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Holy Moly, Mushkin Releases 16 Triple-Channel DDR3 Kits

Paul Lilly — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:04:19 -0600

Dual-channel memory might not be dead, but Intel's Core i7 platform has kicked off the era of triple-channel memory kits and most manufacturers have already jumped on board. Enter Mushkin, who not only is making tri-channel DDR3 kits available, but has launched 16 different models ranging in speed from 1066MHz to 1600MHz.

998674 – 3GB (3x1GB) XP3-10666 6-6-6-18 1.65V
998675 – 6GB (3x2GB) XP3-10666 6-6-6-18 1.65V
998676 – 3GB (3x1GB) HP3-10666 7-7-7-20 1.5-1.6V
998677 – 6GB (3x2GB) HP3-10666 7-7-7-20 1.5-1.6V
998583 – 3GB (3x1GB) EM3-10666 9-9-9-24 1.5V
998585 – 6GB (3x2GB) EM3-10666 9-9-9-24 1.5V
998678 – 3GB (3x1GB) XP3-12800 7-8-7-20 1.65V
998679 – 6GB (3x2GB) XP3-12800 7-8-7-20 1.65V
998680 – 3GB (3x1GB) XP3-12800 8-8-8-24 1.6-1.65V
998681 – 6GB (3x2GB) XP3-12800 8-8-8-24 1.6-1.65V
998658 – 3GB (3x1GB) HP3-12800 9-9-9-27 1.5-1.6V
998659 – 6GB (3x2GB) HP3-12800 9-9-9-27 1.5-1.6V
998682 – 3GB (3x1GB) HP3-8500 6-6-6-18 1.5-1.6V
998683 – 6GB (3x2GB) HP3-8500 6-6-6-18 1.5-1.6V
998570 – 3GB (3x1GB) EM3-8500 7-7-7-20 1.5V
998571 – 6GB (3x2GB) EM3-8500 7-7-7-20 1.5V

"We’ve worked diligently to create parts for the Core i7 platform that push specifications to unprecedented levels while maintaining the high quality and reliability standards of our existing products," said Brian Flood, director of product development for Mushkin. "Our triple-pack customers will be rewarded with the utmost reliability from our standard rated products, and greatly increased performance from our high performance line."

Mushkin claims that each kit is hand-tested beyond its rated specification, suggesting at least a modicum of overclocking headroom. Each of the 16 kits also come bearing Mushkin's FrostByte heatspreader.

All kits are available now at Mushkin.com.

Corsair's Internal Benchmarks: Why 6GB is Better than 3GB

Paul Lilly — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:06:44 -0600

Intel's Core i7 release hasn't just changed the processor game, it's also ushered in a new era of memory choices. Up until Core i7, power users found themselves pondering whether to slap a 2GB or 4GB kit of RAM into their system, but that was before triple-channel memory. Now the choice (for upgraders and new builders) comes down to 3GB or 6GB, and Corsair looks to shed some light on the decision by performing some in-house benchmarking.

The tests, which were performed using an Asus P6T Deluxe motherboard, Core i7-965 Extreme Edition CPU, two Nvidia 280 GTX videocards in SLI, and two Seagate 320GB 7200.10 hard drives in a RAID 0 array, heavily favored the 6GB kit. Corsair's results were sometimes significant, with the minimum frame rate in World of Conflict jumping by 50 percent when upgrading from 3GB to 6GB, and netting over a 3-fold increase in Crysis Warhead. Even game loading times saw a boost.

"The analysis shows that 3GB of system memory is insufficient to run modern games, such as Warhammer Online and Crysis Warhead, resulting in poor performance," Corsair wrote (PDF). "The lack of memory when using 3GB of RAM results in increased hard disk drive access, sometimes called thrashing. This causes in-game stuttering, which reduces the minimum frame rate."

This isn't the first time Corsair has released internal benchmarks. Previously, the memory maker found that upgrading from 2GB to 4GB provided "significant performance benefits." This time around, Corsair says "the message to enthusiasts who are looking to build a Core i7 system for gaming is clear - installing 6GB of memory will provide significantly higher frame rates and a considerably smoother gaming experience."

Thoughts on Corsair's testing methodology or results? Hit the jump and let us know.

Kingston Joins Triple-Channel Memory Party, First Out the Door with 2GHz Modules

Paul Lilly — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:01:02 -0500

With Intel's Core i7 launch now less than a month away, several memory vendors are readying three-packs of RAM in anticipation of the new platform's triple-channel memory support. Companies like Corsair, OCZ, and G.Skill have all jumped on board, but Kingston looks to leapfrog to the front of the pack as the first, and so far only company to release triple-channel memory clocked at 2GHz.

"Kingston is excited to bring the fastest DDR3 triple-channel memory products to market as we are the first to deliver 2000MHz gaming kits of three with Intel's reduced voltage," said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager at Kingston. "All of our triple-channel kits can be overclocked manually or by using XMP-ready profiles."

Kingston's triple channel memory kits will run the gamut from the aforementioned 2GHz enthusiast HyperX range all the way down to the company's budget ValueRAM lineup:

3GB ValueRAM kit 1066MHz, CL7-7-7, 1.5V (KVR1066D3N7K3/3G) - $132
6GB ValueRAM kit 1066MHz, CL7-7-7, 1.5V (KVR1066D3N7K3/6G) - $240
3GB ValueRAM kit 1333MHz, CL9-9-9, 1.5V (KVR1333D3N9K3/3G) - $132
6GB ValueRAM kit 1333MHz, CL9-9-9, 1.5V (KVR1333D3N9K3/6G) - $240
3GB kit 1375MHz, CL7-7-7-20, 1.65V (KHX11000D3LLK3/3GX) - $192
3GB kit 1600MHz, CL8-8-8-24, 1.65V (KHX12800D3LLK3/3GX) - $285
3GB kit 1800MHz, CL9-9-9-27, 1.65V (KHX14400D3K3/3GX) - $312
3GB kit 1866MHz, CL9-9-9-27, 1.65V (KHX14900D3K3/3GX) - $317
3GB kit 2000MH, CL9-9-9-27, 1.65V (KHX16000D3K3/3GX) - $334

Corsair Launches Triple-Pack Core i7 Compatible Memory Modules

Paul Lilly — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:11:03 -0500

With rumors swirling of performance DDR3 memory not playing nice with Core i7 platforms due to voltage requirements, it's not a bad idea to wait for specifically compatible kits to emerge before upgrading your RAM. In addition to getting the voltage right, upcoming triple-channel kits will ship with three sticks of RAM to take advantage of the new architecture.

First out of the gate with a line of triple-channel kits is Corsair, who today announced no less than six high performance kits designed for Core i7. These include:

6GB kit 1866MHz Dominator with Airflow fan (TR3X6G1866C9DF - $475
3GB kit 1866MHz Dominator with Airflow fan (TR3X3G1866C9DF) - $250
6GB kit 1600MHz Dominator (TR3X6G1600C8D) - $300
3GB kit 1600MHz Dominator (TR3X3G1600C8D) - $175
6GB kit 1333MHz (TR3X6G1333C9) - $230
3GB kit 1333MHz (TR3X3G1333C9) - $120

Latency timings and voltage information is still trickling out for many of the kits. Corsair's press release indicates the kits are available now, though we've been unable to spot them in the wild. We imagine the usual culprits (Newegg, ZipZoomFly, TigerDirect, etc.) will show stock very soon.

Crucial Brings Ballistix LED Light Show to DDR3 Memory, But Will It Play Nice with Core i7?

Paul Lilly — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:16:17 -0500

Only two companies - Crucial and Corsair - offer system RAM outfitted with activity-indicating LEDs, and of those two, Crucial becomes to the first to port the light show over to DDR3 modules. The kit in question is the Ballistix Tracer PC3-10600, and like previous Tracer models, the DDR3 version sports red and green LEDs running along the top in between the black aluminum heatspreaders.

The new kit needs 1.8V to run at its default 1,333MHz frequency with 6-6-6-20 timings. Normally that wouldn't be cause for concern, but as we learned yesterday, Intel's upcoming Core i7 platform may not play nice with performance memory requiring more than 1.65V and could actually damage the processor. Following the press release of Crucial's new modules, TomsHardware got in touch with Lexar regarding future compatibility, who had this to say:

“We’re working closely with Intel and other motherboard manufacturers,” said the Lexar spokesperson, “to ensure we have Crucial memory products that support the upcoming platforms and technology. We haven’t finalized our products to date, so we’re not able to share specific product details at this point in time. We’re confident we’ll have Crucial products that support these new, upcoming platforms.”

The new Tracers are available now from Crucial's website.

Rumor: Core i7 Motherboards to be Incompatible with Performance DDR3 Memory

Paul Lilly — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:16:54 -0500

Intel's upcoming Core i7 platform may throw a curveball to anyone swinging sticks of high performance DDR memory. According to news and rumor site The Inquirer, running memory voltage any higher than a modest 1.65V on an X58-based motherboard outfitted with a Core i7 processor could damage the CPU.

The limitation came to light thanks to an admin on the XFastest forums who posted pictures of the unreleased Asus P6T Deluxe motherboard in retail trim. A closeup of the DIMM slots reveals a warning label which states "According to Intel CPU SPEC, DIMMs with voltage setting over 1.65V may damage the CPU permanently. We recommend you install the DIMMs with the voltage setting below 1.65V.

If true (and The Inq claims Asus has confirmed the limitation), it would mean that several of today's high end DDR3 memory could potentially be rendered useless on the new platform. It's not uncommon for RAM manufacturers to require higher voltages at stock settings, and even many DDR3-1333 kits call for more than 1.65V. Apparently the problem lies with having the CPU and memory voltages on the Core i7 platform run synchronously. That's a major bummer for anyone who may have tried to future-proof their current build, but if you haven't jumped on the DDR3 bandwagon yet, expect to see appropriately spec'd kits start to surface with the Core i7 platform in mind. In the meantime, buyer beware.

Samsung Readies 16GB Memory Modules

Paul Lilly — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:06:26 -0500

One of the first questions new system builders ask centers around the amount of RAM to invest in, and it wasn't very long ago when the decision came down to 1GB or 2GB. With the emergence of Vista, and particularly the 64-bit version, the big question now is whether or not to go with 4GB. How long will it be before we see 16GB rigs in quantity?

It could be sooner than you think, and at least one company has already begun preparations. Samsung said it has started sampling 50nm DDR3 devices that ultimately will enable memory modules up to 16GB in capacity. The samples consist of 2Gb (that's lowercase 'b') chips with double the density of current 1Gb parts, while also cutting back on power by over 40 percent.

According to Samsung, the new small form factor paves the way for 8GB RIMMs and 4GB SODIMMs, equating to 16GB and 8GB respectively in dual-die packages. Next up - finding mainstream applications capable of feasting on hordes of memory.

Samsung said it will begin mass producing the 2Gb chips by the end of the year and make 2Gb DDR3 its primary DRAM process technology in 2009. As for pricing? We'll have to wait and see.

Rumor: AMD 45nm CPU Roadmap Changes, AM2+ Gets a New Lease on Life

Justin Kerr — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:44:26 -0500

The crisp chill of fall brings change to the seasons and a never ending string of corporate rebranding. AMD is next on the block and rumored to be revising its product roadmap to increase the indentifying model numbers on its upcoming processors from four to five digits. The Phenom X3 and X4 branding will remain, but according to industry sources quoted by Tom’s Hardware, this will also change the AMD product roadmap in some interesting ways. It appears as though AMD is planning to release the Phenom 20550 and 20350 at 3.0 and 2.8 GHZ respectively with a DDR2 memory controller and will be backwards compatible with socket AM2+. This will give users of the previous platform another upgrade path before being forced to replace both motherboard and RAM. Both processors are expected to make a Q4 2008 release but have yet to be confirmed by AMD. All other upcoming processors will likely require DDR3 memory and the new socket AM3.