| 6GB Corsair Dominator-GT 2000MHz DDR3 Memory |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Memory | |
| Written by Olin Coles | |
| Wednesday, 07 April 2010 | |
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Corsair Dominator-GT DDR3 ConclusionAlthough the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating for the sample received which may differ from retail versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate. Our performance rating considers how effective the Corsair Dominator-GT 2000MHz DDR3 system memory kit CMG6GX3M3A2000C7 performs in operations against direct competitor DDR3 triple-channel RAM storage products. For reference, Corsair specifies the CMG6GX3M3A2000C7 modules to perform at three JEDEC and one XMP eXtreme Memory Profile: 2002MHz @ CL7-8-7-20-51-2T. This memory kit competes directly with the Kingston HyperX 2000MHz kit, which has slightly different timings and a command rate of 1 instead of 2 for the Corsair Dominator-GT kit. In most of the synthetic benchmark tests there was very little difference in performance, if any at all. The Corsair Dominator-GT kit did produce faster CPU and GPU-bound frame rates in Far Cry 2, and also topped our Cinebench and PCMark Vantage Memory Benchmark results.
The anodized aluminum heatspreaders and attached red heatsink add appeal to these memory modules, and help an otherwise mundane hardware component stand-out inside your computer system. Since 1.65V causes only a moderate amount of heat on the module, the attached heat-spreader is more than enough and the included cooling fan is really only something that comes in handy with higher voltages. Considering this, I personally think that Corsair has combined equal parts function and fashion, and deliver an appealing product with no sacrifice in performance. When it comes to after-sales product support, Corsair leads the industry in customer care. Backed by a Corsair 'Lifetime' warranty protecting consumers for all of their memory kits, you can't really go wrong. The permanently secured tall-fin heat-spreader helps protect the DRAM IC modules, so all that remains for concern is static discharge damage. Even then, the warranty has you covered. If a Corsair memory product does happen to fail during the warranty period, end-users can contact Corsair technical support via the company website or support forums. Fortunately, there's also a toll-free telephone number for support or customer service questions in the US (888-222-4346). Overclockers can use one of the JEDEC settings as a starting point for tweaking their memory to match the processor, or they can go all-out and use the 2002MHz without additional headroom. In our tests, the Corsair Dominator-GT DDR3 kit matched-up extremely well with the Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition processor installed on our ASUS P6X58D-Premium test motherboard. Using this PC for our overclocking tests, it was extremely simple to isolate CPU overclocking and reach 4.0GHz (and higher) while also taking advantage of the 2002MHz CL8-7-8 XMP profile. As of April 2010, there are only a few versions of the Corsair Dominator-GT 2000MHz memory kit available online. The 6GB/2000MHz Dominator-GT CL7-8-7-20 kit we've tested for this article (CMG6GX3M3A2000C7) was not specifically listed at NewEgg, however the CL8-8-8-24 CMG6GX3M3A2000C8 kit iis avialable for $405. This price is much more expensive than the alternatives, and will exclude all but the most affluent enthusiasts. Considering the relative performance to price, there's a pocket-book penalty for these premium modules. The great thing about high-speed system memory is that it never really becomes obsolete. The high-speed DDR2-1066 I purchased over three years ago is still top-shelf even by today's standard. Likewise, Corsair's lifetime product warranty ensures that this will be the last RAM upgrade you'll need for quite a while. Anyone using a 32-bit O/S should consider A 3GB (3x 1GB) triple-channel memory kit, because almost half of a 6GB kit would go unmapped and wasted. Likewise, the average 64-bit user is usually better-off utilizing a 6GB kit than packing 12GB of system memory into the computer. The Corsair Dominator-GT DDR3 triple-channel memory kits offer the best of both worlds: high speeds and relatively low latency. For PC hardware enthusiasts who can afford the purchase price, this memory kit could mean the difference between joining the 4.0GHz overclock club or being like everyone else. Make sure that overclocking is your end-goal, since Corsair offers other kits with better value. Pros:
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Comments
I'm sorry, but the only one that comes to mind is the Gigabyte GA-P55(A)-UD6 which, ironically, is STILL limited to 16GB, which means one must either install 4x4 GB or 4x2 and 2x4 GB to satisfy the limit. What is the point of that board anyway?
Cheers.