 |
Printed On: | October 6, 2008, 8:49 pm |
| Category: | Memories | |
| Type: | Reviews | |
| Posted By: | tUx | |
| Date Posted: | June 27, 2008, 7:55 pm |
 |
A brief introduction
Even though it has been a while since the introduction of DDR3 memory, the community has been slow in adopting DDR3 mainly because of its high pricing and comparatively poor performance to similarily spec-ed DDR2 memories which run on lower latencies by default. With continued development and the maturing of DDR3 products, we are starting to see the introduction of more high-speed DDR3 memory kits, which are now finally able to offer substantial performance gains over DDR2-based systems. Unfortunately, DDR3 pricing is still steep, but pricing has dropped by a large amount from the period of time when it was just introduced.
With DDR3 prices slowly, but surely dropping, performance DDR3 kits are getting the attention of enthusiasts and hardcore overclockers. We have in our test labs two high-performance DDR3 2GB kits, which are kindly sent to us by Kingston Technologies. They are the KHX13000D3LLK2/2G kit and the KHX14400D3K2/2GN kit. The former is classified as a low-latency kit by Kingston themselves, offering CL7 performance at a rather uncommon rated speed of 1625MHz. The latter is rated at a higher speed of 1800MHz, but at CL8 latencies.
Both kits operate at a voltage of 1.9V, up from the default 1.5V. 1.9V may seem a little on the high side to some, but it is still considered normal for performance DDR3 kits.
|
Kingston KHX13000D3LLK2/2G PC3-13000 CL7 1625MHz 2GB Kit
The kit comes in Kingston's easily-distinguishable packaging: the black plastic box and a large label taped across it. Instead of blue borders on the label found on Kingston's ValueRAM line, red color is used for the HyperX performance memory line.
The Kingston HyperX 1625MHz DDR3 2GB kit comes as a matched pair in a neat twin pack sealed box.
Standard on all HyperX memories, are Kingston's blue heatspreaders. The heatspreaders found on our review kits are of the second generation.
Signature blue heatspreaders on Kingston's HyperX
Label on the heatspreader stating the HyperX model and its rated voltage.
As we can see below, the memory modules are single-sided. All 2GB kits that we have come across are all single-sided 1GB modules. We should be expecting more 4GB performance DDR3 kits to arrive shortly, comprising of two double-sided modules.
The Kingston sticks are single-sided modules.
Screenshot from CPU-Z.
|
Kingston KHX14000D3LLK2/2G PC3-14400 CL8 1800MHz 2GB Kit
The Kingston HyperX 1800MHz DDR3 2GB kit comes in similar packaging.
NVIDIA SLI Ready: An EPP profile is programmed into this pair of memory's SPD.
The 'N' suffix after the K2/2G model string points out it has NVIDIA EPP profiles onboard.
Screenshot from CPU-Z.
|
Memory Performance
First, the following are the parts used for this Kingston memory article.
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (3GHz, 6MB L2) |
| Motherboard | ASUS P5K3 Deluxe (Intel P35 Express) |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX KHX13000LLK2/2G 1625MHz CL7 DDR3 Kit Kingston HyperX KHX14400D3K2/2G 1800MHz CL8 DDR3 Kit |
| Graphics Cards | Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 512MB |
| Storage | Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB SATA |
| Power Supply | FSP Everest 600W |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit w/ SP1 |
Let's get on with some quick tests: SuperPI 1.5-mod XS and Futuremark's 3DMark06 CPU run.
|
Cranking up the speed
The overclocking results are presented in the order of CAS Latency timings.
The first screenshot from each CL testing is from the 1625MHz pair, and the second screenshot is from the 1800MHz pair.
Testing at CL7-7-7-
KHX13000LLK2/2G: 1800MHz @ CL7-7-7-, 2.20V
KHX14400D3K2/2GN: 1800MHz @ CL7-7-7-, 2.20V
Testing at CL8-8-8-
KHX13000LLK2/2G: 1820MHz @ CL8-8-8-, 2.20V
KHX14400D3K2/2GN: 1840MHz @ CL8-8-8-, 2.20V
Testing at CL9-9-9-
KHX13000LLK2/2G: 1820MHz @ CL9-9-9-, 2.20V
KHX14400D3K2/2GN: 1900MHz @ CL9-9-9-, 2.20V
Based on our results from memory performance and overclocking, we found that the KHX13000LLK2/2G 1625MHz kit performed slightly better clock-for-clock when compared against the KHX14400K2/2GN 1800MHz kit. This could be due to slightly tighter internal latencies programmed by Kingston's engineers.
Assuming both the KHX13000LLK2/2G and the KHX14400K2/2GN utilize ICs from the same manufacturer, then it would also explain why the former fairs slightly poorer against the latter in terms of maximum frequency overclock.
|
Conclusion
Both kits did well, managing to reach a nice frequency of 1800MHz at a tight CL7-7-7- latency setting. At CL8-8-8-, the KHX13000LLK2/2G kit was able to squeeze out a small 20MHz, while the KHX14400D3K2/2GN kit faired slightly better, returning 40MHz on top of what it could do at CL7. Unfortunately, the low latency 1625MHz kit did not manage to scale any further even at relaxed latency of CL9-9-9-, stopping at a final 1820MHz. The 1800MHz kit still had some more in it, reaching its limit at 1900MHz.
The KHX13000LLK2/2G 1625MHz kit and the KHX14400D3K2/2G 1800MHz kit managed to POST at 1900MHz and 2000MHz respectively, but the system was too unstable to load Windows.
Kingston HyperX performance memories
With both kits offering great performance at CL7-7-7-, you wouldn't go wrong with either Kingston pair. Our estimate is that overall system performance with memory running at 1800MHz CL7 would be about the same as a system running 1900MHz CL9. Therefore, depending on how well your processor (and FSB) can scale, choose the kit that would fit the bill.
The Kingston HyperX KHX13000LLK2/2G 1625MHz 2GB DDR3 kit retails for around US$260 while the Kingston HyperX KHX14400D3K2/2GN 1800MHz 2GB DDR3 kit retails for around US$330.
Kingston HyperX KHX13000LLK2/2G 1625MHz 2GB DDR3 Kit
Kingston HyperX KHX14400D3K2/2GN 1800MHz 2GB DDR3 Kit
|