Kingston HyperX Triple Channel DDR3 2000

INTRODUCTION

With the introduction of Core i7, DDR3 memory underwent change to accommodate that platform. If you've been keeping track, the hard limit on voltages for RAM on Core i7 is 1.65v and people said they would never get to the speeds Dual Channel DDR3 was achieving. Dual Channel DDR3, frankly, was getting scary crazy with its voltage needs. Now that Core i7 is emerging on the scene, with reviews on it popping up all over the place, DDR3, specifically Triple Channel DDR3, has come into its own.

Price performance wise it was taking a serious beating. Now that we've had hands on Core i7 and tested dual channel kits on the X58 triple channel boards, we can comment. The same kit of DDR3 1600 Dual Channel that runs 8.5GB/s bandwidth on previous generation boards running at 1666MHz overclocked, is running 15.8GB/s on Core i7. It gets even sweeter with a Triple Channel kit. We wanted to see how sweet it could get.

To that end, we got the first kit of Triple Channel DDR3 to achieve the 2000 MHz mark. Kingston technologies fielded the first kit of Triple Channel DDR3 capable of hitting 2000MHz within the allowed 1.65v RAM memory voltage limit on Core i7. Nay sayers said it couldn't be done. We're here to tell you it has been done. Kingston knocked one out of the park with their HyperX KHX16000D3K3/3GX 3GB kit capable of running 2000MHz with the rated timings of 9-9-9-27 at 1.65v.

Not only did they knock it out of the park, they're using a loaded bat. Intel has improved the XMP profile on the new X58 boards and what was previously a nightmare, running DDR3 High Speed, has now become a simple matter of enabling an XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) and rebooting. Yes, you read it right. Pop it in the slot, set the profile, reboot, and enjoy smoking fast speed!

About Kingston

Kingston Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s independent memory leader.

Founded in 1987 with a single product offering, Kingston® now offers more than 2,000 memory products that support nearly every device that uses memory, from computers, servers and printers to MP3 players, digital cameras and cell phones. In 2007, the company's sales exceeded $4.5 billion.

With global headquarters in Fountain Valley, California, Kingston employs more than 4,500 people worldwide. Regarded as one of the “Best Companies to Work for in America” by Fortune magazine, Kingston’s tenets of respect, loyalty, flexibility and integrity create an exemplary corporate culture. Kingston believes that investing in its people is essential, and each employee is a vital part of Kingston’s success.

Kingston serves an international network of distributors, resellers, retailers and OEM customers on six continents. The company also provides contract manufacturing and supply chain management services for semiconductor manufacturers and system OEMs.

At the Forefront of Memory: The History of Kingston

Kingston Technology grew out of a severe shortage of surface-mount memory chips in the high-tech marketplace in the 1980s. John Tu and David Sun were determined to find a solution. They put their engineering expertise to work and designed a new Single In-Line Memory Module (SIMM) that used readily available, older technology through-hole components. A new industry standard was born — and, on October 17, 1987, so was Kingston Technology.