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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… Although G.Skill has existed since 1989, when it was founded by a group of enthusiasts, the company only really made its début in 2003 as a maker of high-end overclocking memory. Since then G.Skill has continued to gain momentum and today dominates the overclocking market.  However, although G.Skill does produce some of the industry’s best performing memory, they have not limited themselves to the enthusiast crowd. Rather, with extremely competitive pricing, virtually everyone has had the ability to use G.Skill memory. In fact, G.Skill has placed a great deal of pressure on the competition, forcing other makers of high-end memory, such as Corsair and OCZ Technology, to also become more competitive with their own pricing. Since the release of the new Intel Lynnfield processors, G.Skill has been busy preparing new memory products to support the P55 platform. So far they have had a huge amount of success with this new Intel platform and for a while dominated the top five spots for the CPU-Z hall of fame for the highest memory frequency reached. Still, even today the top three positions are owned by G.Skill, with A-DATA now claiming 4th and 5th spot. However, it’s not just through overclocking that G.Skill has had success with the P55 platform, as their extensive product line up has allowed them to cover much of the market. Perhaps their most impressive series yet was announced during October 2009 when they unveiled the new ECO series. This new series is designed specifically for the Intel Lynnfield processors. That said, while most Core i5/i7 memory modules operate at 1.65v, with some working at just 1.60v, these new ECO modules require just 1.35v of power! This massive 18% drop in voltage does not mean that these G.Skill ECO modules operate at loose timings, in fact we found quite the opposite. Despite there being far fewer CAS7 memory kits available when compared to CAS8 and 9, these low-voltage memory modules operate at CAS7-8-7-24-2N. Incredibly, despite the huge drop in voltage, these G.Skill ECO memory modules actually operate at very aggressive timings that many higher voltage modules are not capable of. However what makes these low-latency timings even more impressive is the fact that this memory is designed to operate at a frequency of 1600MHz. You would be forgiven for thinking that such impressive memory is going to come at a serious price premium. After all, there are no other 1.35v memory modules that we know of right now capable of 1600MHz, and none can handle CAS7 timings. So with the cheapest DDR3-1600 memory kits with a 4GB capacity selling for around $95 US, we were shocked to find the G.Skill ECO Series PC3-12800 CL7 (4GB) kits on sale for just $105 US. This makes this new memory cheaper than virtually everything else worth mentioning... |
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jed |
Posted on: 02/24/2010 03:28 AM
So what's the consensus on these, are they decent OC'rs for 2x 2GB PC3-12800 parts? Also if you under-clock them below stock, can you get tighter timings, & can they run on slightly less voltage? I mostly want to run at stock or under-clock w/tighter timings.... But on the rare occasion that I game, a decent OC (not hard-core) would be nice too! Not sure I'd have quite as much luck as others with a GA-H57M-USB3 though 
I believe the memory controller on the Clarkdale's (I'm getting Core i3-530) reverts back to the Core micro-architecture.
And of course a lot depends on the board and it's BIOS....
Any thoughts/advice on this RAM greatly appreciated!
Thank-you. |
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Steven Walton Posts: 104 Joined: 2010-02-08 |
Posted on: 02/24/2010 06:31 AM
In the review we pushed them to 1800MHz and if we lowered the frequency we could use CAS6-6-6-15 timings... |
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jed |
Posted on: 02/24/2010 02:24 PM
Is 1800Mhz pretty good for ddr3-1600 RAM? I love the fact you can lower frequency a little and get tighter timings. That's what I'll want to do most of the time, as it's a HEPC build. I guess as with everything MMMV depending on quality of sticks I get, and compatibility w/mobo. |
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Steven Walton Posts: 104 Joined: 2010-02-08 |
Posted on: 02/24/2010 11:27 PM
1800MHz is good but of course there are more expensive modules that will go higher. That said if you are going to timings then frequency is not important, especially if you are not doing really serious overclocking. Also if you are using an Intel platform then timings make very little difference. |
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jed |
Posted on: 02/25/2010 04:43 AM
"Also if you are using an Intel platform then timings make very little difference." That's only on the newer (nehalem) micro-architecture though right? Carkdale's memory controller is actually much more like "Core", unlike Lynnfield etc. |
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Steven Walton Posts: 104 Joined: 2010-02-08 |
Posted on: 02/25/2010 09:11 PM
No this statement is true for all Intel Core processors... http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/ddr2_memory_latency_performance,1.html Timings will help but not as much as you would like them to. |
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jed |
Posted on: 02/26/2010 04:43 AM
Hmm I guess they're advantage over the other G.Skill DDR3-1600 performance class sticks is... 1) You can get moderate OC's on substantially less voltage. 2) You can under-clock to the same cut-off-point as the other sticks, but do so using less voltage all the way down, & with equally good timings? I'm not expecting them to OC as well as the PI, TD, or RJ (what the heck's the difference between those three anyway, why so many?), but it'd be nice if they still OC'd decently. More importantly for me .... Can they run at lower voltages/timings at stock or when under-clocked, than the other sticks? Thanks! |
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Steven Walton Posts: 104 Joined: 2010-02-08 |
Posted on: 02/26/2010 08:13 AM
G.Skill have a range of series to cover the entire market. It is impossible to say that they can run at lower voltages/timings at stock or when under-clocked than other modules as there are so many. It is fair to say they can do so better than most. The real hat trick here is that these modules cost a little over $100 US for the 4GB kit, that's amazing value. There are no other modules that I know of that guarantee such impressive timings in this price range. |
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Jed |
Posted on: 02/26/2010 02:58 PM
Good point, I think you've helped me settle, thanks Steve! Now to settle on the mobo, I can be extremely pedantic! http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4257342#post4257342 All the best, Jed |
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me |
Posted on: 05/25/2010 03:16 PM
Uh... is it just me or did this review miss the whole point? its echo memory so what where the wattage and heat values like compared to other memory? how does it do in an ECO MACHINE like a celeron or better yet an ATOM system? why are we reviewing an eco product with gaming rig benchmarks? how about its intended purpose like HTPC or carputer etc? |
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ProX |
Posted on: 05/25/2010 09:59 PM
Yes it is just you :S Measuring wattage of just the memory is not only difficult but fairly pointless given the idea is to overclock the crap out of them with low voltage Core i5, i3 or even i7 processors. Temp wise they are just like any other modules, they run cool and the heatspreaders are just there for looks. In any memory review you want to see the best frequency and timings the modules can achieve at certain voltages. This review did that so stop crying. |