OCZ DDR3 PC3-17000 Gold XTE 4GB Kit

Product: OCZ DDR3 PC3-17000 Gold XTE 4GB Kit
Provided By: OCZ Technology
Price: ~$120USD Online (Shop for OCZ Memory Here)

Introduction:

DDR3 is now the main memory standard as it spans current Intel and AMD systems.  It's been quite a while since this has been the case and I am pretty happy about this standard.  The only thing that separates the two is the fact that Intel X58 systems run triple-channel memory and require a full three sticks of memory while Socket 1155/1156 and even AMD's latest AM3 systems all use dual-channel kits that ship with either two or four sticks.

The dual-channel kit is still the most popular kit however and OCZ Technology has dropped us one of their fastest kits available - the DDR3-2133 kit of Gold XTE memory.   OCZ does have some memory that clocks in at 2133MHz with CL9 timings, but this CL10 DDR3-2133 memory is still pretty darn fast.  Today we will find out just how fast it can run and how this affects memory performance in both real-world and synthetic benchmarks.  We will be using AIDA64 (formerly Everest), SuperPi - to see how this affects raw CPU performance, as well as Cinebench to see how fast memory can affect workstation performance.

Package Front

Package Back

OCZ has taken a very generic package and places different modules into the clamshell and lets the memory speak for itself.  There isn't a lot of decoration or information on either the front or the back of the package, but the modules have the main memory specifications on them by way of a sticker.

First Impressions:

This is the first kit of OCZ memory that I've had in my possession for a very long time.  The last kit I bought was PC-3500 that is still running today.  Memory has come a long way and now this PC3-17000 is on the bench and looking pretty slick today.  This "Gold XTE" kit has slightly slower timings that the "Platinum XTE" kit but has the same heatspreaders and basic overall design.  The chips on the "Platinum" memory have been selected to run at slightly higher clock speeds with tighter timings.  That being said, over 2GHz on your memory is still pretty impressive.

 
OCZ Gold Memory

All of the important information is located on the modules sticker - including the basic timings (10-10-10) along with the voltage and size of the modules.  OCZ even includes the part number and the series (OCZ3XTEG2133LV4GK and XTE Gold Series).  One thing they don't include is the TRAS setting of 30.  The typical rule of thumb is that TRAS should be 3x the CAS Latency - so CL10 memory should have a TRAS of 30 - CL7 memory should run at TRAS of 21, etc.  The full basic timing of the OCZ3XTEG2133LV4GK kit are 10-10-10-30.  This should help you out as it will not run at 2133MHz with tighter timings.  We tried.

Information & Specs:

For this part we'll take a look at the information pulled from the OCZ Technology product page for this kit.  For up to date information and all the details, please check out their site.  For your convenience, some of the information has been posted below.

Developed for gamers and case-modders making use of the latest platforms, these new OCZ Gold XTE were engineered with blazing performance standards along with unique compact design to allow for superior passive cooling. By using sophisticated IC-screening methods and qualifying on a variety of motherboards, OCZ low-voltage XTE kits are the perfect complement for Intel/AMD dual channel chipsets and choice CPU to deliver the maximum stability. For the system building hobbyist to the gaming guru, OCZ XTE Gold modules are the ideal option for cutting-edge performance desktops.

OCZ’s Dual Channel kits are 100% hand-tested for quality assurance and compatibility and feature propriety heatspreaders for the most effective heat dissipation. Furthermore, each OCZ memory module is backed by the industry leading OCZ Lifetime Warranty and technical support for unparalleled peace of mind.

Specifications:

• 2133MHz DDR3
• CL 10-10-10-30 (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
• Available in 4GB Dual Channel Optimized kits
• XTE Aluminum Alloy Heatspreader
• Lifetime Warranty
• 1.65 Volts
• 240-Pin DIMM
  

On the next page we'll take a look at our new test setup for high-speed DDR3 memory before we jump into testing.