X58 Triple Channel DDR3 Memory Roundup! 8 Mid-range Kits Tested

Memory by thorgal @ 2009-04-09

In the ever raging sales battle among memory manufacturers, the Core i7 launch must have been the wind that shook the barley. While everyone was convinced i7 would be the real start of DDR3 technology, it also was a ´back to the drawing board´ call for most, having to come up with lower voltage memory parts - with decent performance - in a hurry. Four months into the launch now, we present you with a roundup of 8 mid-range kits from 8 different manufacturers. Begun, the new battle has.

  • prev
  • next

Test setup and benchmark suite

Test setup

Test Setup
Madshrimps (c)
CPU Intel Core i7 Extreme 965
Cooled by Thermalright TRUE Copper edition
Mainboard Gigabyte EX58-Extreme
Memory
  • 3x 2Gb Geil "Value" PC12800
  • 3x 2Gb Qimonda-Aeneon "X-tune" PC12800
  • 3x 2Gb Patriot "Viper" PC12800
  • 3x 2Gb Mushkin "Radioactive" PC12800
  • 3x 2Gb OCZ "Platinum" PC12800
  • 3x 2Gb G.Skill PC12800
  • 3x 2Gb Corsair "Dominator" PC12800
  • 3x 1Gb Crucial "Ballistix" PC12800
  • Other
    Gigabyte Radeon 4870X2
    NEC 3540 DVD-RW
    Western Digital WD800 Raptor
    OCZ ProXstream 1000 Watt PSU
    Silverstone TJ9


    This is of course a high end setup, but results should be comparable with the more mainstream core i7 920 and a more budget friendly X58 board, like Gigabyte's UD3R board for example that retails for less than €200 already.


    Benchmark suite

    As soon as we ensure full stability of our memory modules on the applied settings, we can get to our test suite. We included a limited test suite which covers about every aspect of the system :

  • SiSoftware's S.A.N.D.R.A. 2009
  • Lavalys Everest 4.60
  • Futuremark 3D Mark '06 - total score and cpu score
  • Futuremark PCMark Vantage - total score
  • Futuremark 3DMark Vantage - all scores
  • Superpi 1.5, Xtremesystems edition
  • Crytek/Electronic Art's Crysis, through Madboris' Benchmark Tool
  • Techarp's H.264 benchmark
  • Maxon's Cinebench 10


    Have a look at the test results on the next page >
    • prev
    • next
    Comment from Kougar @ 2009/04/10
    Quote:
    I decided not to include the results in this review yet, as there wasn't actually anything wrong with the kits at their rated speeds. Both did the rated speeds and timings without any issues, they just didn't overclock to any satisfying level.
    This has been observed with Corsair Dominator kits in other reviews. Link

    I was just about to buy a kit of OCZ Platinum, nice to see the overclocking results here, thank you. Should probably mention the 6GB OCZ Platinum 1600MHz kit is available for $80 shipped AMIR, cheapest 1600MHz kit of all those tested.
    Comment from blind_ripper @ 2009/04/10
    80$ , thats cheap!

    btw u got a pic mixed up @ page 8 from the OCZ's, cas 7 has the cas8 pic .
    althoughe very nice work thorgal
    Comment from thorgal @ 2009/04/10
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kougar View Post
    This has been observed with Corsair Dominator kits in other reviews. Link

    I was just about to buy a kit of OCZ Platinum, nice to see the overclocking results here, thank you. Should probably mention the 6GB OCZ Platinum 1600MHz kit is available for $80 shipped AMIR, cheapest 1600MHz kit of all those tested.
    Yes, I read the xbit article, they come to about the same conclusion indeed.

    The Patriots can also be had for $79,99 now at Newegg, could be the OCZ's are equally cheap somewhere (they're $89,99 at Newegg).
    Comment from leeghoofd @ 2009/04/10
    Great work Ram "Torsten" Guy
    Comment from Kougar @ 2009/04/10
    Yes, but the Patriots are CAS 9. OCZ Platinum is CAS 7 (better than anything Corsair offers too).

    Didn't hear it from me: Newegg Promo code EMCLRLV42 for $10 off OCZ3P1600LV6GK ($80). Even less if buying NIB on ebay.
    Comment from Jaco @ 2009/04/11
    good article / review .

    Still reading ... lots of numbers

     

    reply