It’s really amazing how many computer users out there create large audio and video projects and play the latest games too. But if you’ve ever been on a system with a small or limited amount of memory, all that creativity can come to a stuttering, grinding halt resulting in a frustrating experience. Thankfully, RAM is cheaper than ever so there really isn’t an excuse for not upgrading. And, If you’re using one of the many excellent Intel Z68/Z77 and AMD 8/9 series motherboards, chances are your board supports up to at least 32GB of DDR3 memory.
We’ve assembled a great group of memory kits all worthy of your consideration. Some are intended to support gamers, others pander to content creators, while some call out to niche system modders and overclockers. We’re having a look at the Mushkin Enhanced Redline 1600, Kingston HyperX Predator 1866, Patriot Memory Viper III Venom 2133, ADATA Game Series V2.0 2400 and Corsair Dominator Platinum 2666 memory today to see how they measure up.
Mushkin Enhanced Redline 1600MHz
Mushkin offers three DDR3 series kits inckuding the Redline, Blackline, and Silverline. The Silverline is their mainstream low profile kit, followed by the Blackline which caters a bit more to performance enthusiasts. Finally, the Redline is their elite in terms of performance. The Redline can be found with three different heat sink styles; FrostByte, Ridgeback, and Ridgeback Redline. There is an older less commonly seen Radioactive heat sink still out there as well. The Redline starts at 1333MHz and tops out at 2400MHz for dual, triple, and quad channel systems.
Our 1600MHz Redline kit is sports the Frostbyte heat sinks which are actually a deeper, much better looking red than what the product page describes. While it seems like an entry level 1600MHz kit, it actually has 7-8-7-24 memory timings meaning it has the best timings any stock memory kit offers. It also means that the kit is capable of overclocking assuming your CPU is up to the task.
This particular dual channel, high performance, low latency 1600MHz Redline 8GB kit can be purchased for $69.99. It’s the premium ICs underneath the spreaders that command the pricing. There aren’t many CAS7 memory kits like these 2 x 4GB either, but they still manage to be aggressively priced versus the competition.
Kingston HyperX Predator 1866MHz
The Predator memory is the latest design from Kingston, and replaces the older T1 HyperX as the top end spreader design. The Predator supports dual channel Z77 and quad channel X79 motherboards with full support for XMP profiles. Of course, three will also work on triple channel X58 boards too.
The Predator series currently starts at 8GB and moves up to 32GB capacities. Quad channel X79 motherboards support native 1600MHz DDR3 but can overclock depending on the motherboard. This makes our 1866MHz 9-11-9-30 the ideal quad channel kit for overclocking. Dual channel Predator kits max out at 2666MHz since Z68/Z77 motherboards offer higher overclocking headroom with dual channel support only. Keep in mind, very few Ivy Bridge processors can achieve frequencies this high so your mileage may vary.
The quad channel 1866MHz Predator can be picked up for around $100 which works on both dual and quad motherboards. If you need dual channel CPU melting 2666MHz frequencies, the 8GB kit will set you back $172 US/CA. If you’re really lucky, you may be able to find their 2800MHz dual channel kit. But you’ll find very, very few CPUs capable of keeping up with it. The more common 2x4GB 1866MHz kits can be found for as low as $61.14 US.
Patriot Memory Viper III Venom 2133MHz
We’ve handled the new sporty Viper III kits before including the Mamba and Intel Extreme Masters. They perform quite well since they utilize Hynix memory modules onboard and come in different colors which all range in speeds from 1600 to 2133MHz. Frequencies that pretty much cover every Z77 and X79 motherboard supporting Sandy and Ivy Bridge processors. The Venom red color should appeal to modding enthusiasts and folks that want something that looks great through a side window in their high end system.
Like all Viper III kits, the Venom comes in dual and quad channel flavors up to the 2133MHz as tested. The timings are 11-11-11-30 on this kit though we’ve had luck getting them to run at 10-11-11-30 latences as well. Stock voltage is 1.5 volts is compatible on 1.65V systems.
Dual channel 8GB kits start at $43-50 and quad channel 16GB kits at $100 from the usual online places. If you’re looking for more, it almost doubles in price for 32GB kits. The XMP certified Intel Extreme Masters are $57 and $104 respectively.
Next up are offerings from CORSAIR and ADATA…
ADATA XPG Gaming Series v2.0 2400MHz
Moving up the frequency list, ADATA’s new Gaming Series v2.0 refreshes the original with new sinks and ICs underneath to appeal to gaming enthusiasts who like showing off their system and overclocking. At 2400MHz, the 2nd Gen Intel processors are finally overclocking those memory controllers. The v2.0 Gaming Series do look better and a bit more serious than previous efforts.
They come in dual channel kits utilizing 1.5 volts at 1600 up to 1.65 volts at 2400MHz as tested. This kit achieves these frequencies with 10-12-12-31 timings which is quite aggressive versus 11-13-13-35 on most kits on the market. Keep in mind these kits can be use lower frequencies with lower, better timings for faster system performance because they use premium ICs.
This dual channel 8GB 2400MHz version 2.0 Gaming Series kit starts at $74.99. However, ADATA also offers a larger dual channel 16GB kit for $144.99 which is as big and fast as it gets. If you need quad channel, you’ll have to drop down in frequency and pick up a second dual channel kit.
Corsair Dominator Platinum 2666MHz DDR3
Our final Corsair Dominator kit clocks in at 2666MHz which is now the hairy edge of our Core i7-3770K’s capability. The Dominator Platinum sports a new LED lit chrome arm intended to satisfy enthusiast who like to show off attractive high performance memory. Memory speeds start at 1600MHz and top out at an insane 2800MHz. Capacities range from (2×4) 8GB up to an impressive (4x4GB) 16GB in similar high speeds. Given processor and board limitations, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll achieve these frequencies. But at least the memory won’t be holding you back.
While the 1600MHz kits utilize 1.5 operating volts, the faster kits require 1.65 volts to ensure stability. This particular 8GB 2666MHz kit needs 11-13-13-35 timings which is pretty standard. Again, you can always lower the frequencies and timings for greater system performance.
Surprisingly, the Dominator Platinum 2666MHz 2x4GB kit can be found for $160 US/CA from retailers. If you’re anxious to sport a 4x4GB kit, it’ll cost you a healthy $340 to secure a kit. Keep in mind that even if your system can’t support these frequencies or capacities, you can down clock frequencies and lower memory timings for better performance.
Test System Configuration and Installation
I tested compatibility on several different Z77 motherboards from ASRock, ASUS, GIGABYTE, ECS and MSI. On the average, ASUS motherboards have been a bit more aggressive at ensuring these finicky Ivy Bridge chips max out. It’s the IMC (integrated memory controllers) that are the largest limiting factor when overclocking. Sandy Bridge processors don’t have much problem in this area and completely luck of the draw whether or not your Ivy CPU can support faster than 2400MHz DDR3 memory.
Here’s our system setup for testing…
- Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge
- Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth Z77
- Memory 1: Mushkin Enhanced Redline 1600MHz 8GB
- Memory 2: Kingston Predator X 1866MHz 16GB
- Memory 3: Patriot Memory Viper III Venom 2133MHz 16GB
- Memory 4: ADATA Gaming Series 2400MHz 8GB
- Memory 5: Corsair Dominator Platinum 2666MHz 8GB
- Graphics: ZOTAC GTX 660 Ti AMP! Edition
- Storage: Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD
- OS: Windows 7 Pro
- CPU Cooling: NZXT HAVIK 140
Worth noting is that I’m using the previous BIOS from the original Viper III review which ensures that the previous scores are valid. Next, let’s touch on the benchmark testing notes before moving on.
Benchmark Notes
Each kit’s stock XMP (extreme memory profile) profile was tested. Keep in mind that not all motherboards will read each XMP memory kit perfectly. Some manual tuning might be necessary. Kits were also overclocked to see which kits had something extra to give.
I also tested each to see if any of the kits were capable of lower frequencies and better timings which can help with extra system performance. Keep in mind, your motherboard and CPU are the two main variables that control memory frequencies. Some CPUs may not be able to achieve faster than 2400MHz.
The benchmark regimen includes Sisoft SANDRA memory bandwidth which tests the maximum amount of data that can be accessed by the processor, Graysky x.264 4.0 which transcodes a 720p video with two passes, and PCMark7 to see what overall affect the faster/lower latency memory has in terms of overall system performance in day to day tasks.
Let’s get on with those benchmarks!
Latency and Efficiency
Memory timings affect computational projects. So if you’re doing a lot of video editing, lower latencies will help reduce work load time. That said, the above table compares each memory kit’s efficiency and timings. The lower the timings, the higher the efficiency. You’ll see these come in to play during some of the benchmarks.
SANDRA – Memory Bandwidth
Frequencies and timings dictate the amount of bandwidth readily available from each memory kit. The more bandwidth, the greater the amount of data can be moved.
While these numbers seem uneventful, this is actually in Gigabytes per second. To put it in perspective, current AMD processors are about 10GB/s slower. And, even older Intel systems don’t see this much bandwidth. Interestingly, the Platinum 2666MHz memory appears to be as fast as the HyperX 2800MHz. This is probably a combination of IMC tuning and memory module selection.
x.264 4.0 Benchmark
When all the transcoding is finished, we can see that memory frequencies don’t impact performance as much as the memory timings. Lower timings (which are better) mean the CPU can request and access data from the RAM in a shorter time thus quicker project completion.
To shed some better light on the subject, in our Patriot Memory Viper III Black Mamba 2133MHz review, the CPU running at 4.4GHz does better transcoding work with lower timings and memory frequencies versus higher. If you’re planning on doing a lot of content creation, memory kits with lower memory timings are your weapon of choice.
PCMark7 – PCMark, Productivity, and Computation
PCMark7 is a different story. There’s so much data moving around this benchmark that faster frequencies and lower timings both impact the results. Below is the results from each illustrious memory kit.
Memory frequency gives the system something to really chew on in PCMark 7. As the CPU is overclocked, the sub tests of computation and productivity see scores increase as the memory frequencies increase, giving the system more data to play with. The Platinum is naturally the fastest and therefore scored the best in this test.
Cinebench R11.5
As mentioned before, memory timings mean all the difference when it comes to rendering. Cinebench is quite CPU intensive and does more with higher frequencies. Timings can also influence rendering times. Here, I tested just the stock rated memory settings with a stock and overclocked CPU.
Leading the pack is the Mushkin Redline 1600 because of its CAS 7 timings. While I’m unsure what CAS 7 ICs are underneath, we do know that Patriot’s Venom (Viper III) Hynix ICs are extremely well tuned and stay close on the Redline’s heels. Otherwise, the field is separated by just a couple frames on the average. Keep in mind that much larger renderings will complete in much shorter noticeable times on memory with lower timings.
Now let’s give our final take on each kit and try to answer the burning question: Which kit is best for you!
Final Thoughts – Mushkin Enhanced Redline 1600MHz
Currently, Mushkin is the only memory manufacturer offering native 1600MHz memory with impressively low CAS 7 (7-8-7-24) timings making it the optimal memory for content creators who simply need efficient, quick memory for getting projects completed fast. Surprisingly, the memory also overclocks quite well of course, if you are willing to sacrifice the the advantage of tight timings. It’s not the flashiest kit available, so modders and enthusiasts may not find it that appealing. Otherwise, this won’t matter to users who simply want efficient modules.
Final Thoughts – Kingston HyperX Predator 1866MHz
The HyperX Predator line has been tested on many platforms for maximum compatibility. The Predator series is designed for enthusiasts such as gamers and modders who want the attractive heat sinks and performance to go with it. While this kit supports moderate overclocking, the extreme users will want to select one of the higher frequency kits also available from Kingston. Nonetheless, stability and dependability are built in each module and is one of the more XMP friendly kits around. And, it still pairs up with the still very popular HyperX memory cooling fans which should please modders.
Final Thoughts – Patriot Memory Viper III Venom 2133MHz
The Viper III Venom memory kits sport a very attractive crimson red heat spreader not to mention some of the finest tuned memory modules that support Intel Ivy Bridge processors. Content creators will find extra memory bandwidth built in its modules despite the higher CAS timings which ran stable even when lowered to CL 10. Overclockers will find that the memory offers some extra performance over 2400 MHz when overclocking. Patriot did their home work with the Viper III series making it XMP friendly and a great all around choice.
Final Thoughts – ADATA Gaming Series V2.0 2400MHz
Gamers will find that the new XPG Gaming Series V2.0 memory not only looks better than the previous version, but it also performs better. Additionally, avid overclockers will appreciate the memory’s stock 2400MHz stability when aiming for maximum bandwidth. While the kit overclocks a little more, users can also down clock the memory and seek lower latencies when looking for more performance to support CPU intensive tasks without sacrificing stability. While gamers and overclockers will be pleased, modders may find them a little bland.
Final Thoughts – Corsair Dominator Platinum 2666MHz
When it comes to overclocking and design, the Dominator Platinum has enthusiasts of all walks of life talking. It’s built with the best premium modules available to push processors to the hairy edge of overclocking insanity which is in the neighborhood of 2800MHz. The new spreaders are quite attractive and even nicer than previous generations but could use a little more LED light to really pop. Naturally, enthusiasts can down clock frequencies, lower timings and get some more serious tasks done quickly while showing off. If you’re hoping to turn heads in your new insane system, this is the stuff.
What Memory Fits Your System Best?
That’s the big question most everyone has when selecting memory. Overall, good quality memory will enhance your computing performance by being more stable and faster, and sometimes, they just look great in your system.
On the performance side, lower timings are more efficient at transferring data back and forth with the CPU especially during encoding or compiling projects. When it comes to content creation or working with very large files, the lower the memory timings, the better. In this respect, the Mushkin Redline are an excellent choice. However, the higher frequency memory can be manually lowered along with the timings to achieve the same purpose. But of course, having memory with those timings/frequencies guaranteed takes that guess work out of the tweaking if you simply want to pop them in and go. That said, each one of the kits tested are my recommended choices for optimal performance at each frequency level.
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