Corsair Dominator 2x2 GB DDR3 1600 Cas 8 Review

tacohunter52 - September 10, 2009
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Testing:

Many people believe that memory modules all perform the same, but this is not true. Every module overclocks and performs differently. You want to get the best for your money and there are many ways to test what memory performs best. In order to test the Corsair Dominators, I will be running them through the OverclockersClub suite of benchmarks to see how the performance compares to that of modules that are rated both lower and higher than the rated speed and timings of 8-8-8-20. The CPU is run at a clock speed of 160 x 20 with the memory multiplier increased to the 1600MHz mark to reach the rated speed of each set of modules. For the overclocking test, I will use a combination of increasing the clock on the CPU to increase the clock speed of the latest Corsair Dominators.

Testing Setup:

CPU: Intel Core i5 750
Motherboard: ASUS Maximus III Formula
Memory: Corsair Dominator 2x2GB DDR3 1600 Cas 8
Video Card(s): Nvidia GTX 260-216
Power Supply: Mushkin 800 watt Modular Power Supply
Hard Drive: Seagate 1 TB 7200.11 SATA
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-R
OS: Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit SP1

Comparison Modules:

Comparison Module #1: Kingston HyperX

CPU-Z: This application shows us the settings that we have chosen in the BIOS. Items shown in this application include CPU speed and bus settings, motherboard manufacturer, BIOS revisions, memory timings, and SPD chip information.

Task Manager: We use this utility to show physical memory, kernel memory, page file, and processor usage.

Overclocking:

Overclocked settings:

Processor: Intel Core i5 750 202.7x20
Memory: Corsair Dominator PC3 12800 9-9-8-24

Much like with the Kingston memory the Corsair Dominators were able to make it above the 2000MHz mark. However, they didn't make it quite as far. The Dominators were able to reach speeds of 2026.6MHz with timings of 9-9-8-24. With Corsair's DHX cooling, these modules should be able to run at these settings without any problems. I know some of you skeptics are wondering why you'd need memory that runs at 2000MHz. The answer is you really don't, but having memory that can achieve these higher speeds is a good thing. This means you'll be able to overclock your CPU farther then you would have been able to with a generic memory kit. Plus, these Corsair modules come with big beefy heat spreadders that will help them remain nice and chilly, while running at blazing fast speeds. With a large fan pulling air past the modules, they never go hot to the touch.