RAM with a frequency of 2133 MHz. Is the frequency of RAM important? High frequency memory

RAM is used for temporary storage of data necessary for the operation of the operating system and all programs. There should be enough RAM, if it is not enough, then the computer starts to slow down.

A board with memory chips is called a memory module (or strip). Memory for a laptop, except for the size of the strips, does not differ in any way from memory for a computer, so when choosing, follow the same recommendations.

For office computer one 4 GB DDR4 bracket with a frequency of 2400 or 2666 MHz is enough (it costs almost the same).
RAM Crucial CT4G4DFS824A

For a multimedia computer (films, simple games) it is better to take two 4 GB DDR4 strips with a frequency of 2666 MHz, then the memory will work in a faster dual-channel mode.
Ballistix RAM BLS2C4G4D240FSB

For a mid-range gaming computer, you can take one 8 GB DDR4 strip with a frequency of 2666 MHz so that in the future you can add another one, and better if it is a simpler running model.
RAM Crucial CT8G4DFS824A

And for a powerful gaming or professional PC, you need to immediately take a set of 2 DDR4 8 GB strips, while a frequency of 2666 MHz will be quite enough.

2. How much memory is needed

For an office computer designed for working with documents and accessing the Internet, one 4 GB memory strip is enough with a head.

For a multimedia computer that can be used to watch videos in high quality and undemanding games, 8 GB of memory is quite enough.

For a mid-range gaming computer, the minimum option is 8 GB of RAM.

A powerful gaming or professional computer requires 16GB of memory.

More memory may be needed only for very demanding professional programs and is not needed for ordinary users.

Memory for old PCs

If you decide to increase the amount of memory on your old computer, please note that 32-bit versions of Windows do not support more than 3 GB. random access memory... That is, if you install 4 GB of RAM, then the operating system will see and use only 3 GB.

As for 64-bit versions of Windows, they will be able to use all the installed memory, but if you have old computer or there is an old printer, then they may not have drivers for these operating systems. In this case, before purchasing memory, please install the 64-bit Windows version and check if everything works for you. I also recommend that you look at the motherboard manufacturer's website and see how many modules and the total amount of memory it supports.

Note also that 64-bit operating systems consume 2 times more memory, for example, Windows 7 x64 takes about 800 MB for its needs. Therefore, 2 GB of memory for such a system will not be enough, preferably at least 4 GB.

Practice shows that modern Windows 7,8,10 operating systems are fully disclosed with 8 GB of memory. The system becomes more responsive, programs open faster, and jerks (freezes) disappear in games.

3. Types of memory

Modern memory is of the DDR SDRAM type and is constantly being improved. So DDR and DDR2 memory is already obsolete and can only be used on older computers. DDR3 memory is no longer advisable to use on new PCs, it was replaced by the faster and more promising DDR4.

Please note that the selected memory type must be supported by the processor and motherboard.

Also, new processors, for compatibility reasons, can support DDR3L memory, which differs from the usual DDR3 in a reduced voltage from 1.5 to 1.35 V. Such processors can work with ordinary DDR3 memory if you already have it, but processor manufacturers do not recommend this from - due to the increased degradation of memory controllers designed for DDR4 with even more low voltage 1.2 B.

Memory type for old PCs

Legacy DDR2 memory costs several times more than more modern memory. A 2 GB DDR2 strip costs 2 times more, and a 4 GB DDR2 strip is 4 times more expensive than a DDR3 or DDR4 strip of the same size.

Therefore, if you want to significantly increase the memory on an old computer, then perhaps a better option would be to switch to a more modern platform with a replacement motherboard and, if necessary, a processor that will support DDR4 memory.

Calculate how much it will cost you, perhaps a profitable solution would be to sell the old one motherboard with the old memory and purchase new, albeit not the most expensive, but more modern components.

The motherboard connectors for installing memory are called slots.

Each type of memory (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4) has its own slot. DDR3 memory can only be installed in a motherboard with DDR3 slots, DDR4 with DDR4 slots. Motherboards supporting the old DDR2 memory are no longer manufactured.

5. Memory characteristics

The main characteristics of memory, on which its performance depends, are frequency and timings. Memory speed does not affect the overall performance of a computer as much as a processor does. However, you can often get faster memory for a fraction of the cost. Fast memory is needed primarily for powerful professional computers.

5.1. Memory frequency

The frequency has greatest value on the speed of memory. But before buying it, you need to make sure that the processor and motherboard also support the required frequency. Otherwise, the real memory frequency will be lower and you will simply overpay for something that will not be used.

Inexpensive motherboards support a lower maximum memory frequency, for example, for DDR4 it is 2400 MHz. Mid-range and high-end motherboards can support higher memory frequencies (3400-3600 MHz).

But with processors, the situation is different. Older processors that support DDR3 memory can support memory with a maximum frequency of 1333, 1600, or 1866 MHz (depending on model). For modern processors with support for DDR4 memory, the maximum supported memory frequency may be 2400 MHz or higher.

Intel 6th Gen processors and above and AMD Ryzen processors support DDR4 2400 MHz or above. Moreover, their lineup includes not only powerful expensive processors, but also processors of the middle and budget class. Thus, you can build a computer on the most modern platform with an inexpensive processor and DDR4 memory, and in the future, change the processor and get the highest performance.

The main memory for today is DDR4 2400 MHz, which is supported by the most modern processors, motherboards and costs the same as DDR4 2133 MHz. Therefore, it makes no sense to purchase DDR4 memory with a frequency of 2133 MHz today.

What memory frequency is supported by a particular processor can be found on the manufacturers' websites:

By model number or serial number, it is very easy to find all the characteristics of any processor on the site:

Or just enter your model number in the search box google system or Yandex (for example, "Ryzen 7 1800X").

5.2. High frequency memory

Now I want to touch upon another interesting point. On sale you can find RAM of a much higher frequency than any one supports. modern processor(3000-3600 MHz and higher). Accordingly, many users are wondering how can this be?

It's all about the technology developed by Intel, eXtreme Memory Profile (XMP). XMP allows memory to run at a higher frequency than the processor officially supports. XMP must be supported by both the memory itself and the motherboard. Memory with a high frequency simply cannot exist without the support of this technology, but not all motherboards can boast of its support. Basically, these are more expensive models above the middle class.

The essence of XMP technology is that the motherboard automatically increases the frequency of the memory bus, so that the memory starts working at its higher frequency.

AMD has a similar technology called AMD Memory Profile (AMP) that was supported by older motherboards for AMD processors. These motherboards usually supported XMP modules as well.

It makes sense to purchase more expensive memory with a very high frequency and a motherboard with XMP support for very powerful professional computers equipped with a top processor. In a middle-class computer, this will be wasted money, since everything rests on the performance of other components.

In games, the memory frequency has little effect and there is no point in overpaying, it will be enough to take it at 2400 MHz, or at 2666 MHz if the price difference is small.

For professional applications, you can take memory with a higher frequency - 2666 MHz, or, if you want, and the funds allow for 3000 MHz. The difference in performance here is greater than in games, but not dramatic, so it makes little sense to drive with the memory frequency.

Let me remind you again that your motherboard must support the memory of the required frequency. Also, sometimes Intel processors start to work unstable at memory frequencies above 3000 MHz, while Ryzen has this limit of about 2900 MHz.

Timings are called delays between read / write / copy operations of data in RAM. Accordingly, the less these delays, the better. But timings have a much smaller impact on the speed of memory than its frequency.

There are only 4 main timings that are indicated in the characteristics of memory modules.

Of these, the most important is the first digit, which is called latency (CL).

Typical latency for 1333 MHz DDR3 memory is CL 9, for higher frequency DDR3 memory CL 11.

Typical latency for DDR4 2133 MHz memory is CL 15, for higher frequency DDR4 memory CL 16.

You should not buy memory with a latency higher than the indicated one, as this indicates an overall low level of its technical characteristics.

Usually, memory with lower timings is more expensive, but if the difference in price is not significant, then memory with lower latency should be preferred.

5.4. Supply voltage

The memory can have different supply voltages. It can be either standard (generally accepted for a certain type of memory), and increased (for enthusiasts), or vice versa, lowered.

This is especially important if you want to add memory to your computer or laptop. In this case, the tension of the new strips should be the same as that of the existing ones. Otherwise, problems are possible, since most motherboards cannot set different voltages for different modules.

If the voltage is set at a bar with a lower voltage, then the others may not have enough power and the system will not work stably. If the voltage is set at a bar with a higher voltage, then the memory designed for a lower voltage may fail.

If you are building a new computer, then this is not so important, but in order to avoid possible problems compatibility with motherboard and replacement or expansion of memory in the future, it is better to choose bars with a standard supply voltage.

The memory, depending on the type, has the following standard supply voltages:

• DDR - 2.5V
• DDR2 - 1.8V
• DDR3 - 1.5V
• DDR3L - 1.35V
• DDR4 - 1.2V

I think you noticed that there is DDR3L memory on the list. This is not a new type of memory, but ordinary DDR3, but with a reduced supply voltage (Low). This is the kind of memory required for 6th Gen and higher Intel processors that support both DDR4 and DDR3 memory. But in this case, it is better to build the system on new DDR4 memory.

6. Marking of memory modules

Memory modules are labeled according to the type of memory and its frequency. DDR memory modules are labeled with PC followed by a number indicating generation and speed in megabytes per second (Mb / s).

This marking is inconvenient to navigate, it is enough to know the type of memory (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), its frequency and latency. But sometimes, for example, on ad sites, you can see the markings rewritten from the bar. Therefore, so that you can navigate in this case, I will give the marking in the classic form, indicating the type of memory, its frequency and typical latency.

DDR - Obsolete

• PC-2100 (DDR 266 MHz) - CL 2.5
• PC-2700 (DDR 333 MHz) - CL 2.5
• PC-3200 (DDR 400 MHz) - CL 2.5

DDR2 - obsolete

• PC2-4200 (DDR2 533 MHz) - CL 5
• PC2-5300 (DDR2 667 MHz) - CL 5
• PC2-6400 (DDR2 800 MHz) - CL 5
• PC2-8500 (DDR2 1066 MHz) - CL 5

DDR3 - Obsolete

• PC3-10600 (DDR3 1333 MHz) - CL 9
• PC3-12800 (DDR3 1600 MHz) - CL 11
• PC3-14400 (DDR3 1866 MHz) - CL 11
• PC3-16000 (DDR3 2000 MHz) - CL 11

• PC4-17000 (DDR4 2133 MHz) - CL 15
• PC4-19200 (DDR4 2400 MHz) - CL 16
• PC4-21300 (DDR4 2666 MHz) - CL 16
• PC4-24000 (DDR4 3000 MHz) - CL 16
• PC4-25600 (DDR4 3200 MHz) - CL 16

DDR3 and DDR4 memory can be at a higher frequency, but only top-end processors and more expensive motherboards can work with it.

7. Design of memory modules

Memory strips can be single-sided, double-sided, with or without heatsinks.

7.1. Chip placement

Chips on memory modules can be located on one side of the board (single-sided) and on both sides (double-sided).

It doesn't matter if you are purchasing memory for a new computer. If you want to add memory to an old PC, then it is desirable that the location of the chips on the new strip is the same as on the old one. This will help avoid compatibility issues and increase the likelihood of memory working in dual channel mode, which we will talk about later in this article.

Now on sale you can find many memory modules with aluminum heatsinks of various colors and shapes.

The presence of heatsinks can be justified on DDR3 memory with a high frequency (1866 MHz and more), since it gets hotter. At the same time, ventilation should be well organized in the case.

Modern DDR4 RAM with a frequency of 2400, 2666 MHz practically does not heat up and the radiators on it will be purely decorative. They can even get in the way, as after a while they become clogged with dust, which is difficult to clean out of them. In addition, the cost of such memory will be somewhat more expensive. So, if you want, you can save on this, for example, by taking Crucial's excellent 2400 MHz memory without heatsinks.

The memory with a frequency of 3000 MHz and more has an increased supply voltage, but it also does not heat up very much and in any case there will be radiators on it.

8. Memory for laptops

Notebook memory is different from memory for stationary computers only by the size of the memory module and is marked with SO-DIMM DDR. As well as for stationary computers, memory for laptops has the types DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4.

In terms of frequency, timings and supply voltage, memory for laptops does not differ from memory for computers. But laptops are only equipped with 1 or 2 memory slots and have stricter maximum capacity limits. Be sure to check these parameters before choosing memory for a specific laptop model.

9. Modes of memory operation

The memory can operate in Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel or Quad Channel.

In single-channel mode, data is written sequentially to each module. In multichannel modes, data recording occurs in parallel to all modules, which leads to a significant increase in the speed of the memory subsystem.

Only hopelessly outdated motherboards with DDR memory and the first models with DDR2 are limited to single-channel memory operation.

All modern motherboards support two-channel mode memory operation, and three-channel and four-channel modes are supported only by a few single models of very expensive motherboards.

The main condition for the two-channel mode to work is the presence of 2 or 4 memory strips. For a three-channel mode, 3 or 6 memory strips are required, and for a four-channel mode, 4 or 8 strips.

It is desirable that all memory modules are the same. Otherwise, dual channel operation is not guaranteed.

If you want to add memory to an old computer and your motherboard supports dual-channel mode, try to choose the most identical bar in all respects. It is best to sell the old one and buy 2 new identical strips.

In modern computers, memory controllers have been moved from the motherboard to the processor. Now it is not so important that the memory modules are the same, since the processor in most cases will still be able to activate dual-channel mode. This means that if in the future you want to add memory to a modern computer, then it will not be necessary to look for exactly the same module, it is enough to choose the most similar in characteristics. Still, I recommend that the memory modules are the same. This will give you the guarantee of its fast and stable operation.

With the transfer of memory controllers to the processor, 2 more modes of dual-channel memory operation appeared - Ganged (paired) and Unganged (unpaired). If the memory modules are the same, the processor can work with them in Ganged mode, as before. If the modules differ in characteristics, the processor can activate the Unganged mode to eliminate imbalances in working with memory. In general, the memory speed in these modes is practically the same and does not make any difference.

The only drawback of dual-channel mode is that multiple memory modules are more expensive than one of the same size. But if you are not very tightly constrained in funds, then buy 2 strips, the memory speed will be much higher.

If you need, say, 16 GB of RAM, but you cannot afford it yet, then you can purchase one 8 GB stick in order to add another one of the same in the future. But it is still better to purchase two identical strips at once, since later you may not be able to find the same one and you will face a compatibility problem.

10. Manufacturers of memory modules

One of the best price / quality ratios today has the memory of the impeccably proven brand Crucial, which has modules from budget to gaming (Ballistix).

Along with it, the well-deserved popularity of the Corsair brand competes, the memory of which is somewhat more expensive.

As an inexpensive but high-quality alternative, I especially recommend the Polish brand Goodram, which has bars with low timings for a low price (Play line).

For an inexpensive office computer, a simple and reliable memory made by AMD or Transcend will suffice. They have proven themselves perfectly and there are practically no problems with them.

In general, the Korean companies Hynix and Samsung are considered the leaders in memory production. But now modules of these brands are mass-produced in cheap Chinese factories and there are a lot of fakes among them. Therefore, I do not recommend purchasing memory from these brands.

An exception may be Hynix Original and Samsung Original memory modules, which are manufactured in Korea. These strips are usually blue in color, their quality is considered better than the ones made in China and the warranty on them is slightly higher. But in terms of speed characteristics, they are inferior to memory with lower timings of other high-quality brands.

Well, for enthusiasts and mod lovers there are available overclocking brands GeIL, G.Skill, Team. Their memory is distinguished by low timings, high overclocking potential, unusual appearance and is slightly cheaper than the promoted Corsair brand.

There is also a wide range of memory modules on sale from the very popular manufacturer Kingston. The memory sold under the budget Kingston brand has never been of high quality. But they have a top-end HyperX series that is well-deservedly popular, which can be recommended for purchase, but it is often overpriced.

11. Packing memory

It is better to purchase memory individually wrapped.

She is usually more High Quality and the likelihood of damage in transit is much lower than that of unpackaged memory.

12. Increase memory

If you are planning to add memory to your existing computer or laptop, then first find out what the maximum amount of brackets and the total amount of memory your motherboard or laptop can support.

Also check how many memory slots are on the motherboard or laptop, how many of them are occupied, and what brackets are installed in them. Better to do it visually. Open the case, take out the memory sticks, examine them and rewrite all the specifications (or take a photo).

If for some reason you do not want to go into the case, then you can see the memory parameters in the program on the SPD tab. Thus, you will not recognize a one-sided strip or a double-sided one, but you can find out the characteristics of the memory if there is no sticker on the strip.

There is a base and effective memory frequency. The CPU-Z program and many similar ones show the base frequency, it needs to be multiplied by 2.

After you know how much memory you can increase, how many free slots and what memory you have installed, you can start exploring the possibilities for increasing memory.

If all the memory slots are occupied, then the only way to increase the memory is to replace the existing strips with new, larger ones. And the old planks can be sold on the ad site or handed over for exchange at computer store when buying new ones.

If there are free slots, then you can add new ones to the existing memory strips. At the same time, it is desirable that the new strips are as close as possible in terms of characteristics to those already established. This avoids various compatibility issues and improves the chances of the memory operating in dual channel mode. To do this, the following conditions must be met, in order of importance.

1. The memory type must match (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4).
2. The supply voltage for all strips must be the same.
3. All planks must be single-sided or double-sided.
4. The frequency of all bars must be the same.
5. All strips must be of the same size (for two-channel mode).
6. The number of strips must be even: 2, 4 (for two-channel mode).
7. It is desirable to match the latency (CL).
8. It is desirable that the strips are from the same manufacturer.

The easiest way to start your selection is with the manufacturer. Choose in the catalog of the online store the trims of the same manufacturer, volume and frequency as you have set. Make sure the supply voltage is the same and check with your consultant if they are one-way or two-way. If the latency still matches, then it's generally good.

If you did not manage to find slats of the same manufacturer that are similar in characteristics, then choose all the others from the list of recommended ones. Then again look for the bars of the required volume and frequency, check the supply voltage and specify whether they are one-sided or two-sided. If you can't find similar trims, then look in another store, catalog or classifieds site.

Always the best option is to sell all the old memory and buy 2 new identical strips. If the motherboard does not support the required amount of strips, you may need to buy 4 of the same strips.

13. Setting up filters in the online store

1. Go to the "RAM" section on the seller's website.
2. Select the recommended manufacturers.
3. Select the form factor (DIMM for PC, SO-DIMM for laptop).
4. Select the type of memory (DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4).
5. Select the required amount of strips (2, 4, 8 GB).
6. Select the maximum frequency supported by the processor (1600, 1866, 2133, 2400 MHz).
7. If your motherboard supports XMP, add higher frequency memory (2666, 3000 MHz) to the sample.
8. Sort the sample by price.
9. View all positions one by one, starting with the cheapest ones.
10. Choose several planks that are suitable for the frequency.
11. If the difference in price is acceptable for you, choose the strips with higher frequency and lower latency (CL).

Thus, you will get the memory that is optimal in terms of price / quality / speed ratio at the lowest possible cost.

14. Links

RAM Corsair CMK16GX4M2A2400C16
RAM Corsair CMK8GX4M2A2400C16
RAM Crucial CT2K4G4DFS824A

Reviews of new memory modules appear on our site quite regularly. This time we will test high-speed dual-channel DDR3 memory kits with a total capacity of 16 GB. A distinctive feature of all these kits is the presence of Intel XMP profiles (Extreme Memory Profiles), which can be used on motherboards for Intel processors with support for XMP profiles.

Instead of a preface to this review, I would like to make a few comments about modern DDR3 memory.

As you know, almost all manufacturers of memory modules offer a very wide range of products targeted at various categories of users. This is common memory, gaming memory, and memory for overclockers. Recall that there are not so many manufacturers of memory chips themselves: the industry leaders are companies such as Samsung, Micron and Hynix. It is clear that the manufacturers of modules have not that great choice. So where does such a wide range of products come from?

Of course, all these different memory series are pure marketing. Memory modules belonging to different series may have absolutely the same characteristics (and even the same memory chips) and differ only in the color of the heatsink. By the way, the heatsinks themselves on memory modules are purely decorative and, by and large, pointless thing. Well, the memory chips do not heat up so much that they need cooling using radiators! Let's not be unfounded and confirm what we have said with facts.

In order to demonstrate the senselessness of heatsinks on memory modules, we used a pyrometer, which allows us to remotely determine the temperature change. One time we used a DDR3-2400 memory module with a heatsink, and another time we didn’t. The supply voltage was 1.65 V (standard supply voltage was 1.5 V). To load the memory, we used the Stress System Memory stress test in the AIDA64 utility. Our measurement results are as follows. When the memory is working with a heatsink, the temperature of the heatsink increases by 7-8 ° C in the memory loading mode compared to the temperature in idle mode. When the memory module is operating without a heatsink, the temperature of the memory chips increases by 15-16 ° C in the memory loading mode compared to the temperature in the idle mode. It would seem that the difference of 7 ° C is not so little. But the point is that the absolute temperature of memory chips in the mode of their stress loading is only 45-46 ° C, which is absolutely uncritical for a microcircuit.

Of course, you can try to overclock the memory even further by applying a higher voltage and increasing the frequency. But even if the memory starts up at this higher frequency, in terms of heating, this will not give a significant increase. So, once again, we note that modern memory modules do not need heatsinks.

In general, heatsinks on modern memory modules do not so much function as a heat sink, but rather allow manufacturers to simply expand their product range. I painted the radiator black - here's a new memory line for overclockers; installed pink heatsinks - got a new line of memory for girls ... Besides the possibility of obtaining various lines of memory, heatsinks are also a sign that we are talking about high-speed memory modules that operate at a higher frequency not specified in the JEDEC specification.

Recall that, according to the JEDEC standard, the maximum (effective) frequency of DDR3 memory is 1333 MHz with timings of 9-9-9 and a supply voltage of 1.5 V. Naturally, any modern DDR3 memory will operate at a frequency of 1333 MHz at 1.5 V , however, all memory manufacturers also produce faster modules (DDR3-1600 / 1866/2133/2400/2600), guaranteeing their stable operation in such overclocking mode. Memory operation at higher frequencies can be realized both through the XMP profile, in which the frequency, supply voltage and timings are prescribed, and when setting all the listed parameters in manual mode (if BIOS boards does not support XMP profiles). However, do not forget that the ability of the memory to run at a higher speed than provided by the JEDEC specification depends not only on the module, but also on the memory controller integrated into the processor. For new processors Intel Core The fourth generation (codenamed Haswell) memory controller officially only supports DDR3-1600 memory. Naturally, it is able to support faster memory as well, but without any guarantees (how lucky you are). As practice shows, most Haswell processors can support DDR3-1866 / 2133/2400/2600 memory without any problems.

Increasing the memory frequency, as a rule, requires changing other parameters as well - timings, the supply voltage of the memory modules themselves and the supply voltage of the memory controller. The memory supply voltage, of course, does not affect the system performance in any way, but an increase in timings with a simultaneous increase in clock frequency can lead to the fact that DDR3-2133 memory with lower timings will be more efficient in performance than DDR3-2400 memory with higher timings. Therefore, it is far from always worth chasing higher clock frequencies.

As for the influence of the speed characteristics of memory on the performance of the system as a whole, everything is very ambiguous here. In general, custom applications that would receive tangible the increase in performance (speed of execution of tasks) from an increase in the memory frequency simply does not exist. That is, the fact that you double the memory frequency does not mean at all that there will be such applications in which the speed of task execution will also double. In some applications, such an increase in clock frequency will not affect the speed at all, while in others the increase in speed will be, but very modest. An increase in the clock frequency in the processor in many (but also not in all) applications leads to an adequate increase in the speed of task execution, but with memory everything is a little different. However, we have already talked about this many times. Let's make a reservation that such reasoning is valid provided that the memory operates in [at least] two-channel mode, but in modern systems this condition is almost always met. And even single-channel memory (such options can be found in some laptops) will not double the speedup when the operating frequency is doubled. On the other hand, even if in some applications the performance gain from using faster memory is 5-7%, why not? Especially considering that the difference in cost between the usual (DDR3-1333) and high-speed memory of the same size is not so great.

Next, we will look at several dual-channel sets of modern high-speed DDR3 memory with a total volume of 16 GB. These are kits of two or four memory models: if the kit consists of four modules, it was installed into the test system, two modules per channel, but in the case of two modules, one module per channel. So, let's start with a more detailed acquaintance with the participants in our testing.

Kingston HyperX Predator KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X

Kingston HyperX Predator KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory refers to the Kingston HyperX Predator series overclocking gaming memory. You can read the following user caution regarding this memory series: “Users may experience severe motion sickness and / or complete loss of orientation due to the extremely high speeds achieved with HyperX Predator modules. They are not intended for children, faint-hearted people, people who are in no hurry, and for all those who can be content with little. With memory speeds up to 2666 MHz, a new heatsink for improved heat dissipation, Intel XMP support, compatibility with all major motherboards, and legendary Kingston reliability. We would even recommend using a helmet. "

This is, of course, a joke, but it definitely characterizes the audience for which these memory modules are targeted.

HyperX Predator KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory is a set of two DDR3-2400 modules with a total capacity of 8 GB. Let's make a reservation right away that we used two sets of HyperX Predator KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory so that the total volume was 16 GB.

These memory modules are labeled KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X. Recall that for Kingston HyperX memory modules, the following decoding of the marking is used. The first three letters - KHX - indicate that this is Kingston HyperX memory. The next two digits define the memory clock speed. In our case, this is 24, which corresponds to a clock frequency of 2400 MHz. Next, the CAS Latency value is set. Here, C11 indicates that the CAS Latency is 11 clocks. The next two characters (in our case T2) identify the type of memory within the Kingston HyperX series. The following is the number of memory modules included in the kit. So, K2 corresponds to two memory modules. The slash indicates the total memory capacity for the kit in gigabytes, and the presence of the letter X indicates the memory compatibility with Intel XMP profiles (eXtreme Memory Profiles).

Thus, the KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X marking means that we are talking about a set of two DDR3 Kingston HyperX Predator memory modules with a clock frequency of 2400 MHz and a CAS Latency value of 11 cycles. The total memory capacity is 8 GB, in addition, the memory is compatible with Intel XMP profiles.

According to the specification, the KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory modules support operation at a frequency of 1333 MHz with a supply voltage of 1.5 V and timings of 9-9-9 (JEDEC specification), as well as two XMP profiles. The first profile corresponds to a clock frequency of 2400 MHz, and the second to a frequency of 2133 MHz. For the first XMP profile, the supply voltage is 1.65 V, and the timings are 11-13-13. For the second XMP profile, the supply voltage is 1.60 V, and the timings are 11-12-11.

It remains to add that the KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory modules have proprietary heatsinks for efficient heat dissipation, and the height of the memory module with the heatsink is 53.9 mm, and its thickness is 7.24 mm.

On our test bench (see below), the Kingston HyperX Predator DDR3-2400 KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X started up without problems when using the XMP profile at 2400 MHz (timings 11-13-13). The frequency of 2600 MHz, with unchanged timings, was beyond the capacity of Kingston HyperX Predator DDR3-2400 KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory modules. However, they are not required to operate at this frequency.

Below are the results of tests of a set of Kingston HyperX Predator DDR3-2400 KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory modules at a frequency of 1333 MHz (9-9-9-24) and 2400 MHz (11-13-13-30) in the AIDA64 program. Let us remind you once again that during testing we used two sets of Kingston HyperX Predator DDR3-2400 KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory.

Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X

The Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X memory belongs to the Kingston series overclocking gaming memory.

A distinctive feature of the memory modules of this series is that they use black printed circuit boards and a black aluminum heatsink.

The manufacturer's website notes that this design was made at the request of HyperX fans "to aggressively improve any system enthusiasts." It is not very clear what is meant (apparently, these are the features of the translation), but “at the request of HyperX fans” - it's just like in the USSR, when prices were raised at the request of workers.

Again, according to the manufacturer's website, the HyperX Beast series memory modules are designed to work with 3rd generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and AMD processors.

Actually, there is only one comment here - this information is already outdated, and the memory modules of this series are perfectly compatible with fourth-generation Intel Core processors.

We also add that HyperX Beast series memory modules are available in dual-channel and quad-channel kits with capacities from 8 to 64 GB and frequencies up to 2400 MHz. The modules of this series are provided with a lifetime warranty.

Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X is a dual channel set of two memory modules with a total capacity of 16 GB (2 × 8 GB). As follows from the KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X marking, the modules of this memory can operate at a clock frequency of 2133 MHz, and the CAS Latency value is 11 clock cycles.

According to Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X memory modules, they support operation at a frequency of 1333 MHz with a supply voltage of 1.5 V and timings of 9-9-9 (JEDEC specification), as well as two XMP profiles. The first profile corresponds to a clock frequency of 2133 MHz, and the second to a frequency of 1600 MHz. For the first XMP profile, the supply voltage is 1.60 V, and the timings are 11-12-11. For the second XMP profile, the supply voltage is 1.5 V, and the timings are 9-9-9.

On our test bench, the Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X memory started up without problems when using the XMP profile at 2133 MHz (timings 11-12-11-30).

In addition, as it turned out, the Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X memory kit works without problems at a frequency of 2400 MHz, moreover, with the same timings as at a frequency of 2133 MHz.

Geil Evo Veloce Frost White GEW316GB2400C11ADC

Geil Evo Veloce Frost White GEW316GB2400C11ADC dual-channel memory kit belongs to the series announced by the company in 2012. Memory kits of this series are equipped with Maximum Thermal Conduction & Dissipation heatsinks in red or white. Memory modules with white heatsinks are called Frost White, and those with red heatsinks are called Hot-rod Red.

In general, I must say that Geil's assortment has a huge amount of different series DDR3 memory, and, in each series, there are several options for memory modules. Why such a huge range of products is needed is not very clear. After all, it is obvious that if we discard all the marketing "nonsense", it turns out that the memory modules hiding behind heatsinks of different colors and belonging to different series are essentially the same thing.

For example, dual-channel DDR3-2400 memory kits belonging to the Geil Evo Veloce Frost White, Geil Evo Veloce Hot-rod Red and Evo Leggera series differ, in fact, only in the color of the heatsink and marketing positioning. Each of these series contains sets of memory modules with the same timings and the same size. And, most likely, the memory chips themselves in these modules are the same. However, let's return to the consideration of the two-channel set of memory modules Geil Evo Veloce Frost White GEW316GB2400C11ADC.

So, we are talking about a set of two DDR3-2400 memory modules with a total volume of 16 GB (2 × 8 GB). The memory modules are equipped with white heatsinks, that is, they belong to the Frost White series. In general, it should be noted that the radiators on the memory, although they have their own brand name, do not look impressive, let's say. The thickness of the plates from which the radiator is made is only 1 mm. The memory module with heatsink is 47 mm high and 16.8 mm thick.

According to the information, at a frequency of 2400 MHz, Geil Evo Veloce Frost White GEW316GB2400C11ADC memory modules can work with timings 11-12-12-30 at a supply voltage of 1.65 V.

Moreover, this mode memory modules operation is ensured when the Intel XMP profile is activated and is guaranteed by the manufacturer only on motherboards with Intel X79 and Intel Z77 chipsets, as indicated by the corresponding sticker on the memory modules packaging.

Compatibility with Intel X79 and Intel Z77 chipsets is guaranteed because motherboards based on these chipsets support Intel XMP memory profiles. Naturally, today support for XMP profiles is provided by a large number of chipsets (in particular, Intel 8-series chipsets), so that it is possible to guarantee the operability of this memory with an XMP profile on motherboards with the Intel Z87 chipset.

However, recall that Intel XMP profiles are not supported on motherboards with AMD chipsets, and to run this memory in overclocked mode, you need to set the frequency, voltage and timings in manual mode.

Note that the series of dual-channel DDR3-2400 Geil Evo Veloce Frost White also includes 8 and 16 GB memory kits with timings 9-11-10-28 (GEW38GB2400C9DC / GEW316GB2400C9DC), 10-11-11-30 (GEW38GB2400C10DC / GEW316GB2400C10DC) , 10-12-12-30 (GEW38GB2400C10ADC / GEW316GB2400C10ADC), 11-11-11-30 (GEW38GB2400C11DC / GEW316GB2400C11DC). So the GEW316GB2400C11ADC memory kit has the least aggressive timings in the DDR3-2400 Geil Evo Veloce Frost White line, that is, it is the youngest model in the series.

On our test bench, the Geil Evo Veloce Frost White GEW316GB2400C11ADC memory started up without problems when using the XMP profile at 2400 MHz.

The 2600 MHz frequency, with unchanged timings, turned out to be beyond the capacity of these memory modules. However, an increase in the main timings by one stop makes it easy to start this memory at 2600 MHz.

Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9

The Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9 is a dual channel DDR3-1866 memory kit with a total capacity of 16GB (2x8GB).

This memory kit also belongs to the Corsair Vengeance series aimed at overclockers.

In terms of the design of aluminum heatsinks, the modules of the Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9 dual-channel memory kit practically do not differ from the modules of the Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R quad-channel memory kit. The only difference is the color of the heatsink. In this case, it is black.

According to the information, Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9 memory modules support a frequency of 1866 MHz with timings of 9-10-9-27 and a supply voltage of 1.5 V.

Naturally, this mode of operation corresponds to the XMP profile. Well, in the standard operating mode, the memory operates in DDR-1333 mode with 9-9-9-24 timings.

On our test bench, the Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9 memory started up without problems using the XMP profile at 1866 MHz.

However, as it turned out, the frequency of 1866 MHz is not the limit for this memory and it can be easily overclocked to 2000 MHz with the same timings as for the 1866 MHz frequency.

Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R

The Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R is a set of four DDR3-2133 memory modules with a total capacity of 16GB (4x4GB).

This memory kit belongs to the Corsair Vengeance series aimed at overclockers. According to the information, Corsair Vengeance series memory modules use memory chips specially selected for high performance potential.

The modules in this kit are equipped with heat sinks, which not only provide heat dissipation, but also serve as an aggressive design element that is great for gaming computers. The heatsink on the memory module consists of two aluminum plates (one plate on each side of the module), 1 mm thick, painted in burgundy and have stickers indicating the series and characteristics of the module. The height of the memory modules, taking into account the heatsink, is 53 mm, and the width is 17 mm.

Note that the Corsair Vengeance series includes one-, two-, three- and four-channel memory kits ranging from 4 to 16 GB, which differ in timings, color, and even the shape of the radiator.

The Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R kit, as noted, consists of four 4GB memory modules. Accordingly, this kit can be used in two-channel or four-channel memory modes.

According to the information, Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R memory modules support a frequency of 2133 MHz with timings of 11-11-11-27 and a supply voltage of 1.5 V.

Naturally, this mode of operation corresponds to the XMP profile. Well, in the standard operating mode, the memory operates in DDR3-1333 mode with 9-9-9-24 timings.

True, according to the results of the diagnostic test in the AIDA64 utility, it turned out that slightly different timings are registered in the XMP profile of this memory: not 11-11-11-27, but 11-11-11-30. The difference, of course, is not significant, but it is.

On our test bench, the Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R memory started up without problems when using the XMP profile at 2133 MHz with timings 11-11-11-30.

Moreover, it turned out that with unchanged timings, this memory runs without problems at 2200 MHz.

Corsair Vengeance Pro CMY16GX3M4A2400C10R

The Corsair Vengeance Pro CMY16GX3M4A2400C10R is a dual channel DDR3-2400 memory kit with a total capacity of 16GB (2x8GB).

This memory kit belongs to the Corsair Vengeance Pro series, aimed at overclockers. the Corsair Vengeance Pro series memory kits are specifically designed for 3rd and 4th generation Intel Core processors.

The memory modules of this series use aluminum heat sinks of various colors. The height of the memory modules, taking into account the heatsink, is 46 mm, and the width is 17.5 mm.

The Corsair Vengeance Pro series includes kits of two or four memory modules with a total capacity of 8 to 32 GB and frequencies from 1600 to 2400 MHz.

The Corsair Vengeance Pro CMY16GX3M4A2400C10R memory kit, as noted, consists of two 8GB memory modules. These memory modules are equipped with black aluminum heatsinks with a decorative burgundy insert. On one side of the heatsink there is a sticker with information about the memory series (Vengeance Pro), and on the other side, there is a sticker with information about the characteristics of the memory module (frequency, timings, supply voltage).

According to the information, Corsair Vengeance Pro CMY16GX3M4A2400C10R memory modules support a frequency of 2400 MHz with timings of 10-12-12-31 and a supply voltage of 1.65 V.

Naturally, this mode of operation corresponds to the XMP profile. Well, in the standard operating mode, the memory operates in DDR-1333 mode with 9-9-9-24 timings.

As it turned out during testing, everything was not easy with the Corsair Vengeance Pro CMY16GX3M4A2400C10R modules.

The fact is that the declared XMP profile for 2400 MHz is absent. Instead, there is an XMP profile at 1866 MHz with 9-10-9-27 timings. But even when this profile is activated in the BIOS, the memory operates at 1800 MHz, not 1866 MHz.

Nevertheless, if you set the memory frequency, supply voltage and timings manually in the BIOS (2400 MHz, 1.65 V, 10-12-12-31), then the memory will work as it should.

Testing

So, in total, six memory kits took part in our testing, each of which was tested in two operating modes:

• Corsair vengeance pro
  • Corsair CMY16GX3M2A2400C10R @ 1800 MHz 9-10-9-27
  • Corsair CMY16GX3M2A2400C10R @ 2400 MHz 10-12-12-31
• Corsair Vengeance (DDR3-1866)
  • Corsair CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9 @ 1866 MHz 9-10-9-27
  • Corsair CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9 @ 2000 MHz 9-10-9-27
• Corsair Vengeance (DDR3-2133)
  • Corsair CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R @ 2133 MHz 11-11-11-30
  • Corsair CMZ16GX3M4X2133C11R @ 2200 MHz 11-11-11-30
• Geil evo veloce
  • Geil GEW316GB2400C11ADC @ 2400 MHz 11-12-12-30
  • Geil GEW316GB2400C11ADC @ 2600 MHz 12-13-13-32
• Kingston hyperx beast
  • Kingston KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X @ 2133 MHz 11-12-11-30
  • Kingston KHX21C11T3K2 / 16X @ 2400 MHz 11-12-11-30
• Kingston hyperx predator
  • Kingston KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X @ 1333 MHz 9-9-9-24
  • Kingston KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X @ 2400 MHz 11-13-13-30

For testing, we used a stand with the following configuration:

• processor - Intel Core i7-4770K;
• motherboard - ASRock Z87 OC Formula;
• chipset - Intel Z87;
• drive - Intel SSD 520 Series (240 GB);
• operating system - Windows 8 (64-bit).

Perhaps the most non-trivial task when testing memory is to find those applications and tasks in which you can really see the difference in performance for memory with different frequencies.

Naturally, we used the synthetic test AIDA64, which allows us to determine the speed of reading, writing and copying data, as well as memory latency. The results of this synthetic test are shown below.

As a basis, we took the Kingston HyperX KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory at 1333 MHz with 9-9-9-24 timings, which corresponds to the JEDEC specification.

As you can see, here you can easily see the difference between DDR3-1333 memory and memory with a higher clock speed.

However, this test is synthetic. Now let's see what happens in tests based on real applications.

As we have already said, not all applications are "sensitive" to the memory speed - more precisely, the DDR3-1333 bandwidth is sufficient for most applications, and further increase in the memory frequency becomes meaningless. Nevertheless, we managed to find a number of test problems based on real applications, in which we can fix the difference in system performance when using memory modules with different frequencies.

As a result, we selected the following set of applications for testing:

• MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560;
• Adobe Premiere Pro CC
• Adobe After Effects CC;
• Adobe photoshop CC;
• Adobe Audition CC;
• Photodex ProShow Gold 5.0.3276;
• WinRAR 5.0.

In the application MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560 A 3:35 HD video is transcoded to a different format with a lower resolution. The original video is recorded in H.264 format and has the following characteristics:

• size - 1.05 GB;
• container - MKV;
• resolution - 1920 × 1080;
• frame rate - 25 fps;
• video bitrate - 42.1 Mbps;
• audio bitrate - 128 Kbps;
• the number of audio channels - 2;
• sampling frequency - 44.1 kHz.

The parameters of the resulting video file are as follows:

• size - 258 MB;
• container - MP4;
• video codec - MPEG4 AVC (H.264);
• resolution - 1280 × 720;
• frame rate - 29.97 fps;
• video bitrate - 10000 Kbps;
• audio codec - AAC;
• audio bitrate - 128 Kbps;
• number of channels - 2;

The result of this test is the conversion time.

Adobe Premiere Pro CC a video is created from ten video clips with a total volume of 1.48 GB. The video clips (MOV container) were shot with a Canon EOS Mark II 5D at 1920 × 1080 resolution and 25 fps. Transition effects are created between all video clips and then rendered work area and exporting a video file with a preset Apple iPad 2, 3, 4, Mini; iPhone 4S, 5; Apple TV3 - 1080p 25... The length of the finished film is 4:25 and the volume is 163 MB.

• container - MP4;
• resolution - 1920 × 1080;
• video codec - MPEG4 AVC (H.264);
• video bitrate - 5 Mbps;
• frame rate - 25 fps;
• audio codec - AAC;
• idiobitrate - 160 Kbps;

The result of this test is the total render and export time of the movie.

In a test using an app Adobe After Effects CC a 30-second video clip (MOV container) of 164 MB in size is processed, shot with a Canon EOS Mark II 5D camera with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 and a frame rate of 25 fps, followed by uncompressed rendering (AVI container) using the built-in render.

The processing consists of adjusting the white balance, applying a Cartoon filter and overlaying 3D titles with various effects (explosion, blur, etc.)

The output file parameters are as follows:

• resolution - 1920 × 1080;
• video codec - no (uncompressed video);
• container - AVI;
• video bitrate - 1492 Mbps;
• frame rate - 30 fps.
• audio codec - PCM;
• audio bitrate - 1536 Kbps;
• number of channels - 2 (stereo);
• sampling frequency - 48 kHz.

The output video file size is 5.21 GB. The result of this test is the video rendering time.

Photodeх ProShow Gold 5.0.3276 determines the speed of creating an HD video (slideshow) with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 (MPEG-2 format, 59.94 fps) from 24 digital photos captured with an EOS Canon Mark II 5D camera and converted to TIFF format. Each photo is 60.1 MB in size. In addition, music is superimposed on the film. The movie itself is created using the Wizard of the Photodex ProShow application. Various transition effects are applied between individual slides, and some of the slides are animated.

The result of the test is the total time for creating a slideshow project, including the time for loading photos and music and applying special effects, as well as the time for exporting the project to a movie.

In a test using an application Adobe Photoshop CC Batch processing of 24 photos taken with the EOS Canon Mark II 5D in RAW format (each photo is 25 MB). For each photo that is opened in 8-bit format, the following steps are performed sequentially:

• the color depth changes from 8 to 16 bits per channel;
• Smart Sharpen adaptive filter is applied;
• shake reduction filter is applied;
• the Reduce Noise filter is applied;
• Lens Correction filter is applied;
• the color depth changes from 16 to 8 bits per channel;
• the photo is saved in TIFF format.

The result of this test is the time batch processing all photos.

In a test using an application Adobe Audition CC A six-channel (5.1) FLAC (lossless compressed) audio file is initially processed and then converted to MP3 format. Processing the original file consists in applying an Adaptive Noise Reduction filter to it. The test result is the total time of processing and converting an audio file. The original test audio file is 1.65 GB in size. The parameters of the resulting MP3 file are as follows:

• bit rate - 128 Kbps;
• sampling frequency - 48 kHz.

In a test using an application app WinRAR 5.0 (64-bit version) archives an album of 24 digital photos in TIFF format (size of each photo - 60.1 MB). In the WinRAR 5.0 archiver, data compression uses the RAR5 format, the Best compression method (maximum compression) and the dictionary size is 32 MB.

The result of the test is the archiving time.

When testing memory, all tests were run three times, between each launch the computer was rebooted.

Test results

Now let's turn to the test results. As before, we took the Kingston KHX24C11T2K2 / 8X memory in 1333 MHz mode with 9-9-9-24 timings as a basis.

So let's start with a video transcoding test using the MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560 application. As you can see, this task is not very sensitive to memory performance. The worst result (112.4 s for DDR3-1333 memory) differs from the best (109.1 s for DDR3-2400 memory) by only 3%. Well, there is practically no difference in test execution speed between DDR3-1866 and DDR3-2400 memory.

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is slightly more memory-sensitive, with a 6.5% difference between the worst and the best in our test. Well, that's already something.

But in the test based on the Adobe After Effects CC application, the difference between the worst and the best result again does not exceed 3%.

Photodex ProShow Gold is slightly more sensitive to memory speed, with a 6% difference between the worst and the best in our test.

Adobe Photoshop CC was found to be even more sensitive to memory speed. Then we finally saw something that can really be called a difference: 11% between the best and the worst result. However, the worst here, of course, is the memory index of DDR3-1333, and if we take DDR3-1800 as the base index, the difference, alas, is reduced to 5%.

The test results based on the Adobe Audition CC application from our methodology are presented not so much to demonstrate the advantages of high-speed memory, but to demonstrate the absence of these advantages in many, many applications. In our test based on this application, the difference between the worst and the best results is only 2%, that is, there is practically no difference at all.

But the data compression test based on the WinRAR 5.0 application is very sensitive to the memory speed. The Photoshop record was not achieved here, but the difference between the worst and the best result is quite a respectable 9.5%, which is very good.

conclusions

Actually, the conclusions that can be drawn from our testing are quite predictable. There is little point in high-speed memory today, and DDR3-1333 memory is sufficient for most user applications. The maximum performance gain that can be obtained by using high-speed DDR3-2400 or DDR3-2600 memory instead of standard DDR3-1333 memory can barely exceed 10%, and tasks that reveal such an advantage of high-speed memory still need to be looked for.

As for a variety of fancifully shaped heatsinks on high-speed memory modules, which, according to marketers, can improve the efficiency of heat dissipation, this is nothing more than a fiction. Modern memory with a frequency of 2400 and even 2600 MHz with a supply voltage increased to 1.65 V does not need radiators at all, which was confirmed by the figures in the preface to this review.

Now about the cost. On average, a set of high-speed DDR3-2400 memory with a volume of 16 GB costs about 7-8 thousand rubles (you can find more expensive - it all depends on the brand, model and the conscience of the seller). A set of DDR3-1333 memory of the same size (and of the same brand) will cost about 5-6 thousand rubles.

If we are talking about a top-end high-performance PC based on a processor, for example, Intel Core i7-4770K and a motherboard on the Intel Z87 chipset, then even a few percent of additional performance due to the use of high-speed memory may not be superfluous, and then there is no point in saving on memory. especially since the difference in cost between high-speed memory and standard memory is very small (against the background of the cost of such a computer as a whole, of course). If we are talking about an ordinary inexpensive or office PC, then there is no point at all in high-speed memory.

As for the question of choosing a specific manufacturer (Kingston, Corsair, Geil, Samsung, etc.), we would like to remind you that all memory modules use chips made by Samsung, Micron and Hynix. And by and large, it does not matter at all who exactly is the manufacturer of the memory module. Perhaps this is the last thing worth paying attention to.

Actually, this post was supposed to be short, but since the tests took me certain time, let it be a little more.

It all started with the transition to the motherboard from DDR3. I don’t remember how many years ago it was. Then, with the motherboard, I immediately took two Patriot strips of 2 GB each with a frequency of 1600 MHz in "Trash.net" (by the way, they did not overclock at all - it was impossible to take more than 1600).

The total is 4 GB. In those days it was "a lot". Then I gradually changed three motherboards and 4-gig sticks began to appear on sale. And I wanted to "upgrade". It just so happened that at the moment when I took a couple of 4-gig sticks, there were no optimal prices for 1600-frequency ones and took the usual Patriot at 1333 MHz from the Monitor (now 8 GB). A month later, for the sake of experiment, I took the same pair of slats (it became 16 GB). Fortunately, the motherboard supports up to 32 GB. These 1333 bars were consistently overclocked without raising the timings, without raising the voltage to 1600 MHz. But not higher.

And on Saturday I bought two 4GB DDR3 strips from Hynix (Hyundai Electronics). They ended up with the party number HMT351U6CFR8C-H9, which was noted on the overclockers.ru forums

http://forums.overclockers.ru/viewtopic.php?f=111&t=292041

The batch is HMT351U6CFR8C-H9.

This batch is famous for the fact that in most cases it is capable of overclocking from the "native" 1333 MHz to a stable 2133 MHz.

To my delight, it was this batch that we found on free sale in one of the shops in Yakutsk.

The bar is produced without heatsinks, but it is interesting to note that it does not heat up at all (including at 100% test load) neither at the nominal frequency of 1333 MHz (1.50 V), nor at 2133 MHz (1.59 V) ... It turns out that in this case, radiators are not needed here.

For example, here is what the overclockers forum wrote about this memory:

Hynix Original DDR3 PC3-10600

Rating: (1333 MHz) 9-9-9-27 1.50v

Acceleration: (1866 Mhz) 9-10-9-30 1.55v

Acceleration: (2133 Mhz) 10-12-11-30 1.57v

Overclocking MAX: when raising vccio to 1.120v takes (2271mhz) 11-12-11-30 1.59v

I placed two Hynix bars in dual channel mode. And immediately before the first launch, I cleared the CMOS. I went into Windows - looked in CPU-Z - the memory was identified correctly.

Then I rebooted and set the memory frequency to 2133 MHz at a voltage of 1.59 V (they wrote on the forum that this spill would be enough in most cases) and "sparing" timings 11-12-11-30-2T (again, in most cases, the data I set the timings with a "margin"). By the way, I must write right away that I will only "work" on 4 main timings, which most strongly affect memory performance.

Everything started - I went into Windows. Since I only had LinX from fresh stress tests using RAM, for the first time I decided to use only it in tests. However, it is generally known that no program can UNIMINELY and quickly detect memory errors. It is imperative to test for a long time on different types stress programs that make good use of the operative in their work. For example, in the "Memory testing methodology" branch on overclockers.ru they recommend - [hereinafter - the list of programs]

In the test, LinX used 6500 MB of memory out of the installed 8 GB.

Duration - 10 passes.

Control of all voltages, all kinds of frequencies, memory timings and temperatures - CPU-Zx64 1.59, ASRock eXtreme Tuner 0.1.54, Core Temp 0.99.8.

Then I sharply reduced all timings by one.

10-11-10-29-2Т - pass No. 7 linpak did not pass.

10-11-10-30-2T - all 10 passes of the linpak passed.

9-11-10-30-2Т - does not enter.

10-10-10-30-2Т - does not enter.

10-11-9-30-2Т - when approaching, there is a BSOD.

10-11-10-30-1Т - pass No. 4 linpak did not pass.

That. I found out that in the case of a stress load with a linpak, the minimum timings at a frequency of 2133 MHz, which ensure stability, are the following figures: 10-11-10-30-2T.

On Sunday I went to the store and bought a second set of the same slats: 2 pcs. x 4 GB.

His data:

HMT351U6CFR8C-H9 - the same batch as in the upper set, differ only in the week of release.

I am testing the second set.

Nominal: 1333 MHz, 9-9-9-25, 1.50 V.

I increased the voltage for overclocking by timings to 1.59 V.

The frequency is 2133 MHz.

11-12-11-30-2Т - enters Windows, has not tested

10-11-10-30-2Т - does not enter

11-11-10-30-2Т - does not enter

11-11-11-30-2Т - does not enter

11-12-11-30-2Т - passed all passes stably.

Now I will test all four strips: "set_1" + "set_2"

At par: 9-9-9-25, 1.50 V - everything is stable. Everything comes in and works, however, it should be so - since there is no overclocking.

Also made clear_cmos after installing all 4 boards on the motherboard.

I increased the voltage for overclocking by timings again to 1.59 V.

The frequency is 2133 MHz. Timings - 11-12-11-30-2Т. Don `t come in.

The frequency is 2133 MHz. Timings - 12-13-12-35-2Т. Don `t come in.

Frequency overclocking removed to native 1333 MHz.

1333 MHz, 11-12-11-30-2Т. It still does not come in.

1333 MHz, 10-11-10-30-2Т. Goes into Windows.

1600 MHz, 10-11-10-30-2Т. Goes into Windows.

1866 MHz, 10-11-10-30-2Т. Goes into Windows.

An attempt to increase the first timing by one leads to a complete stop. The computer goes into "unconscious".

The same garbage when changing the second and third timings. Those. they cannot be increased. You can't reduce it either. Increasing the memory voltage to 1.7 does not help in any way. The fourth timing did not touch at all - let it remain so.

Thus, overclocking for four slats came to only one end:

1866 MHz, 10-11-10-30-2Т. I reduced the voltage from 1.59 to 1.56 V. I'll try to test at this voltage. It seems so far everything is fine.

Test computer configuration:

Intel Core i5 2500K, 4600 MHz, 1.350 V;

Cooler ThermalRight Silver Arrow, TR TY-140 х 2 pcs. x 1300 rpm;

ASRock P67 Extreme6 P67 motherboard (bios P1.60);

DDR3 memory, 2 x 4 Gb 1333 MHz, Hynix HMT351U6CFR8C-H9, 1.50 V, 9-9-9-25;

Hard 500Gb, WD5000AAKS (SATA2, 7200 rpm, 16 Mb);

Lian Li PC-A70FB case, and 4 pieces of native built-in fans + open side wall;

Reobas Zalman ZM-MFC1 Plus;

PSU AeroCool Strike-X 1100 (1100 W, 80+ Gold);

Video Inno 3D Geforce GTX570 (732/1464/3800, 1,000 V) - reference CO replaced by DeepCool V6000;

Monitor 24 "Acer P246H 1920 * 1080.

Calculations:

2133/1333 = 1.6 - 60% increase in frequency.

1866/1333 = 1.4 - 40% increase in frequency.

Overclocking from 1333 MHz to 2133 is technically and practically justified, despite a slight increase in timings. Causes:

Increasing the frequency by 40% -60% affects the increase in memory performance more than an increase in timings;

An increase in voltage from "native" 1.50 to 1.55-1.59 V does not lead to heating of memory chips (even with long-term loads);

The cost of the standard DDR3 memory in 4 GB trims from Hynix is ​​extremely low (700 rubles). This is especially noticeable when compared with proprietary overclocked memory sticks, which have an increased voltage (up to 1.65 V and higher) and prices are at least twice as high (especially bars with frequencies of 1866-2133 MHz). Although they can be justified by writing:

a) a well-fitted radiator that is both beautiful and provides proper heat dissipation;

b) selection of planks in factories - i.e. theoretically they have a higher probability of higher overclocking.

Rumors that obviously overclocking bars, when installed in four pieces, lose their frequency potential - have been confirmed. This is actually the case.

III. Of course, a 60% increase in frequency is a very good result.

But is he so good "in life", so to speak? ..

In synthetics, there will definitely be an increase, but in practical applications, I think, there will be, but not 60%, of course.

In general, let's see. Unsubscribe after the tests.

Now comes the question - "What will I do with the planks?"

A mandatory component that is required when assembling any computer device is RAM. If you look closely at the range of stores, you will notice several clear trends. First, as regards desktops, it is quite possible to assert that DDR3-1333 strips are already leaving the scene, and the most "popular" memory clock frequency has become 1600 MHz (PC3-12800). It is among the PC3-12800 kits that there is now the largest number of offers at different prices. Secondly, now in the average computer they put not 4 GB of RAM, but 8 GB. The second factor is caused not so much by increased software requirements as by the general desire to put more memory in your computer. Moreover, in gaming and professional computers more and more RAM capacity and 16 GB and 32 GB. But a whale of two 4 GB modules will remain a "classic" for a home PC for a long time, and constant demand contributes to lower prices.

Therefore, we decided to test several kits, not limiting ourselves to 1600 MHz, but on the contrary, to take the fastest whales with 2133 MHz and 2400 MHz memory clock frequencies that are relevant for modern platforms.

The main requirements for the kits will be operability and high performance when setting the parameters declared by the manufacturer (timing values ​​recorded in the SPD). We will also appreciate the ease of installation (which can be extremely difficult due to high radiators), the appearance and quality of the packaging. We will also carry out a series of tests with parameters that are overestimated relative to the nominal value, in order to determine the suitability of the chips for overclocking and the expediency of this venture as such.

In general, are these megahertz needed?

This question was raised by a noticeable difference in the cost of memory with "budget" and "overclocking" clock frequencies. To date, a kit DDR3 2 x 4 GB with a frequency of 1600 MHz costs 1,300 rubles in retail, high-speed DDR3-2133 memory - already 1900 rubles. and higher. So you wonder which is better, to give preference to a fast set of smaller volume (it is cheaper) or to pay the required amount and take four 4 GB strips? You can argue and look for the truth for a long time, but one thing is clear that 16 GB of RAM will always cost significantly more than 8 GB, and if you do not professionally engage in cryptography, data archiving and video editing, most of the RAM will not be used. Therefore, it is most reasonable to stop at an 8-gig set, the modules in which, if not matched for joint work, are at least assembled from microcircuits of the same batch, which means, at least a little, but less likely to run into incompatibility. Plus, branded kit packaging is more durable than an anti-static bag with OEM memory, and has a higher chance of surviving the straps in transit. So, let's see what sets have come to our testlab.

Hope on XMP, but do it yourself

A little warning. Even if you like some memory, you will read many tests and positive reviews on it, do not rush to the store. One important nuance must be taken into account. You probably know that the lion's share of sudden "whims" of computers is due to memory failure? Manufacturers of components, in particular, motherboards, are well aware of this, therefore, preparing a product for entering the market, they prepare a compatibility sheet for a specific motherboard model with various components, mainly with processors and RAM. Moreover, if support for more modern CPUs appears in new BIOS revisions, then the expansion of the range of compatible memory occurs much less often.

When assembling a computer, the reliability of which has increased requirements, be it a mini-server, or an HTPC with a cramped case and a weak power supply unit, you should choose any memory model from the QVL (Quality Vendor List) list, but if the main goal is overclocking, you can take the risk. installing memory that the vendor did not have time to test and approve, but in this case, you will have to adjust the timings and supply voltage of the modules according to their specification, without relying on SPD and XMP. And in case of a difficult start of the system or the appearance of " blue screens"remember to go through the full Memtest test cycle.

DDR3 Memory Tests | Goodram Pro DDR3-2133 2 x 2 GB (GP2133D364L10 / 4GDC)

This 2 x 2 GB DDR kit is manufactured in Poland by Wilk Elektronik. The memory strips are hidden in an individual transparent blister package, and the required number of blisters for double or triple whales is tightened with paper tape, on which the kit name, its article number and the timings required for operation at a frequency of 2133 MHz (10-10-10-30) are printed ... There is no information about the required supply voltage, there is no information about the "correct power supply" and on the sticker on the heatsinks. There is no specification on the manufacturer's website either, but there is a piece of paper inside the package reminding you to set the correct operating frequency in the BIOS.

It is not difficult to do this because the XMP profile system is supported, but in fact only one set of XMP parameters for the frequency of 2133 MHz, given above, is "hard-wired" into the EEPROM. This makes it possible, without going into settings, to make the memory work at the optimal frequency by changing literally one line in the BIOS, of course, provided that the platform is based on the Intel chipset. Is the system healthy with memory Goodram pro on the parameters selected by the manufacturer and whether it is suitable for overclocking platforms, we will find out below.

To protect against overheating (and partly from mechanical damage) modules Goodram pro DDR3 is protected by thin (1mm) aluminum plates, for some reason, blue, despite the fact that the corporate color is orange. Symbolism Goodram pro is milled on one of the radiator halves, on the other there is a sticker with module parameters and a barcode. The bank of DDR3 chips is located on one side of the PCB, there are 8 of them. On the other hand, instead of microcircuits, a thick gasket is glued. Heat removal from the microcircuits is organized through a thin thermal tape, so the removal of metal plates without their preliminary technological heating is not recommended - you can tear off the chips "with meat", precedents are known. Although why take them off, from practical experience we can say that memory heating is insignificant and does not affect anything at home; and overclockers themselves know how to "bare" the chips and put on them, for example, a water block or a more efficient heat dissipator without thermal tape, directly.

The heatsinks are only two millimeters higher than the PCB, so a mechanical conflict between the strips and the "spreading" heatsink of the CPU is practically excluded. There is no need to talk about any heating of these radiators in normal modes, the temperature over the entire area of ​​aluminum did not exceed 35 ° C, even during calculations in the Super PI 32M benchmark, one must assume, and in a closed case, the heating of chips is unlikely to reach any dangerous values.

It must be added that these modules are not yet widely sold, and the volume of the 2 x 2 GB kit is too small to attract the attention of an enthusiast at least for a moment. So we are waiting for new capacious and fast samples from Poland.

Goodram Pro Specifications
Price	n.d.
Type of	DDR3-2133 SDRAM
Volume	2 x 2 GB
	2133
Nominal timings	10-10-10-30
Supply voltage, V	n.d.
Module height, mm	33
useful links	Description Goodram Pro DDR3-2133 2 x 2 GB on the manufacturer's website

DDR3 Memory Tests | Apacer Armor Series DDR3-2133 2 x 4 GB (78.BAGGL.AFK0C)

RAM from this Taiwanese manufacturer is not often found in Russian stores, but flash drives and card readers have been known for a long time. Armor Series is the top-end overclocking Apacer memory series, which includes DDR3 kits with clock frequencies of 1600 MHz, 1866 MHz, 2133 MHz, and it was the last version that turned out to be in our testlab. Memory Apacer armor series comes in a beautiful printed package with a window, inside which is a plastic blister with a couple of modules. The color of the radiators can be black, red, yellow, turquoise, you can choose it to your liking. The information on the label is extremely stingy, it is absolutely impossible to understand what supply voltage the memory microcircuits are designed for, but if you look closely at the factory tag glued to the strips, you can see the line 4GB UNB PC3-17000 CL11-11-11-30. That is, the nominal memory frequency should be 2133 MHz with worse timings than the Goodram product. How much this fact affects performance, practical tests will show.

Similar to the Goodram product, the cooling radiators do not have developed fins and are painted aluminum plate-armor, glued to the thermal tape on both sides of the printed circuit board. It's even a pity to hide such beauty in the case. The thermal interface layer is very thin, noticeably thinner than that of Goodram.

The testlab had at its disposal two sets of the same memory, not right away, but it was noticed that the heatsinks were poorly glued to the microcircuits in all four samples. True, this did not affect the performance in any way, which only emphasized the decorative purpose of these plates.

The heatsinks of Apacer memory barely extend beyond the top of the PCB, so here too there will be no contact with the powerful (wide) cooler, the strips are very compact. The total height is 32 mm, this value can be taken as a reference, and compare "colleagues" with it.

Apacer Armor Series Specifications
Price	n.d.
Type of	DDR3 SDRAM
Volume	2 x 4 GB
Nominal clock frequency, MHz	2133
Nominal timings	11-11-11-30
Supply voltage, V	1,65
Module height, mm	32
useful links

DDR3 Memory Tests | Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3-2133 2 x 4 GB (CMZ8GX3M2X2133C9R)

Vengeance memory of the well-known overclocker brand Corsair attracts attention, first of all, with its elegant appearance, and the outer packaging is made as bright as possible. Photographic quality printing with the image of a fragment of a printed circuit board, where there are a couple of RAM modules in the slots, bright red wherever possible, familiar Intel and AMD badges in plain sight. But the variegation and brightness did not go to the detriment of information content, on the back side in the window you can see the strips themselves, on the tag of which both the voltage (1.5 V) and the operating frequency (2133 MHz) are indicated, and very encouraging delays 9-11-10-30 for this frequency. The CAS # Latency parameter (the first value) sometimes has a stronger impact on performance than other parameters, so even without opening the kit, you can be sure that the chips were selected by the manufacturer to achieve stable operation at short latencies.

Inside the cardboard casing there are separate blisters for each module, thus, the requirements for reliable protection of products during transportation are fully met.

Taking the strips out of the packaging, we again see that the manufacturer has paid a lot of attention to design. The radiators of the microcircuits not only have an unusual, recognizable shape, but are also painted with metallic paint of a bright cherry color. The chubby radiator ridge sticks up great, therefore, choosing Corsair vengeance you need to know exactly how much space the processor cooler left you in your computer, or be ready to install RAM in the slots farthest from the socket.

A visual demonstration of the height of the Corsair Vengeance modules installed in conjunction with the Thermaltake Frio Extreme cooler. Left to right: Apacer Armor Series (32mm), Geil Evo Corsa (42mm), Corsair Vengeance (52mm). The first (from the processor) slot is not occupied.

The Thermaltake Frio Extreme cooler turned out to be too wide for the "Corsair", blocking its way to the first slot from the processor.

Corsair Vengeance Specifications
Price	3000
Type of	DDR3-2133 SDRAM
Volume	2 x 4 GB
Nominal clock frequency, MHz	2133
Nominal timings	9-11-10-30
Supply voltage, V	1,5
Module height, mm	52
useful links	Description of Apacer Armor Series DDR3-2133 on the manufacturer's website Apacer Armor Series DDR3-2133 specifications on the manufacturer's website Prices Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3-2133 on market.yandex.ru Prices for Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3-2133 at price.eu

DDR3 Memory Tests | ADATA XPG Xtreme Series DDR3 2133 2 x 4 GB (AX3U2133XC4G10-2X)

ADATA, like Apacer, has never been a big player in the RAM market, but the recent expansion of the SSD and flash drive portfolio has paid off and the company has decided to try its hand at the RAM market as well.

Unlike the typical form of packaging (inner strong case and outer cardboard casing) ADATA memory strips are packed only in a blister. And due to the fact that the box is sealed in a circle, its integrity is immediately visible. The disadvantage of this solution is that the cut package is difficult to clean. The memory microcircuit parameters are not indicated on the package, but the timings, frequency and supply voltage can be seen on the tags stuck to the memory heatsinks, which are clearly visible through the transparent package.

Before us again are two "low-profile" modules, the radiators of which are thin metal plates attached to a thermal tape. The bar is 30 mm high; most coolers will not hurt to put this memory in the first slot. The recommended parameters in this RAM are alarming: the supply voltage is 1.65V - clearly higher than the "hospital average" value of 1.5-1.6 V, while the set of timings does not look optimal - 10-11-11-30. The first impression is that, by selection from the batch, microcircuits of a lower performance class, not capable of taking higher frequencies, were rejected, and suitable copies went to complete the memory ADATA XPG Xtreme Series, and the voltage is raised up to achieve greater stability in modes that are not standard for chips. If so, then you shouldn't really hope for further overclocking. But we will definitely try.

Specifications ADATA XPG Xtreme Series
Price	n.d.
Type of	DDR3-2133 SDRAM
Volume	2 x 4 GB
Nominal clock frequency, MHz	2133
Nominal timings	10-11-11-30
Supply voltage, V	1,65
Module height, mm	30
useful links	Description ADATA XPG Xtreme Series DDR3 2133 on the manufacturer's website ADATA XPG Xtreme Series DDR3 2133 specifications on the manufacturer's website Prices ADATA XPG Xtreme Series DDR3 2133 on market.yandex.ru

DDR3 Memory Tests | Geil Evo Corsa 2400MHz 2 x 4 GB (GOC38GB2400C11ADC)

The Geil memory in today's test belongs to a higher speed class than the previous participants. Geil manufactures memory chips independently. The product lines have both ordinary memory and overclocking, with advanced features. Extensive sales of DDR modules from this manufacturer in Russia have not been noticed, but they are well known to enthusiasts. Colleagues have repeatedly tried to draw the attention of readers to inexpensive memory, which sometimes showed very high results in tests, despite the low price.

Evo Corsa packaging is standard both for Geil devices themselves and for many other similar kits from other factories: the inner plastic of the blister and the cardboard outer lining. There are no complaints about the design of the pack, everything is modest and even tasteful, and the parameters (timings and operating frequency) are not hidden in the far corner, but are shown in a white box in a conspicuous place. Their duplicate is clearly visible through the window in the package. By design and outward appearance memory Geil evo corsa very similar to Corsair vengeance, a slightly different form of heatsinks, green PCB boards, but there is definitely a similarity. The height of the slats is 47 mm, which is a lot, that is, conflicts with the overall cooling systems are possible again. It is stated that the memory is capable of starting at 2400 MHz with timings of 11-12-12-30 at a supply voltage of 1.65 V. In this situation, the numbers look quite adequate, since the clock frequency is quite high, and the CAS # Latency value = 11 at 2400 MHz - fine.

Specifications Geil Evo Corsa
Price	2600
Type of	DDR3-2133 SDRAM
Volume	2 x 4 GB
Nominal clock frequency, MHz	2400
Nominal timings	11-12-12-30
Supply voltage, V	1,65
Module height, mm	42
useful links	Description Geil DDR3 Evo Corsa 2400MHz on the manufacturer's website Geil DDR3 Evo Corsa 2400MHz specifications on the manufacturer's website Prices Geil DDR3 Evo Corsa 2400MHz on market.yandex.ru Prices Geil DDR3 Evo Corsa 2400MHz at price.in

BGA-chips are coated with an innovative coating consisting of carbon and silicon, which dissipates excess heat.

We will talk about its efficiency later, and we will also try to determine the temperature of the chips.

The blue packaging of the modules, the windows in which are made in the form of arrows, are both beautiful and informative. On the back there is a detailed specification, indicating the permissible supply voltage - 1.5-1.8 V, and the CAS # Latency timing values. And inside the cardboard package there is a rigid plastic trough, in which the modules are held very tightly. You have to make significant efforts, bending the plastic and the modules themselves, in order to get them out of the "captivity".

There is practically nothing to add to the above, we have a printed circuit board with 16 BGA chips painted in turquoise. It is the heat-dissipating coating that arouses the greatest interest. Under a strong twelve-fold magnifying glass, the patented dusting looks like a layer of baked enamel, the surface is very heterogeneous, bumpy, but at the same time smooth.

The manufacturer's declared characteristics are promising, you can try both ways to increase performance: both short timings and increased clock frequency (up to 2400 MHz). In any case, it will be very interesting to check the capabilities of the "nano-memory".

Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM Specifications
Price	n.d.
Type of	DDR3-2400 SDRAM
Volume	2 x 4 GB
Nominal clock frequency, MHz	2400
Nominal timings	10-11-10-30
Supply voltage, V	1,7-1,8
Module height, mm	30
useful links	Description of Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM DDR3-2400 on the manufacturer's website

DDR3 Memory Tests | Test stand, methodology and software

The memory test took place at the stand, the list of components from which it was assembled is shown in the table:

• CPU AMD FX-8350 (Vishera)
• Maternal ASUS board ROG Crosshair V Formula (AMD 990FX / SB950 Chipset) BIOS v1703
• Point of View GeForce GTX 580
• Cooler Master 1200W Power Supply
• Cooling Air Cooler
• Thermaltake Frio Extreme
• 240GB Corsair Neutron GTX SSD
• Operating system Windows 7 x64 Ultimate

The AMD platform was chosen only due to the presence of a corresponding configured motherboard, which previously proved to be absolutely stable, accurately withstanding the voltage and frequency of the tested components, at the same time, it has a huge number of adjustable parameters in the BIOS. AMD processors of the latest Vishera microarchitecture have significantly increased their speed in comparison with their predecessors. It was decided to abandon CPU overclocking altogether, the bus frequencies and the multiplier did not change from test to test, but in a real situation it is better to overclock this processor, the performance gain is decent.

Information of the main window of the CPU-Z utility. The processor frequency was set automatically in the BIOS, so there were some deviations from the round numbers upward. This is a feature of the motherboard sample, or rather, this is how ASUS configured it

Choosing the AMD platform, I had to abandon the Intel XMP profile system, relying on Jedec standards and profile settings in SPD. And they were so strange in some kits that it was necessary to adjust the main parameters, since they not only did not coincide with the passport ones, but also, in most cases, were not optimal.

The set of tests included purely synthetic benchmarks: these are "graphical" 3D Mark 11 (with "Performance" settings) and "platform" PCMark 7 (points taken into account in the "Creativity" and "Productivity" tests). The Creativity tests evaluate the performance of the main components when processing photo and video materials, and Productivity - the speed when processing Internet tasks and office suites... Having received data on the effect of memory settings on the results obtained in these benchmarks, it will be possible to indirectly judge the effect of memory performance on the overall performance of the PC.

It seemed interesting to include SiSoftware Sandra Personal 2013.01.19.23 in the tests and use it to evaluate the performance of the processor-memory link in cryptographic tasks, since there is such a module in the program. On the modern Internet, cryptography is used very often: content encryption modules, secure Web pages, Internet banking, remote access systems. In addition, this test responds very well to changes in memory frequencies.

The traditional AIDA Cache & Memory Benchmark will clearly show latency and bandwidth. Of real applications, archivers, including their built-in benchmarks, are still the most sensitive to memory parameters, so let's take two popular packages: WinRAR 4.20 and 7-Zip 9.20, 64-bit versions. I had to take a couple of softwares at once, since 7-Zip performs multi-threaded calculations more accurately than WinRAR, and the estimation accuracy is higher, since the compression algorithms are slightly different.

As with any component stress test, instability can be encountered, and it is not known how and when it will manifest itself. In order not to waste time collecting the main results, at first we ran "heavy" tests, which, with incorrectly set timings, are guaranteed to lead to a hang or BSoD. These are, first of all, 3D Mark 11, especially its subsections using calculations of physical models, the Super PI / mod 1.5 XS 32M "calculator" and one of the archivers. If all these tests passed without hesitation, as a rule, there were no further problems. The most important thing was to get not some "nice" figure showing the performance of the AMD platform, but to compare the performance of the memory sticks with each other, providing them with the most similar modes with the same set of tests. It is clear that the operating speed of the memory controller built into the Intel CPU is higher, but in percentage terms the difference between the results of different memory kits in the same tests will be almost the same on both platforms.

DDR3 Memory Tests | Factory settings: a lot of strange

Almost every user who bought a set of RAM is sure that setting the divisors and multipliers on Auto, not only what is recommended by the manufacturer, but also eliminates the hassle with a long selection of parameters, so it is not surprising that this scenario is most often played out. Let's see what happens in this case.

Goodram pro

Goodram Memory has proven itself to be a great reinsurer. At Auto, a frequency of 1333 MHz was set with a delay formula of 8-8-8-22, but this applies to AMD platforms, since the XMP profile fully corresponds to the information on the package: 1066 MHz and timings 10-10-10-30. The tRC parameter of 40 is too large, although it is not the most important, but it could be reduced to at least 36.

Goodram Pro default memory timings table

If, for some reason, you choose 1333 MHz, for example, the old chipset will not pull out more, then it is advisable to try to lower the timings as much as possible. It turned out that the Polish kit easily starts up at 1333 MHz with delays of 7-7-7-22, having passed all stability tests, but even after the final "polishing" of the secondary timings, it will hardly be possible to achieve high performance of the memory subsystem, and we will see this in comparative diagrams.

Goodram Pro minimum memory timings at which it is still stable

The situation with overclocking in frequency upward looks not so rosy. The computer starts perfectly at 2400 MHz with the set delays of 11-11-11-28 CR2, but categorically refuses to pass the "physics test" in 3D Mark 11, and also hangs after 15-20 minutes of running the built-in 7-Zip benchmark. There is no point in raising the first CAS # Latency value to "12", yes, stability may appear, but in terms of speed it will be the slowest set.

At rated frequency > Goodram Pro worked as expected and even allowed to slightly improve performance by reducing delays. The best in all tests was the combination of 2133 MHz clock frequency with 9-10-10-26 timings.

Excellent stability, fairly high read / write speeds, low latency at 2133 MHz are achieved with careful tuning of the memory parameters in the BIOS. The factory settings are too coarse and need to be adjusted.

The operation of the Polish kit at 1600 MHz did not raise any questions either, but even here it turned out to be possible to "twist the knobs" a little, the CAS # Latency parameter should be set to 8 instead of 9. This gives a sharp increase in bandwidth and reduces latency.

Apacer armor series

As mentioned above, the set of settings for the 2133 MHz frequency was chosen by the manufacturer in vain. The 11-11-11-30 CR2 formula is clearly not for victories, but it is precisely it that is "sewn" in the form of an XMP profile. And the recommended voltage of 1.65 V is too high.

Please note that at 1600 MHz, the timings will be almost the same as at 2133 MHz. This will lead to a noticeable decrease in speed in processor-dependent applications.

It would be strange not to try to correct the situation, but they did not succeed much in this. It seems to be a successful start of the 2400 MHz kit with the 11-12-11-30 CR2 formula, even passing the physics test in 3D Mark 11, but a repeated fatal error in the archivers says that we have climbed too high.

As a result, the results collected at 1600 MHz and 2133 MHz were taken into account, and in both cases we managed to slightly reduce the timings, which could not but improve the results.

The difference at the frequency of 2133 MHz is immediately visible, the upper result was obtained at the nominal settings, the lower one - when the timings were set to 10-11-10-30.

At 1600 MHz, the memory passed all tests with delays of 8-8-8-24 and the results were included in the summary tables.

An interesting observation: the first test was rejected, because the modules were inserted into slots in a single-channel configuration by mistake, which caused Apacer's memory to consistently occupy the worst places in the tables. After the error was discovered, all tests were repeated, and the same RAM with the same working timings began to claim the top lines in the diagrams. The performance impact of two-channel mode is extremely high.

Corsair vengeance

Even without putting this memory on the stand, one can confidently predict victory for it. The timing formula indicated on the package is impeccable, there is practically nothing to add or subtract here. But a detailed study of the contents of the SPD showed that, albeit in trifles, it would have to be tweaked.

Judging by the numbers in the rightmost column of the SPD table, the kit is inoperable when the XMP profile is selected. Have not yet come up with DDR3 microcircuits capable of operating at 2133 MHz with CAS # Latency = 7, and even at a reduced voltage of 1.5 V.

And now the fun part is overclocking. Without a noticeable increase in the supply voltage (to guarantee its value was 1.55 V), the Corsair kit started up at 2400 MHz and timings of 10-11-11-30. And every test passed without errors!

Judging by the results of all AIDA tests, it is the Corsair kit that has the highest speed characteristics.

There were no complaints about the memory operation at 1600 MHz with timings of 8-8-8-24, and the bandwidth turned out to be very, very high. We can safely recommend memory Corsair vengeance enthusiasts.

ADATA XPG Xtreme Series

The first set of memory that can work without additional study of the settings, if the motherboard allows you to use the XMP profile. The settings saved in the nonvolatile memory for the frequency of 2133 MHz are fully consistent with the recommended ones, and, what is most important, the computer starts up perfectly.

"Passport" of the ADATA XPG Xtreme Series kit. The memory will remain functional at any frequency, the timings can be safely left in Auto, if you do not try to squeeze out the maximum speed

Initially, attention was paid to the ADATA memory sticks. The combination of timings 10-11-11-30 at 2133 MHz seemed "strained" from the last effort. But practice has shown that this is not entirely true, but there is some truth in this statement. And this was confirmed in experiments with the Command Rate parameter. By default, it is supposed to put "two", it will also be selected if you specify Auto in the CR settings. The ADATA memory worked with CR = 1, but some of the computational tests failed even at a frequency of 2133 MHz, without any overclocking.

The Super PI 32M "calculator" was started four times, but on pass 10-11 it stopped with an error. Neither lowering the voltage to 1.6 V nor raising it to 1.7 V improved the weather, so it was decided to leave CR = 2, as recommended by ADATA

It turns out that these levels will not allow overclocking, since the parameters are extremely tightened? We thought so too, but in reality the situation turned out to be much better. A lot of surprise, we observed all tests passing at 2400 MHz, and the latencies did not even have to worsen: the memory worked best with a combination of 10-11-11-30 CR2 timings.

After a little tinkering with the settings, the ADATA kit deservedly began to claim victory in today's competition.

It turns out that the first assumption about the overclocking potential of the ADATA memory kit turned out to be wrong, there are considerable reserves hidden in these bars. Needless to say, 1600 MHz with 8-8-8-24 timings were played as if by notes, the tests were passed with very interesting results, which will be discussed a little later.

Geil DDR3 Evo Corsa

For Geil memory, the frequency of 2400 MHz is shown by the manufacturer as nominal. At least that's what the packaging and the booklet say. Let's see what parameters are recommended by the manufacturer and do they match the declared ones?

The XMP profile is written perfectly, and the frequency, timings, and supply voltage correspond to the declared values. Arguably, with the Geil memory kit, there will be no problems with the first launch.

But aren't the "12" values ​​large in the RAS # to CAS # and RAS # Precharge lines? It is quite possible to drop them by 1 point, only after that you will have to check the platform for stability, which can be entrusted to our set of tests. The result of timing selection is as follows:

Walk, so walk! The CAS # Latency value was also reduced to 10, which did not lead to system instability

Great result. This memory works perfectly at 2400 MHz, and the test results only confirm this. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about stability and performance. Geil evo corsa at a frequency of 2133 MHz. To maintain the optimal balance of speed and reliability, the correct timings had to be looked for almost blindly and it took a lot of time. The tRAS parameter has unexpectedly manifested its essence. Until we set it to 28, the performance was very poor. The final results of tests at a frequency of 2133 MHz went to the results Geil evo corsa with parameters 9-10-10-28 CR1, almost like the memory of the "Corsair".

It took a lot of time to improve latency so much.

According to AIDA, the speed gain after overclocking is not as noticeable as we would like. It will be possible to see it only in comparative diagrams, in real work it is unlikely

Let's sum up the preliminary result. Geil again got a perfect set of RAM, which allows you to try overclocking by all available methods, both in frequency and by reducing delays. With such superior performance, you can count on Gale to take the top spots on today's test. It's strange to use such a high-speed memory at 1600 MHz, but nevertheless we tested this variant too, having carried out a set of tests with timings of 8-8-8-24. This will provide an opportunity to compare Geil's trims with their competitors.

Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM

Here we come to the most interesting memory kit. First, let's take a look at the default timings table and see its contents.

The XMP profile is registered correctly, but the high voltage of 1.8 V is alarming. Intel does not recommend setting it higher than 1.7 V to avoid damage to the memory controller in the processor

The first starts at a relatively safe voltage of 1.7 V ended in failure, the bench computer refused to start. Even raising the voltage to the maximum 1.8 V and higher to 1.85 V, it was not possible to make the memory work at a frequency of 2400 MHz.

Even our overclocker-tolerant motherboard felt that 1.8 V was a bit too much, highlighting the line in yellow.

After several dozen experiments with raising and lowering timings, voltage adjustments, the computer began to run stably at a frequency of DDR 2400 MHz, with timings of 10-11-11-31 CR2, but the timing values ​​were incorrectly displayed in the CPU-Z utility, and test runs utilities AIDA, Super PI 32M, archivers, showed that the results are very low, the same memory at a frequency of 2133 MHz is faster, so it was decided to leave the results obtained at a frequency of 2133 MHz in the table, and the test Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM do not run at 2400 MHz. Kingmax commented on this situation as follows: the company did not conduct a detailed test of this memory on the platform we used, and Kingmax does not guarantee the stability of the Nano Gamning RAM, and recommends using Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM on Intel platforms. However, we also noticed that there is no stability, and the two-channel mode is completely inoperative. We did not increase the memory voltage to 1.9 V, fearing for the health of the stand components.

The optimal timing formula for operating at a frequency of 2133 MHz turned out to be 9-10-10-24. She also had to be handpicked. The already familiar "three eights" at 1600 MHz were given without effort.

Now for the wonderful chip coverage. At such a high voltage at maximum load (archivers, Super PI 32M), the temperature of the microcircuits reached 37 - 39 degrees. In a closed stand, the heating will be higher, but not fatal. Nanoradiators work, cope with their tasks, and what else is needed from them? Beauty in a closed system unit still not see.

The feeling from Nano Gaming RAM remained ambiguous. On the one hand, this is a really fast overclocking (gaming) memory with modern chips. But in order to make RAM work at the passport frequency, you need to have a lot of experience in BIOS settings, at least in general terms, to represent the scheme of the operation of RAM and to know the typical values ​​of the delays. Moreover, there is absolutely no guarantee that your memory will eventually work.

And with the supply voltage is generally a rebus. The supply voltage range of 1.5-1.8 V is indicated on the module packaging. According to the specification, 1.8 V is required to start at a frequency of 2400 MHz, but with decreasing the frequency, the supply voltage can be reduced. All on a whim, since Kingmax did not leave us exact instructions.

DDR3 Memory Tests | Test results

In order not to clutter up the article with a huge number of screenshots and not force the reader to independently search for the necessary numbers, all test results were summarized in several diagrams, in which a certain color was assigned to memory kits from one manufacturer, selected according to the color of the radiator or packaging. It is also necessary to note that in all diagrams the scale of values ​​is relative, so that a twofold difference in the length of the bars does not mean a twofold difference in speed. Results are grouped by application in which the memory was tested. And for each participant its clock frequency and a set of basic timings at which it was tested are indicated. Deliberately incorrect results are not shown in the final diagrams, and the test results in the Super PI 32M benchmark did not go into action due to poor repeatability of the results.

Archivers

The built-in WinRAR benchmark gave preference to the Geil kit, and in general it is clear that a high memory frequency has a beneficial effect on performance. So almost all the kits that were able to pass the tests at 2400 MHz were the winners.

At the bottom of the list, as expected, was Goodram memory at 1333 MHz with short timings, as well as Nano Gaming RAM, which worked in single-channel mode at 2400 MHz, which is why it was removed from the distance and removed from the diagrams. The results of the newcomer to the memory market, Apacer, are predictable, but pay attention to what a noticeable increase in Apacer's performance after timing selection! Another interesting conclusion can be drawn from the same diagram: if your platform does not support working with memory at a frequency higher than 1600 MHz, there is nothing to be upset about, the difference between the results at 1600 MHz and 2133 MHz is small. Having an outdated motherboard, it makes sense not to chase megahertz, but to shorten the delays.

7-Zip has different compression algorithms, so the results will be different. But the overall trend is similar. The best results are collected at 2400 MHz, and the positive effect of short timings (Geil, ADATA, Corsair) is very noticeable. Let's take a look at the results of the 7-Zip "packing" embedded test.

In the laggards again, the slow Goodram at 1333 MHz, which managed to bypass itself at 1600 MHz. Obviously, short timings for 7-Zip are not critical. But then there is nothing to explain why Corsair did not take the first places, losing to Geil and ADATA.

In the "unpacking" diagram of the same built-in 7-Zip test, the results are even more interesting.

The outsiders have pulled themselves up to Olympus, and the former winners are bored in the rearguard. Apacer took the third place at an average frequency of 1600 MHz, Goodram took the lead at 2133 MHz. It is absolutely impossible to understand the reason for such an arrangement of test participants, so it is worth looking at the table with the final test rating of 7-Zip.

The 7-Zip results are calculated in MIPS, which is an abbreviation of the English phrase Million Instructions Per Second.

Now, the situation has become noticeably clearer. High-frequency memory gains maximum "Mips", lowering the clock frequency leads to a uniform decrease in performance. The results show the successes of ADATA, Geil, Corsair, Goodram memory. Kingmax is not among the leaders, having consolidated in the middle. Apacer does not take the first places, short timings at 1600 MHz turned out to be more preferable for its microcircuits. Anyway, the effect of delays is noticeable. Look at Geil evo corsa, what is the gap at 2400 MHz with timings 11-12-12-30 and 10-11-11-30. Here you can clearly see which memory at a frequency of 2133 MHz copes with a bang, and which is trying with the last bit of strength.

AIDA: Cache and Memory Test

This benchmark allows you to evaluate the performance of the memory subsystem in read / write / copy operations, as well as measure the latency, which strongly depends not only on the memory used, but also on the DDR controller built into the CPU. The lower the latency, the noticeably higher the computer's results in all tests. The AMD platform has a latency of 45 - 60 ns, the latest Intel processors demonstrate 38 - 45 ns in tests. There are several ways to reduce the latency: by overclocking the CPU, shortening the timings, and increasing the memory frequency. Since we are not touching the processor parameters today, the latency will depend solely on the properties of the chips and the set memory parameters. But we will not start the analysis with the latency, but with the linear reading test.

We have already seen approximately such a picture. It is quite possible that AIDA was the most truthful of all to rank memory in terms of its performance. But we figured out the obvious leaders in advance, it is more interesting to look at the lagging behind. There we can see that Apacer's operation at 1600 MHz is not ideal, but if we go to 2133 MHz, the results are clearly better. The same picture with "Gale". But Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM clearly does not break into the leaders, taking only the sixth place at 2133 MHz.

We will see the same trend in the write speed test.

And again ADATA, Geil, Corsair won prizes, but look how high Goodram has climbed (1333 MHz)! Among other kits at a low frequency of 1600 MHz, the ADATA kit still works well, our "dark horse" is very confident, if not climbing to an inaccessible height, then occupying very prominent places. A Apacer does not add much in speed with shorter timings, but it turned out to be the first in the "2133" group in the nominal mode. You can also immediately see the division of all participants by clock frequency.

But the not the most obvious copy test, in which the contents of one cell are overwritten to another. Its impact on the performance of real-world applications is controversial. Let's not jump to conclusions, just see what happened.

As they say, "all the same faces." ADATA is in the lead along with Corsair and Geil, Apacer even at 2133 MHz at 10-11-10-30 timings is not faster than with 11-11-11-30 timings. In class "1600" ADATA performed on an equal footing with Apacer, and Goodram did not present any surprises this time. From the tests already done, everything is quite clear, but we still have a lot of interesting things in store. Finally, we got to the latency test. Since the lower the latency, the better, the diagram is inverted, but thanks to this, the winner should still be looked for at the bottom of the diagram.

Goodram DDR3-2133 was again included in the list of prize-winners, but competitors with a frequency of 2400 MHz did not allow it to rise to the very top. In addition, the work of the Polish kit at lower frequencies turned out to be surprisingly slow. The memory of Apacer performed well, its three blue bars are evenly distributed in the diagram. Kingmax at 2133 MHz, outperformed Geil by two points with practically the same delays.

SiSoftware Sandra Cryptography & Encryption

Let's take a look at the Pivot Chart. It can be seen that the results for almost all participants are similar, it looks like an array of columns of almost the same length.

And again we see a clear ranking of memory kits. High-speed modules occupy the best lines; with decreasing frequency, they also show a uniform decrease in performance. Apacer, Goodram, Kingmax are an exception to the general rule. The first one pulled out far ahead (the test was carried out 4 times with the same result).

Goodram lost to all competitors (although, as we found out, judging by the latency, it is very good), and Kingmax DDR3-2133 never woke up and remained in the middle. Let's see if the same pattern repeats in the next SiSoftware Sandra benchmark?

Yes, it turned out almost like a carbon copy. The nature of the task being performed has changed, but again we see a dense block of the most productive participants and several lagging sets.

PC Mark 7

Let's see if PC Mark's comprehensive benchmark suite has felt the change in memory performance.

If you look at the distribution of the results, you can see that PC Mark also prefers high-speed memory of 2400 MHz, it is also sensitive to short timings, precisely for the latter reason Kingmax DDR-2133 9-10-10-24 bypasses Corsair DDR3-2133 9-11- 10-30. But, as with all other tests, short latencies do not help Goodram DDR3-2133 9-10-10-26 to emerge as a test winner. From the diagram, we can conclude that the memory frequency and its latency have the most direct impact on the speed of content processing. Let it be five percent, but a computer with high-frequency memory will be faster. And this factor, among other things, will help save the precious working time of professionals.

The next test is also very indicative; it is a test of the speed of performing Internet tasks.

A different color distribution in the diagram is immediately noticeable, of the recognized leaders, only Corsair remained on the podium, and the prize lines were occupied by former outsiders. Anyway, all memory with a frequency higher than 2133 MHz is "rejected". There are no objective reasons for such an ending, rather it looks like a random result, so we can talk about the absence of the influence of the frequency and timings of the RAM on the computer's performance in typical Internet tasks.

It makes no sense to give one of the diagrams. According to the results of the graphics test, we could not find a direct effect of the frequency of the RAM on the FPS, which is not surprising. Typical values ​​in Graphic Test 4 with "Performance" presets are 42 - 44 fps, moreover, it was not possible to achieve an approximately equal result even in ideal conditions, so we made a note to ourselves and excluded the results of this test from the final.

But there is definitely a direct dependence of the speed of calculating physical models on the parameters of RAM. Moreover, the physics test in 3D Mark 11 is great option check your computer for stability.

Very, very revealing result. A noticeable increase in the results with high-speed memory, if you look closely, you can see that memory kits with the same clock frequency gain approximately the same number of points (the results are arranged in blocks), timings in this test almost do not play an important role, but in fairness I must say that the effect of delays is all -this is true. It turned out that in the physics test, there is practically no difference between the memory with a frequency of 1600 MHz and 2133 MHz, if the first has the correct timings. So gamers have a lot to think about.

DDR3 Memory Tests | conclusions

Today's testing of DDR3 memory, carried out in the THG laboratory, turned out to be very voluminous, but it allowed not only to answer the question "whose memory is better", but also to reveal unobvious relationships between memory characteristics and its performance. But it is better to first summarize the impressions of all test participants one by one.

> Goodram Pro, in general, should have been out of competition, the reason is the volume of 2 GB per bracket, and not 4, as in competitors. Moreover, it was not possible to overclock it to 2400 MHz. Among the positive characteristics, you can include work with a supply voltage of 1.5 - 1.6 V, the possibility of overclocking by reducing delays. These modules performed well at clock frequencies of 1333 MHz, 1600 MHz and 1867 MHz. At 1867 MHz, we managed to limit ourselves to 8-9-9-24 timings, which is very good. We can recommend this memory to owners of AMD platforms. Goodram is efficient at 2133 MHz, but its results are rather low, so other modules should be chosen to equip modern Intel platforms.

Apacer armor series can be considered a rather strange debut of the company on the Russian market. The advantage of this kit should have been a low price, but we still don't know about it. But the shortcomings have already been discovered: a poor quality thermal interface, with poor adhesion, average performance, poor overclocking capability. However, everything is said above, there is information in the diagrams. For final conclusions, there is not enough information on the cost of the kit Apacer armor series, but it is clear that for computers "for every day", such as office or multimedia, it is enough, and it should not fail.

Corsair vengeance- the clear leader of today's test, won us over not only with its excellent, and most importantly, simple overclocking, but also with very high test results both at 2133 MHz and at non-standard 2400 MHz. If you spend a certain amount of time and properly align the sub-timings to optimal values, you can get even more pleasant results. The disadvantages of the Corsair kit can only be high radiators, the need for which is not obvious. This fast memory will appeal primarily to gamers and overclockers, especially if their platform allows 2400 MHz memory.

ADATA XPG Xtreme Series can be called the discovery of today's test. The nominal characteristics can be called neither successful nor advanced, but in fact this "simple memory" turned out to be overclocking, easily taking 2400 MHz, while showing the best results in almost all tests. It was not possible to identify any shortcomings. The peculiarity of ADATA bars is that they require control over the value of the Command Rate parameter in the BIOS, reacting very negatively to the "one". Better to put a "two" immediately after the first start. The DDR3 kit from ADATA is well suited for compact computers, this memory has very compact heatsinks.

Geil evo corsa- another today's leader on a par with "Corsair". At a lower cost, this memory has a higher nominal clock frequency, excellent characteristics, it is suitable for serious overclocking by reducing timings. Among the shortcomings, it is worth highlighting the not very high performance at 1600 MHz, so this memory is more likely for adherents of Intel platforms. To get good results, you don't have to spend hours adjusting the settings, the XMP profile is written quite correctly. The disadvantage is the same as that of the Corsair - a tall radiator. This will not prevent memory from getting our recommendation, but it will block its way into HTPC and embedded systems.

Kingmax Nano Gaming RAM- innovative memory - turned out to be a very capricious person. Firstly, its "native" frequency is 2133 MHz, not 2400 MHz. There is no doubt that after a long "polishing" of the timings it will be possible to make it work at 2400 MHz, but the parameters recommended by Kingmax are not optimal. This DDR3 kit can be recommended for trained users who are able to independently conduct a set of tests and adjust parameters for maximum performance. The greatest bewilderment is caused by the supply voltage at a frequency of 2400 MHz - 1.8 V or does it still need 1.9 V? Other participants were satisfied with 1.65 volts, while Corsair and Goodram were content with 1.5 volts.

Does it make sense to add high-speed memory to your computer? Of course, yes, when it comes to assembling a powerful system unit. The difference in the memory test results at 1333 MHz and 2133 MHz is very noticeable. But even if the maximum frequency of the memory controller in your computer does not exceed, say, 1600 MHz, with good memory, fine-tuning it, you can achieve good results in this case, which was clearly confirmed by the test diagrams.