heatspreaders. Rather, this new memory has the ability to operate at a much lower voltage than your typical DDR3-1600 memory...

Furthermore, this memory proved to be an ideal solution for overclockers, as we were able to reach a frequency of 1.8GHz using just 1.50v of power. Additionally it was also possible to lower the timings to CAS6-6-6-15 using 1.50v, which was very impressive. The G.Skill ECO Series has proven to be very flexible despite the budget orientated price tag. Overall we highly recommend the G.Skill ECO Series PC3-12800 CL7 (4GB) memory kit to anyone after a dual-channel DDR3 solution for either Intel or AMD processors.

Today we are throwing the A-Data X Series DDR3-1600X 6GB memory kit on the test bed to see what these new Core i7 triple-channel memory modules can do. Although they are nothing fancy to look at, the pricing seems fair given the impressive specifications, as this 1600MHz memory is designed to work at very low-latency timings...

While availability may be poor, the overclocking performance isn’t. When fine tuning these memory modules we were able to reach a maximum stable frequency of 1872MHz, which is a healthy 17% overclock. Furthermore, when operating at 1333MHz we were able to tighten the timings up to CAS6-6-6-16, which was quite remarkable and showed the A-DATA X Series DDR3-1600X 6GB memory to be highly flexible.

Today we are throwing the A-DATA XPG + Series DDR3-1600+ memory on the test bed to see what these new Core i7 triple-channel memory modules can do. Although they are nothing fancy to look at, the pricing seems fair given the rather impressive specifications, and with so many plus symbols in the name we are expecting good things...

For the most part DDR3-1600 offers limited performance advantages when compared to DDR3-1333. That said, with this A-DATA kit being so affordable, there is no reason not to go for the higher speed memory. Really 6GB DDR3 memory kits do not get a great deal cheaper than the A-DATA XPG + Series DDR3-1600+, so that is something to keep in mind.

Recently Patriot unleashed their new G Series, or Gaming Series, memory which as the name suggests targets gamers. Today we are going to check out a triple-channel DDR3 version which is of course designed to be paired with the latest Intel Core i7 processors. What is interesting about the new G Series is that while this memory looks expensive, it is actually very affordable...

By creating a high capacity memory kit with average timings, Patriot is able to offer users DDR3 kits on a budget. That said, the Patriot G-Series PC3-10666 memory does not look like a budget product, and therefore will still appeal to the target audience being gamers. Priced at just $95 US, the Patriot G-Series PC3-10666 memory is a great way to get your hands on a 6GB triple-channel DDR3 memory kit.

Today we are looking at another new DDR3 triple-channel memory kit from OCZ, which is of course designed to work with Intel’s latest Core i7 processors. This new kit boasts some pretty impressive features and although it is designed to work at 1600MHz, the memory timings have remained tight for maximum performance...

There are plenty of DDR3-1600 memory modules that support CAS8 timings for around $20 US less. However few modules that work at this frequency can match the impressive timings of this OCZ memory. Therefore, if anything the OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 Reaper HPC memory is a unique product. Additionally, it is also quite an exciting looking product, and the Reaper HPC heatsinks do help keep this memory cool when overclocked.

Today we are checking out a triple-channel DDR3 memory kit from Crucial designed for exceptional performance and to look good at the same time. The Ballistix Tracer 6GB PC3-12800 is a low-latency memory kit designed for use with the new Intel Core i7 processors...

Really in terms of performance, features, and specifications, this red Ballistix Tracer PC3-12800 6GB memory kit really delivers. The only weakness we have found, and I must say it is quite a large one, is the price. Over the past year DDR3 pricing has dropped considerably, and while it is still a fair way off matching DDR2 pricing, it has become much more reasonably priced.

Today we are looking at another new DDR3 triple-channel memory kit from G.Skill, which is of course designed to work with Intel’s latest Core i7 processors. This new kit boasts some pretty impressive features, though despite this it is one of the cheapest 6GB DDR3-1333 triple-channel kits available...

The memory situation with the Core i7 appears to be similar to that of the Core 2 processors, at least for now anyway. That said, the Core i7 processors do appear to be able to utilize the massive bandwidths of the higher clocked DDR3 memory for example. However putting this bandwidth to use is another story, as none of the tests featured in this review showed any real advantages to running DDR3-1600 opposed to 1333MHz memory with a Core i7 processor.

Today we are looking at a new DDR3 triple-channel memory kit from G.Skill which is of course designed to work with Intel’s latest Core i7 processors. This memory is designed to work at a frequency of 1600MHz, allowing it to deliver extreme bandwidths...

Still the G.Skill DDR3 PC3-12800 CL9 (6GB) memory kit proved to be quite flexible managing CAS8 at 1333MHz and CAS7 at 1066MHz. Also keep in mind that G.Skill is asking just $220 US for this triple-channel memory kit which helps them to undercut the competition. Furthermore at this price you will find quite a few DDR3-1333 memory kits anyway so it is probably worth investing in this memory for the extra headroom.

Today we are checking out a dual-channel DDR3 memory kit from Crucial designed for maximum performance. The Ballistix Tracer 4GB PC3-10600 is a low-latency memory kit designed for use with Core 2 processors...

When it came time to overclock the Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB PC3-10600 memory we were a little disappointed with the results. Honestly we had thought that reaching 1600MHz would not have been much of a stretch for these modules. While we were able to boot into Windows Vista with the modules clocked at 1700MHz, it was not possible to pass a Prime 95 test. Even at 1600MHz the system would occasionally blue screen and it was not possible to pass Prime 95 testing.

Today we are checking out a new DDR2 memory kit from G.Skill featuring a pair of 2GB modules. Each module is designed to work in dual-channel mode using relatively low timings and sports its own unique heatsink. However it’s not the unique cooling, low-latency timings or 4GB capacity that makes this kit so impressive, rather it is the value...

Although the G.Skill PI Black PC2-6400 (4GB) kit is said to contain high performance gaming memory, the price tag certainly does not reflect that of high performance memory. Priced at just $70 US, there are very few DDR2 4GB kits that cost less, and none that offer the same level of features.

Today we are checking out some exciting new DDR2 memory modules from OCZ based on the Flex II series. OCZ has had a lot of success with their water-cooled memory modules and now they have improved the original design, offering an even more efficient solution that allows overclockers to get the most out of their memory...

First off the OCZ DDR2 PC2-9200 Flex II 4GB Series is certainly the most impressive memory we have ever seen and as far as memory goes this kit has it all. Back when we reviewed one of the first FlexXLC kits we said pretty much the same thing, though there was one problem. The original FlexXLC memory cost an incredible $500 US roughly one year ago now, and what made this price tag even more outrageous was the 2GB capacity.

It has been a while since we reviewed a DDR3 memory kit so today the new Kingston HyperX DDR3 memory is getting put to the test. Armed with some very impressive features this HyperX memory is designed to work at 1625MHz while we were able to push it much further than this...

Therefore the only real weakness we have found while reviewing the HyperX PC3-13000 memory has to do with the price versus the performance. The only other negative comment we can make has to do with the heatspreader, which by today’s standards is quite ordinary. Although it does work very well when using just 1.9v at 1625MHz, overclockers will most certainly try and squeeze a lot more out of these modules and the current design will only allow so much.

Today we are checking out another 4GB DDR2 memory kit from OCZ, this time from the original Reaper HPC series. This new 4GB kit offers impressive timings at frequencies up to 1066MHz, at a bargain basement price!

While the need for 4GB of memory is debatable we do know this, for 4GB of memory the OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC 4GB kit is incredible value. This time last year we reviewed the 2GB version which at the time cost $280 US, and today we are reviewing the 4GB version which is priced at just $155 US.

It has been almost a year now since we took the time to look at some affordable DDR2 memory, which is a little surprising really given how cheap memory has become. The top manufacturers such as OCZ, Crucial, Corsair and a number of others, have really been pushing their high-end flashy DDR2 kits as they are far more appealing. However they are also far more expensive and many users cannot justify spending two or three times more for memory that features a special kind of heatsink.

Furthermore, the design of the modules is also not what excited us, as after all, they only feature traditional heatspreaders. Performance wise these modules were excellent but again this is not what excited us. Although all of these aspects of the A-DATA Extreme Edition DDR2 800+ memory were good, this has been seen time and time again. Rather, what impressed us was the $49 US price tag at which this 2GB (2x1GB) A-DATA Extreme Edition DDR2 800+ is currently going for, which is just incredible.

Just recently OCZ released a new memory series called “ReaperX HPC” which is designed to be the successor of the original ReaperX HPC series. This new series already consists of a number of DDR2 and DDR3 dual-channel memory kits. While there are some extreme overclocking kits, we decided to take a look at the basic DDR2-800 kit first to see what it is capable of.

However, also keep in mind that although these cheaper kits do cost significantly less, they will not provide the kind of overclocking headroom we saw out of the ReaperX HPC memory and they will use much weaker timings. OCZ does offer a 4GB (2 x 2GB) memory kit from their “Gold” series which costs just $110 US, though this memory does utilize CAS5-5-5-18 timings with standard heatspreaders. For $145 US they also offer a 4GB (2 x 2GB) “Platinum” memory kit which utilizes CAS5-4-4-18 timings and again uses the standard heatspreaders.

Recently DDR3 made its way on the scene boasting incredible operating frequencies, massive bandwidths and to top it all off, greatly reduced power consumption. So then DDR3 sounds like the ultimate weapon for gamers! While DDR3 has already reached frequencies of 1.6GHz and beyond, producing peak bandwidths of more than 14GB/s per module, it is not quite all it’s cracked up to be. Take the OCZ DDR3 PC3-14400 Platinum Edition (DDR3-1800) memory for example. This high-speed memory costs a whopping $750 US per 2GB kit while the DDR3-1600 version still costs over $500 US.

The OCZ DDR3 PC3-14400 Platinum Edition (DDR3-1800) is a 2GB dual-channel memory kit, meaning that each module has a capacity of 1024MB. The modules are rated to operate at DDR2-1800 should your motherboard/processor combo be able to push them that far. The modules use the CAS 8-8-8-27 timings, which are reasonably aggressive timings given the operating frequency. These modules are rated to use just 2.0v for stable performance at this frequency, though we had to change the timings to CAS 9-8-8-24 and up the voltage to 2.1 volts.

It is amazing to think that it was way back in July of 2001 when we first officially reached 1.8GHz with the Pentium 4 processor series. Back then the original DDR memory technology was the bees knees with CAS2 PC-2100 memory (DDR-266) coming in 256MB capacities. Today we present you with DDR3 PC3-14400 memory which operates at an amazing 1.8GHz and comes in 1024MB sticks...

For years Corsair has prided themselves on being a leader in the memory industry, which is no easy task. In fact, the performance crown often changes hands and some memory manufacturers are lucky to hold onto it for a day. Of course Corsair likes to be in possession of the most lethal memory available and shortly after their PC3-12800 (DDR3-1600) memory was announced, they also delivered their PC3-14400 (DDR3-1800) memory. That said, a few other memory manufacturers have also announced DDR3-1800 memory, but are still yet to deliver.

Today we look at why DDR3 memory has provided us with no noticeable performance gains over existing DDR2 memory. The reasoning is quite simple really and it has to do with the Core 2 Duo processors lack of need for memory faster than 800MHz. The article investigates this in a little more detail and looks to the future, when DDR3 will become an important memory standard.

For some time now reviewing high-end DDR2 memory modules has almost been boring, as high speed 1000-1200MHz modules really offer nothing new in terms of performance. For a while there we even had trouble getting together CPU and motherboard combos that could overclock far enough to reach some of the incredible DDR2 speeds manufacturers were churning out. After all, there is little point lashing out and buying ultra expensive DDR2 memory capable of 1200MHz if you are not going to run it at a 1:1 ratio with the CPU’s FSB. That being the case, you would need to run the CPU on a 600MHz FSB and there is not exactly a long line of motherboards that can achieve this.

Today we confront the claim that computers running the latest Microsoft operating system Windows Vista require 4GB of memory, particularly when gaming. For quite some time now I have been using the 64-bit version of Vista Ultimate on my gaming system and have noticed a few performance issues when using just 2GB of memory. However, the question still remains “How much faster does 4GB of memory allow Vista to run?”...

Memory capacity articles always seem to be 50% fact and 50% personal opinion. First of all before I continue please note that we only recommend 2GB of memory for Windows XP systems, while you can quite easily get away with 1GB of memory. However, Vista is a memory pig and we recommend chocking any system running Vista with as much memory as possible. This means those running the 32-bit version should look at running 3GB’s of memory for optimal performance while 2GB’s will get you by. Even if you are not gaming we strongly recommend that you do not use just 1GB of memory with Vista, we have found it to be very sluggish for basic e-mail, word processing and Internet tasks with just 1GB.

Late last year OCZ developed the world’s first water-cooled memory, which was designed to operate at 1150MHz. Now there is a newer version of this memory designed to work at 1200Mhz! This new DDR2 memory looks incredible, and while we were impressed for the most part, OCZ might have gotten a little carried away here. They are flogging off the 2GB versions of these kits for $500 US! That is more than twice what you would pay for high quality DDR2-800 memory. So is this new OCZ FlexXLC memory worth your time? Read on to find out...

Back when I reviewed the OCZ DDR2 PC2-9200 FlexXLC Edition memory we claimed that it was the best DDR2 memory reviewed to date and it was! The only down side at the time was the $520 US price tag OCZ was asking for a 2GB kit. The price did however fall to a much more reasonable $300 US within a very short period of time. The PC2-9600 FlexXLC Edition memory is just as impressive, though once again it does come at a hefty price tag.