2 x 2GB RAM kits at 2,133MHz and specifically designed for the Sandy Bridge platform? Um, yep, we'll take it.
The Sandy Bridge platform has largely been received with critical acclaim (recall error notwithstanding), and with the release of any new chipset we expect to see new memory kits to match. G.Skill has been quick out of the gate with its revised range of Ripjaws kits, ranging from 1,333MHz all the way up to a sky-high 2,300MHz.
The kit we are evaluating is a 2 x 2GB kit rated at 2,133MHz with timings of 8-9-8-24 and 1.65 volts. It features the Ripjaws branding with a sleek, blue low-profile heat spreader, which is a nice visual upgrade from the black Ripjaws kits of the past.
RAM speeds are slightly different on Sandy Bridge when compared with previous platforms, as they are very heavily limited by the CPU. On X58 you can adjust the BCLK up and down to change your memory speed, but on Sandy Bridge the BCLK range is very limited and this has a heavy impact on the maximum RAM frequency available.
When we put this kit onto our test platform we were very surprised with the results. Dialling in the default timings of 8-9-8-24 we were able to effortlessly clock our kit right up to 2,220MHz with full stability. After slightly increasing the voltage to 1.7 volts and tightening the timings to 6-8-6-24, we were able to achieve a massive 1,940MHz, which is an impressive effort at those timings.
Users with a CPU that doesn’t clock memory very well might prefer the combination of 1,940MHz with tighter timings; there is no performance loss with the slower-memory speed, as the tighter timings make up for the lower frequency.
For those looking at upgrading to Sandy Bridge it would be foolish to look past G.Skill and its Ripjaws range. The performance of the 2,133MHz kit is outstanding, and it is easy enough to maximize memory performance on the Sandy Bridge platform.
Available from G.Skill, retailing for $120.
APC rating: 8/10 (Highly Recommended)