Mushkin XP2-6400 4GB Kit

INTRODUCTION

Being a Computer Product Analyst for Bjorn3D, I do my dead-level best to stay on top of the latest and greatest products being released that will be of true benefit to the computer enthusiast market to which we cater. In early January of this year, I was perusing some of the sites that were doing coverage of CES 2007. One product that really caught my eye was a 4GB kit of Mushkin DDR2 memory. The main reasons for this product's eye catching appeal were: 1) It was a 4 GB kit; 2) It had incredible timings (4-3-3-10-2T) for a memory kit that large; and 3) It had the Mushkin name on it. Computer shows such as CES are quite often used as "consumer sounding boards" for product prototypes or those products that are still in their developmental infancy. Quite often, these products are a number of months or even longer away from an official release to the consumer market. So, I jotted the information down on my "wish list" for future product reviews.

Fast forward to March 14^th. I'm browsing through the press releases of the day and what headline do I see? "Mushkin Releases the Highest Performance 4GB (2x2GB) Overclocking Kits" Needless to say, the next thing I did was to write Mushkin and request one of these kits for review. For once in my life, the timing must have been just about right, for in less than an hour I received a reply confirming my request and stating that the product would ship to me within the next week or so.

Today, it is our pleasure at Bjorn3D to present our take on Mushkin's XP2-6400 4GB DDR2 memory kit. Is it the highest performance 4GB overclocking kit available? Did Mushkin's emphsis on quality transcend to this product? Read on my friends and the answer to these questions and many others that you may have will be revealed!

Mushkin:  The Company

Founded in 1994, Mushkin is best known for producing “Enhanced” memory modules. Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, Colorado Mushkin provides performance enhanced computer products to users worldwide. Exceptional quality, enhanced performance and unparalleled customer support are what make Mushkin products the best in the industry.

Mushkin products include an enhanced power supply line and a complete selection of memory upgrades for desktops, servers and notebooks – we offer something for everyone from business user to gamer. Our enhanced memory products are available in several performance categories from standard to extreme, with our REDLINE™ series in a class of its own. Our enhanced power supply line offers superb regulation and ripple characteristics, modularity and plenty of power to supply the most demanding systems.

With customers including everyone from Apple Computer and NASA to gamers and web browsers, Mushkin knows what is important to customers - enhanced performance with uncompromised quality. With Mushkin you Get More.

SPECIFICATIONS

Specfications

• Frequency:   800MHz
• Latency:   4-3-3-10
• Parity:   Unbuffered
• Voltage:   2.2-2.25V
• Pins:   240
• Module:   256Mx84
• Chip:   128Mx8

As I've stated before in previous Mushkin product reviews, Mushkin is very succinct in their presentation of features and specifications. Their "less is more" approach leaves nothing of real importance out. This technique, in this writer's humble opinion, is far superior than having a long laundry list of essentially meaningless specifications just to fill web space and to make the marketing executives smile. A convoluted presentation does nothing but confuse potential novice consumers, many of whom have no real idea of what many of the more esoteric specifications mean in the first place. I also feel this listing is more than adequate for the computer enthusiast in his/her search for the perfect memory product. Many other manufacturers could profit by a slightly more minimalist approach in their advertising. Bravo Mushkin!