Installation and Testing:
 

Installed

These modules were installed on the ever so capable ASUS Blitz Extreme motherboard. Currently, if there is a motherboard around that can push these modules to the breaking point, this is it. The CPU Bus can be increased from 266 or 333MHz up to 500MHz and then some. This is usually more than enough to top out any DDR3 memory kit, even the famed 1866MHz Patriot Extreme DDR3 kit. Even so, the system booted up correctly and even displayed the correct default memory timings.

Powering Up

CPUZ

Memory

SPD

Mainboard

Since I touched on the frequencies the memory kit should theoretically support when down clocked, a quick confirmation test was in order. The kit does indeed operate at 1600MHz 7-7-7-18 using a mere 1.9 volts tried and true for 12 hours of Prime95 torture testing. The kit also operated at even lower timings down to 1066MHz at 5-6-5-18 but couldn't quite reach that 5-5-5-18 magical timing. For DDR2, 5-5-5 was considered budget based timings where as for DDR3 it's considered lower, aggressive timings. Funny how these things change.

Default and stock memory bandwidth is very close to the OCZ PC3-1600 Platinum kit which had been tested a few weeks back. Every DDR3 memory kit has defaulted to 1066MHz and score even closer with lower 6-6-6 timings across the board offering a 5700 MB/s average in memory bandwidth. Stock frequency is actually a solid 1600MHz. It takes a little getting use to describing this 1600MHz DDR3 frequency as "stock". In all essence, it is truly the stock frequency at which it's performing at optimal levels. Anything slower than 1600MHz is a piece of cake with ice cream with lower frequencies. While the E6600 processor may have a stock 1066MHz Front Side Bus, it is quite capable of reaching 1600MHz without issue and allows the G.Skill DDR3-1600 to really stretch to its rated speed.

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