G.Skill 2x1GB DDR3 PC3-12800 Review

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<center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/gskill_logo-1.png" alt="">


G.Skill 2x1GB DDR3 PC3-12800 Review</center>



Price: $364.99 CND NCIX.com
Availability: Available and regularily stocked
Manufacturer's Part Number: F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ
Warranty: Lifetime Warranty


<p style="text-align: justify;">There has been a steady stream of Purolator, FedEx, and UPS trucks coming to the door and they all seem to be carrying the same type of package. The packages are smaller than a shoebox, rectangle in shape, and have very little weight to them which can only mean one thing; memory. The name on the return address of today's package is that of a fresh face here at Hardware Canucks and originated in Taipei, Taiwan. G.Skill has climbed their way to the upper echelon of the enthusiast memory world with great products backed up by excellent service and a commitment to quality.

Founded in 1989, G.Skill as a company has been around for a long time but only entered the enthusiast market during the rise of the DDR revolution at the beginning of the 21st century. Since that time they have had a steady rise through the ranks breaking into new markets every year. For a long time G.Skill was only known in Asian markets and not widely available in Europe or North America but that is quickly changing. Availability of G.Skill is limited in Canada to NCIX.com and in the U.S.A. by way of Newegg.com. I guess if you are going to start in two new markets, you want to start with the two biggest distributors in each. G.Skill is definitely off to a great start here in North America and has made massive strides in Europe with distributors from France, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and more.

Enough about G.Skill the company, let's get started on what we are here for today, G.Skill's memory. The star of the main attraction is going to be the top offering from quite an exhaustive DDR3 collection already amassed by G.Skill. The F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ is a 2x1GB kit of PC3-12800 RAM that is rated for operation of 800MHz (DDR3-1600) with 7-7-7-18 timings at 1.9v. Being rated for DDR3-1600/7-7-7 slots this memory into the DDR3 world about the same spot that DDR2-1066/5-5-5 sits. It resides at the upper end of the enthusiast DDR3 currently available and should provide some decent over-head for overclocking. So whether G.Skill is a new name to you or something you see through your case window every day, this memory should provided a fun ride so let's begin.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/index-1.jpg"></center>

 

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Specifications

Specifications:
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/specs-2.jpg" alt="" style="float: right; margin: 4px 0px 4px 7px";>Getting into a long and boring discussion about the specifications of a memory kit is about as useful as voting in Florida...ouch, that was a low blow. None-the-less, we are going to do it but the conversation won't just be about the memory's specifications but more about the ICs that make this memory do what it does best. <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/specs-1.png" alt="G.Skill 2x1GB DDR3 PC3-12800 specifications" style="float: left; margin: 4px 7px 4px 0px">

To the left are the specifications as listed by G.Skill on their web site and pretty much outline what we already know from the introduction. The F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ are rated for operation at DDR3-1600 at timings of 7-7-7-18 with up to 1.9v. G.Skill also lists them as being compatible with Intel X38 and P35 chipsets and note that the PCB is a 6 layer design. The rest of the information is pretty standard fare.

Moving our attention to the photo at the right, we quickly recognize the ICs as the darling of the DDR3 world up to this point, Micron D9GTR. So far, any DDR3 modules rated for 800MHz CL7 <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/specs-3.png" alt="" style="float: right; margin: 4px 0px 4px 7px";>(like these G.Skills) or better are going to be equipped with Micron D9GTR or the newer D9GTS. It is very reminiscent of the DDR2 performance crown going to Micron D9GMH and its "big brother" D9GKX. Like the DDR2 part numbers that came before it, D9GTR and GTS are the same memory but binned slightly higher by Micron. Since we are dealing with D9GTR today, we have posted the specifications found at Microns web site to the right.

The ICs are only rated for an operating frequency of 533MHz at CL7 but that rating is for operation at 1.5v, a far cry from the 1.9v that G.Skill has rated this memory for. That is why G.Skill can elevate the rated frequency to 800MHz at the same CL7 it is rated for at 533MHz with 1.5v volts. This is common practice as memory ICs are only spec'd for JEDEC standards which designate the operating frequency of DDR3 to be 1.5v. The last item of business for this section, since we have the heat sinks off, is the thermal material used for interfacing between the ICs and the black G.Skill heat sinks.

Below we can see that in removing the heat sinks it looks as if they were never adhered to the ICs in the first place. This isn't because of some magic trick we used to get them off, this is simply because they haven't adhered to the ICs. This thermal material is not sticky at all and is simply a thermal pad that is held in place by the clips at the top of the heat sinks. This came as quite a surprise as we were unaware anyone had still used this method for attaching heat sinks to memory. To our prior knowledge, every manufacturer we have encountered has gone to some sort of adhesive thermal pad to adhere their heat sinks to the ICs with many advancing beyond even that to using a cured thermal coating. We will end the discussion there as this comes up again rather shortly.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/specs-4.jpg" alt=""></center>

 

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Package & Memory Overview

Package & Memory Overview:
<p style="text-align: justify;">What a relief it is to see something come out of a shipping box other than a clear molded plastic container with two modules secured inside. The thought of having to put a "package" section together with virtually identical photos from the last memory review and the review before that was not going to be the highlight of the week here at HWC. Instead, G.Skill has presented us with a rather simple but quite elegant package that is worth more than just a couple photos.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/package-1.jpg" alt=""> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/package-2.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">The shiny and colorful cardboard package is about the size of a standard X1650 or 7600GS video card and less than 3/4" thick. Our sample had the pleasure of taking "Turbulent Air UPS" and showed up with a couple bruises as evidence. The second image shows the damage to the closing tab of the top cover and we can see that the package is slightly squished. This is actually a good thing as we get to see if the damage to the outside equates to interior harm.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/package-3.jpg" alt=""> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/package-4.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">Opening the top flap reveals the window looking into the package, providing us a nice view of two perfectly placed modules. It doesn't appear that the pressure taken from the outside has equated to any damage on the inside. Not only is the package pretty, but it appears to be able to take a solid check into the corner boards and show no ill-effects. The backside of the package has a couple lines of marketing copy with a whole lot of 100%'s. There is also a sticker describing the specifications of the modules inside along with their complete part number.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/package-5.jpg" alt=""> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/package-6.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">Inside we found not only the memory but a little care package from G.Skill which is a nice touch. Enclosed are a G.Skill sticker and a small G.Skill plastic logo with an adhesive backing. G.Skill also includes a small pamphlet that provides e-mail addresses for technical support, the address of their tech support forum, RMA contact information, and the G.Skill official web site. Being given all of this information with the product is not commonly found and provides evidence to their claims of helping their customers in their mission statement.<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/modules-1.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 4px 7px 4px 0px"> Aside from the care package, we also have a couple of sticks of some lovely looking DDR3 memory enclosed in a very secure plastic container. Apparently every memory review has to have a molded plastic package at some point. This would easily explain why the memory wasn't harmed despite the beating that the package took.

With this being the first G.Skill package seen here at HWC, we have to say we were impressed and give the package an enthusiastic two thumbs up. Upon pulling the modules from their secure plastic shell, we can see that the esthetics from G.Skills wonderful web site and superb package are extended to the modules themselves.<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/modules-2.jpg" alt="" style="float: right; margin: 4px 0px 4px 7px"> Perhaps it is just the fact that they are flat black, but the slick heat sinks just come off as very elegant in appearance. It might just be the raised silver trim or G.Skill logo, but whatever it is, these modules just exude class. The heatsinks are held firmly in place with a set of clips along the top despite the fact that there is no thermal adhesive underneath. Aside from the silver trim and raised G.Skill logo, they are quite simple and very traditional in construction. Toward one end of the modules is a sticker that provides all the details we want to know about the memory including specifications and the complete part number along with their serial number.

It is an interesting approach that G.Skill has taken with these modules and despite the trend moving towards larger heat sinks and more elaborate cooling methods for memory, G.Skill has held their ground with the traditional heat spreader. Some may view this as falling behind or not keeping up while others see it as marketing integrity. How much do the large heat sinks on the many recent modules really help the memory? Is the traditional heat sink all that is actually necessary? It wasn't too long ago when many users swore by the "naked module with active air" theory of cooling. Either way you slice it, G.Skill has stuck with what seems to be working for them and the result is a very stealthy module that provides a modern esthetic twist to a traditional design. We already know that the installation section will be very straight forward and lacking any kind of discussion. Before that though, let's have a few more looks at these modules as they are just too easy on the eyes and the camera.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/modules-3.jpg" alt=""> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/modules-4.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">What really is a mystery is the fact that more manufacturers haven't gone to a dark PCB for memory modules. Corsair and Crucial have but there are still so many manufacturers out there that haven't made the jump to a dark PCB with G.Skill being one of them. Would a dark PCB not just set these modules off? Perhaps we are getting a little superficial so let's move on to more discussion about function.

As mentioned earlier, the heat sinks are clipped at the top which makes these a two piece design that is closed at the top.<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/modules-5.jpg" alt="" style="float: right; margin: 4px 0px 4px 7px"> Closing the top off has never sat well with me as this basically prevents the hot air from being able to rise out from underneath the heatsink. In theory, it just builds up under the heatsink and doesn't really aid in cooling at all. From the side we can see that the memory, like all other 2x1GB DDR3 kits we have looked at thus far, is single sided. This simply means that there are ICs on only one side of the module and the backside is all but a bare PCB. The IC side appears to be aligned perfectly with the spongy thermal pad which again, is very traditional in the sense that this use to be the norm but most manufacturers have moved on to more innovative designs utilizing better thermal adhesives and not the thermal pad that G.Skill employs on these modules.

Debating on whether this traditional heat sink design and attachment method hinders performance of these modules is all but argumentative because there simply isn't any evidence to prove either side of the table. The newer, large and small, heat sinks all seem to be open at the top and most have begun to utilize or at least experiment with different thermal interface materials. It could be to G.Skills advantage to begin looking for alternatives to be sure that they don't fall behind. It doesn't have to be fancy and could very much maintain a similar look to these modules but opening up the top with clip less heatsinks on each side and a cured on thermal adhesive may provide a benefit to their modules.</p><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/modules-6.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 4px 7px 4px 80px"><p style="clear: left;"></p>

 

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Memory Installation & Test Setup

Memory Installation & Test Setup:
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was brought up a little earlier that there was one definite advantage to having the traditional heat spreaders on these G.Skill modules, this is the section where that becomes evident. Normally we would have a few photos from a couple different setups showing how the heat sink does or doesn't interfere with the large Thermalright Ultra-120. That won't be the case today.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/install-1.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">How does the saying go? A picture is worth a thousand words...if that is the case then we will let the photo do most of the talking. Obviously this memory will fit any setup where the CPU cooler doesn't interfere with the memory slots and standard heat sink absent modules so further investigation on multiple motherboards won't be required.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/spd-1.png" alt=""> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/spd-2.png" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">With the memory installed and system fired up, we can see what the SPD profiles offer and what the memory is set to with all of the BIOS settings left to default except for the FSB. The FSB has been adjusted to 400MHz and FSB/RAM ratio set to 1:2 in order get the memory running at the rated DDR3-1600. On the left is the SPD profile tab of CPU-Z and the right are the default boot settings. The first thing of note is a lack of an Intel XMP profile. Adding this would make life a lot easier for those motherboard owners not familiar with memory settings as it automatically gets the system running at the specified settings without any user input. The CPU-Z tab on the right displays the timings that are automatically set when the system is booted at DDR3-1600 without manually adjusting the timings. These timings are obviously the last SPD profile and in order to run at the specified timings of 7-7-7-18, we will have to set those manually. Let's now take a look at the rest of the hardware that will be utilized for the review of this memory.

<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/setup-1.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 4px 0px 5px 20px">Test Platform:

• Motherboard: Asus Maximus Extreme (BIOS 0904)
• Processor: Intel C2D E6850
• Processor Cooling: Thermalright Ultra-120
• Memory: G.Skill DDR3 PC3-12800 (F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ)
• Power Supply: SilverStone Zeus ST56ZF
• Video Card: XFX Alpha Dog 8800GTS 512MB
• Additional Fans: 120mm AD1212MS-A73GL 2050RPM/80.5CFM
• Hard Drive: 1 x Seagate 7200.9 80GB SATAII 8MB cache
• OS: Windows XP SP2 (with recent updates)

<p style="text-align: justify;">When booting the system with the BIOS reset and at its defaults, the Maximus Extreme had no problem getting POST with the G.Skill F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ. This means anyone with this combination of MB/RAM for a new build should have no problems getting fired up and running after assembly.

Unlike the Asus P5K3-Dlx motherboard that has been used in previous DDR3 reviews, the Maximus Extreme sample used here has had no modifications done to it. The provided voltages within the BIOS for the MCH (Memory Controller Hub or northbridge) and for the memory are more than enough to provide us with all the tools we will need to maximize this memory. The most important thing to remember when dealing with high frequency DDR3 memory is that the motherboard used plays an integral role in how well the memory runs.

The variation between motherboards, even from the same model, can be quite drastic and this will show up when it comes to overclocking memory. The Maximus Extreme that we will be using today is quite accomplished at memory overclocking and may perform better than other motherboards available. It certainly out-performs our P5K3-Dlx when it comes to stable overclocks above 950MHz on the memory where the P5K3-Dlx fizzled out, even with the voltage modification and added cooling to the northbridge. The stock cooling on the Maximus Extreme is quite substantial and has been left intact for now. In the future that may change but it seems to be doing the job quite fine as is. It should be really exciting to see where we get with these modules so let's get started right away.
<center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/setup-2.jpg" alt=""></center></p>

 

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Stability Testing & Overclocking

Stability Testing & Overclocking:
<p style="text-align: justify;">Our stability testing methods for memory have been discussed at length in the past, so we are going to simply rely on the explanation from previous reviews. Here is a run-down of what we consider to be proper stability testing.</p>Stability Testing Methodology:<p style="text-align: justify;">Memory stability, what constitutes stable? What is not considered stable? These questions get hotly debated in enthusiast forums all over the internet like little brush fires on the fringe of an inferno that play havoc with forest fire crews. Everyone has their own opinion about stability, especially when it comes to memory stability. For some, stable means they can do whatever it is on their computer without it crashing, blue-screening, or restarting; whether that means gaming or simply surfing the internet. To this user, stable means simply using the computer as they normally would.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/testing-1.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, that is not what we would call stable and we do a lot more thorough testing before labeling a memory frequency/timing stable. One of the toughest types of programs on a system has been found to be distributed computing projects such as Rosetta@Home, Folding@Home, World Community Grid, and more. Running 24/7 crunching for one of these great causes is a sure way to find holes in a system if there is truly some instability, unfortunately it takes a considerable amount of time to use them for stability testing so we use the list of programs below to all but guarantee the system to be 24/7 distributed computing stable:</p>

• Multiple loops of 3DMark 01 / 06 (30 minutes of looping the full tests each)
• Dual 32M runs of SuperPi Mod 1.5 (ran at the same time)
• 2 hours of dual Prime95 using Prime95 v25.4 Stress Testing Blend
• 2 hours of dual HCI MemTest Pro in Windows using 850MB/instance

<p style="text-align: justify;">The above testing is quite exhaustive and has been found to provide us with a system that is stable and willing to run a distributed computing program 24/7 or hours of gaming without interruption or failure. This method of stability testing will not only be used for testing the stability of the overclocks but also the rated specifications outlined by the manufacturer. We have added the Specification Stability Testing section in response to finding a few kits of DDR3 memory not being able to stably run the specified frequency/timings at the rated voltage.


Specification Stability Testing:

This section is dedicated to testing the specifications of the memory modules in question for stability using the outlined method above. There have been a recent number of reports of DDR3 memory kits not meeting the specifications from a lot of users so this section was added to see how each set of modules we review stack up to their specifications.

The rated specifications of the G.Skill HZs are not that demanding so we were not expecting much of a fight in this section and we were right. These modules run their specifications basically blindfolded and with very little effort on our part as far as adjusting secondary timings to get them stable goes. In-fact, secondary timings are left on AUTO as we don't have to adjust them and the voltage is set to 1.80v (actual) instead of the rated 1.9v.</p>Click for full size screenshot...
<center><a href="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/stable_spec-1.png"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/stable_spec-1sm.png"></a></center><p style="text-align: justify;">As mentioned, this kit passed our stability test at specification more than easily with even lower voltage than specified. This means that we should see some pretty decent overclocking and that is what we are going to get to next.</p>
Stability Overclocking:<p style="text-align: justify;">There is one major caveat that needs to be discussed before we look at the overclocking results. What you set in the BIOS isn't always what you actually get, especially when it comes to voltages. Because of this, we don't list the voltage selected in the BIOS, or the voltage read by software for vDIMM. Instead, we base our voltages on the actual voltage being supplied to the modules with a calibrated UEI DM393 digital multi-meter that is getting a reading directly from a VTT pin in one of the open DIMM slots. This means the voltage listed is the actual voltage that was being supplied and is represented in the screenshots by way of a small text file. The Everest vDIMM reading is usually 0.04v above what is actually being supplied.

Keep in mind that these results are from a single sample being tested on a single motherboard. There is no guarantee that the below results will be achieved from every kit of memory G.Skill sends out as the variables are endless. With that said, let's see what these G.Skill HZs were capable of:</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-1.png" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">A steady climb from left to right is what we are looking for and at all three timing sets this is what we receive. Starting off with a look at the 6-6-5 timings we see that 800MHz stable was achieved with 2.06v and almost accomplished with just 2.00v. The reason we stop at 2.06v is because it is still quite unknown how much voltage is too much voltage for DDR3 memory sporting Micron D9 IC's but with 2.00v being under warranty by many manufacturers, we figure 2.06v should be safe as well.

At 7-6-5, these modules simply excel and at the rated voltage of 1.90v, our sample clocked up to over 860MHz which is well over spec and at much tighter timings. Loosening the timings up to 7-7-7-18 would provide even further headroom at the various voltages. These modules have no problem crossing 900MHz at 2.0v which puts them right up there with some of the highest rated DDR3 being offered by other manufacturers and for DDR3-1600 rated modules, is quite impressive.

The 8-7-6 clocks are also nothing to sneeze at but it appears that not only is memory being limited on the P5K3-Dlx we use but also the Maximus Extreme. Further increasing the voltage to 2.06v did not provide even 2 MHz further overclocking headroom at 8-7-6 and it would appear to be the motherboard holding it back. DDR3-2000 is still very nice an achievement for this memory but there would appear to be more available. Here are the screenshots of the highest overclocks for each timing set.</p>Click for full size screenshot...
<center><a href="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-3.png"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-3sm.png"></a> <a href="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-4.png"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-4sm.png"></a> <a href="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-5.png"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/ocing-5sm.png"></a></center>

 

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Benchmark Methodology

Benchmark Methodology:<p style="text-align: justify;">Now that we know what our G.Skill sample is capable of running, let's see what kind of performance we get out of it at the various memory overclocks. We have also provided DDR2 results from a system for comparison sake so let's look at the specifications of the system used in today's benchmarks:</p>

• Motherboard: Abit IP35-Pro
• Processor: Intel C2D E6850
• Processor Cooling: Thermalright Ultra 120 w/AD1212MS-A73GL 2050RPM/80.5CFM
• Memory: Buffalo FireStix 2x1GB PC2-9600
• Power Supply: Silverstone Zeus ST56ZF
• Video Card: XFX Alpha Dog 8800GTS 512MB
• Additional Fans: 120mm AD1212MS-A73GL 2050RPM/80.5CFM
• Hard Drive: 1 x Seagate 7200.9 80GB SATAII 8MB cache
• OS: Windows XP SP2 (with recent updates)

<p style="text-align: justify;">This above setup will be shown as the transparent blue bar (2) in all of the benchmark graphs. Previously we had used a DDR2-1200 comparison for our DDR3 reviews but decided to change it up a little to keep things interesting.<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/method-1.png" alt="Just a sample graph outlining where the results will be coming from in the up-coming benchmarks." style="float: right; margin: 4px 0px 4px 7px"> DDR2-1000 with 4-4-4 timings is a very common overclock with a lot of memory these days and should provide some interesting comparisons to the specification results from the G.Skill DDR3 memory.

The grey bar in the graphs (1) indicates the specified frequency and timings of the G.Skill F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ. For the grey results, the secondary timings were left to AUTO as they might be with most users and the CPU multiplier has been lowered to 8X in order to bring the CPU frequency down as close to the stock E6850 frequency without going below it as possible. This set of results is used to try and accurately portray the system settings that most users will be left with should they purchase this memory and do only what is necessary in the BIOS in order to get it running at the specified speed. Of course, when 400FSB CPUs come out, DDR3-1600 will no longer be an 'overclocked' memory speed. It will simply be another BIOS selectable option with the CPU at the default FSB and frequency.

The last three red results in the graphs (3 / 4 / 5) represent the overclocked settings that we found to be stable previously in the overclocking section. The first two red results are going to be a head to head comparison of two very formidable overclocks and should provide quite the show right through the testing. The appropriate lengths are taken to ensure an even comparison including a methodical way of installing the operating system, drivers, and programs to provide as equal a testing ground as possible for all of the settings. The testing methodology for the results we are about to see is as follows:

a/ Windows is installed using a full format.
b/ Intel Chipset drivers and accessory hardware drivers (audio, network, GPU) are installed followed by a defragment and a reboot.
c/ Programs and games are then installed followed by another defragment.
d/ Windows updates are then completed installing all available updates including .NET Framework followed by a defragment.
e/ Benchmarks are each ran three times after a clean reboot for every iteration of the benchmark, the results are then averaged.

<img src="http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/../imagehosting/345473f770fba6d3.png" alt="Memset 3.4 showing Performance Level or tRD" style="float: left; width: 272px; height: 192px; margin: 4px 7px 4px 0px">For all results, the same theme, and other system options are identical between the two systems as well as between the overclocked results with the G.Skill modules. The benchmark versions are all listed in the graphs and were the most up to date versions at the time of testing.

The only other settings to note are the tRD (Performance Level) and chipset strap. In the past, all benchmarks were run at the same tRD of 7 and the chipset strap remained at 266. On all the setups the chipset strap will remain at 266 including the IP-35 Pro results as that is the strap chosen on the 4:5 divider. There will, however, be an adjustment to how the tRD will be handled. In the sample graph above we can see that each result has a different tRD (noted by the PL which denotes Performance Level). This is because we realized that when running a lower FSB, for instance with the 6-6-5 timing set, most systems will likely provide a tighter tRD and thus increase performance. As a result, we were actually handicapping the lower frequency results in the past because of this. So for this review, we have decided to take the approach of using the lowest tRD that is possible for each overclock to provide a more accurate 'real-world' comparison.

We have tried to outline the testing method as best we can here but if there are any further questions about settings or the OS setup, please do not hesitate to ask in the discussion thread which is linked to at the bottom of the review. So without further delay, let's see how the benchmark witnesses will influence this case.</p>

 

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Memory Benchmarks

Memory Benchmarks:<p style="text-align: justify;">We start off the benchmark sections with a look at bandwidth and latency through the eyes of a few different programs. First up is the standard memory benchmark programs of recent memory, Lavalys Everest and SiSoft Sandra.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-1.png"> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-2.png" style="margin: 108px 0 0 0;"></center><p style="text-align: justify;">With the adjustments to how we handle tRD (Performance Level) for each set of results and the change to the DDR2 results, we weren't sure what was going to happen in the benchmarks. From these initial bandwidth tests though it looks as if there hasn't been much change to how things stack up. One item of note though is the drop in DDR2 bandwidth from the lower frequency that we previous benched at putting the G.Skill specified ratings well ahead of the FireStix in every measurement. The last three red results, however, appear to have been altered very little from previous testing where we left tRD the same for all results. The three overclocked results still scale with frequency but there does appear to be smaller gaps between the numbers.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-3.png" alt=""> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-4.png" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">The same pattern has carried over in the ScienceMark bandwidth and PCMark 05 memory suite numbers that we saw in Everest and Sandra. This includes the fact that the 6-6-5 results easily surpass both the DDR2 and DDR3 spec'd results which was previously not the case in other reviews. This could perhaps be the result of the 6-6-5 timing set clocking higher with these G.Skill HZs then any other kit but is also definitely influenced by the tighter tRD timing of 5.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-5.png" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">The final set of numbers we will look at specific to memory testing are the latency results from Everest and Sandra. This is where the tighter tRD we used for the three overclocks really shows up and the overclocked results simply walk away from the top two blue and grey bars. We can also see that the spec'd results from the G.Skill HZs provide lower latencies than the DDR2-1000 setup which was a bit of a curve ball. We were expecting to see a bit more of a gap but going the other way. Perhaps it is a difference between the P35 and X38 chipsets but it appears to show the fact that frequency really does matter for latency, like the rest of the results indicate.</p>

 

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System Benchmarks

System Benchmarks:<p style="text-align: justify;">The bandwidth and latency numbers we just looked at provided rather uniform results. We will now see if this holds true for a pair of programs that heavily rely on the memory bandwidth and latency for their performance.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-6.png"></center><p style="text-align: justify;">If the above numbers don't convince you that the WinRAR benchmark relies heavily on memory frequency, then you will never believe it. Let's look at the overclocked results and the fact that there is a 13 second gap between the 6-6-5 and 7-6-5 timing sets at the same CPU frequency. Then compare that to the only 9 second difference between the 7-6-5 and 8-7-6 results where the CPU frequency has a 300MHz difference. Clearly the CPU frequency had very little impact on performance at a certain point, otherwise the 8-7-6 timing set would be well ahead. There is a large difference between the first two sets of numbers which have a much lower CPU frequency and the three overclocked results. This would be indicative of a memory bandwidth bottleneck between 3.70GHz and 4.00GHz in WinRAR.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-7.png"> <img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-8.png"></center><p style="text-align: justify;">SuperPi is another program whose results are heavily influenced by memory frequency and timings. Generally speaking, frequency is king providing better results at higher memory frequencies regardless of timings. Of course there are always trade-offs between frequency and timings and we almost see one of them in the 32M results above between the first and second red bars. The gap is a minuscule 3.3 seconds in favor of the higher memory frequency. This is a direct result of the lower tRD value for the 6-6-5 timing set. If this setup was on P35, then the 7-6-5 timing set would also have been able to run PL5 and the gap would be around 10-13 seconds but because this is the X38 chipset, our tRD can only be a single value lower than the CL of 7. One final result of note is the 4GHz result. It is the first time we have seen a sub-12 minute 32M in a review here at HWC so that is certainly nothing to discount and is still a decent accomplishment for an all air 65nm setup. The overwhelming power of DDR3 at high frequencies can't be denied in SPi 32M.</p>

 

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3D/Gaming Benchmarks

3D/Gaming Benchmarks:<p style="text-align: justify;">We will call it the return of Crysis to the benchmarks results for the 3D section of this review. The reason being is the fact that we were blessed with a real video card for the G.Skill benchmarks and a real video card would possibly provide the system the ability to show some variance between results at lower settings. We really wanted t find out so we ran the benchmarks and have posted the results. First, however, we look at the 3DMark numbers from this beefier 8800GTS 512MB 3D setup.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-9.png"></center><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite the increased graphics processing power, the 3DMark series of results remain about the same. The adjustments to tRD also appear to have very little effect on results, especially in 03, 05, and 06. 3DMark 01 does show some advantages to the higher frequency scores but even the difference between the spec'd G.Skill number and the DDR2 setup is less than 1%. If your benching 3DMark competitively then perhaps DDR3 is beneficial but for the casual gamer who uses 3DMark as a yardstick to compare their system to others, DDR3 just isn't going to have a large impact.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/bench-10.png"></center><p style="text-align: justify;">Would you look at that, an actual change in results in the built in Crysis GPU bench. All it took was an 8800GTS 512MB and turning the settings gown to 1024x768 with detail levels set to medium and no AA or AF. With that said, Crysis appears to give the advantage to the higher memory frequency amongst the results with the same CPU clocks. Half-Life 2 shows quite a bit more variation but that is because Half-Life 2 doesn't rely on the GPU nearly as much as Crysis.</p>

 

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Conclusion

Conclusion:<p style="text-align: justify;">It goes without saying that the jury is still out on whether or not DDR3 is needed by everyone or anyone. The performance gains are there in the benchmarks shown today and the impressive bandwidth will certainly assist those using programs that rely heavily on the memory pushing large amounts of data. Unfortunately not everyone requires this much bandwidth and the price tag on DDR3 still plays a heavy role in purchasing decisions. DDR2 prices still haven't started to rise and until that happens, with the combination of DDR3 price drops, we won't see wide spread adaptation of DDR3.</p><center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/gskill/F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ/conclusion-1.jpg" alt=""></center><p style="text-align: justify;">With that said, there is nothing in the world of DDR2 that can touch what DDR3 can do. This particular sample of the G.Skill HZ's was incredibly impressive and showed that they really are higher rated memory disguised by a PC3-12800 sticker. Of course, not all kits of this memory are going to clock like ours did but believe it or not, some will clock better. The only down side if it is one is the fact that not even the current king of DDR3 memory clocking, the Asus Maximus Extreme, could even keep up with these modules at 8-7-6 timings. It was abundantly clear that the motherboard was holding this memory back from higher stable overclocks. In some limited benchmarking, this memory ran much higher frequencies and very low voltage. Be sure to keep an eye on the discussion thread as there are sure to be some impressive results from this memory in future benchmarking sessions.

With all this praise does come one negative, the heat sinks. They are very esthetically pleasing and the style of them is quite modern and elegant, but, they appear to be technologically behind the rest of the pack. Whether this actually effects performance is very tough to determine but one can't help but wonder if the thermal pad wouldn't be better replaced with a newer more effective solution. As it stands though, that is about the only flaw we could find in the G.Skill F3-12800CL7D-2GBHZ and Hardware Canucks proudly stamps the "Dam Good" award for the first time on a kit of DDR3 memory.</p>

Pros:

• Incredible overclocking headroom
• Can run specification with no hassle or secondary adjustments
• Impressive overclocking at all three 6-6-5, 7-6-5, and 8-7-6 timing sets
• Relatively well priced compared to other DDR3 kits
• Standard size heat sinks means no installation issues for any setup

Cons:

• The only draw backs are the heat sinks and thermal interface material
• Availability is limited in Canada to NCIX.com and stock is not on hand at this point in time but that will change very shortly...moving this out of the "Cons" section

<center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/five_coins.jpg" alt=""></center>

<center><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/3oh6/dam_good.jpg" alt="So far the best DDR3 kit of memory we have seen with room to spare."></center>


We like to hear feedback here at Hardware Canucks so feel free to bring up any questions or comments in the Discussion thread for the G.Skill 2x1GB PC3-12800 CL7 kit. Don't forget to keep your eyes on the discussion thread in our forums as future benchmark results with the G.Skill HZ's will be posted there as well.


Review by: Jody Bailey