RAM - Page 22

Back in July we reported that G.SKILL had just broken the 4000MHz barrier with its Trident Z DDR4 RAM. Today the company has one-upped itself with its new line of Trident Z extreme RAM modules that can hit a blistering 4133MHz when overclocked--just 222MHz shy of G.SKILL's world record RAM speed.

G.SKILL's new Trident Z extreme performance kits come in 8GB modules, with speeds ranging from 3600MHz to the whopping 4133MHz. The ultra-fast 4GHz+ speeds are only available in 16GB DDR4 (8x2) configurations, whereas the 32GB DDR4 configurations max out at 3733MHz.

G.SKILL notes that the latest Trident Z line is specifically optimized to run alongside Intel's 6-generation Core i-7 processors with the latest XMP 2.0 profiles. The overclocked 4133MHz speeds were achieved on a system equipped with an Intel Core i7-6700K CPU with 16GB (2x8) of Trident Z DDR4 RAM fastened to an ASRock Z170 OC Formula motherboard.

HyperX is adding some high capacity DDR4 kits to its Savage and Predator lineups, both aimed at high-end users.

HyperX Savage (pictured above) now comes in a 2666MHz 128GB (16GB DIMMs x8) configuration, slotting in at the high-end of the Savage spectrum. It doesn't have the highest frequency in the family (a little shy of the 3000MHz offered by other kits), but it has twice the capacity of the previous top contender. This kit is said to be optimized for Intel systems (i5/i7 processors and 100 series/X99 chipsets) and comes with memory profiles accessible without having to use the BIOS.

Predator (pictured below) now comes in 32GB and 64GB configurations (16GB DIMMs x2 / 16GB DIMMs x4), all at 3000MHz, offering a significant jump over the previous 16GB (2133MHz/3000MHz) and 32GB (2133MHz/3000MHz) options. Again, these are designed for the Intel 100 series and X99 chipsets.

KitGuru staff writer Anton Shilov yesterday reported AMD was beginning to sell new DDR4 RAM modules compatible with Intel platforms and its own next-gen platforms. This is true, but the trouble came when he made this very biased statement: "AMD's Radeon R7 DDR4 memory modules are not performance champions, but fans of AMD's Radeon video cards and modders make purchase decisions based on design and visual aesthetics, not on performance."

The article -- which sports a 1.6/5 rating courtesy of 63 reader votes as of press time -- has since been edited accordingly. The statement now has a strikethrough, and editor in chief Allan Campbell describes the statement as "incorrect [and] inflammatory". Further, there is a link to a full apology by him, where he explains the statement does not reflect the views of the website. The text in its entirety can be found below.

Available in a massive 64GB kit comprised of 4x16GB sticks, Apacer's new DDR4 RAM has been designed by its 'Z511 Lab' and will be available soon in 2400, 2666, 2800 and 3000 MHz editions, ranging from $139 - $299.

With the ability to withstand an incredible 120 degrees celsius (248 Fahrenheit) and operate without issue, this DDR4 SO-DIMM memory is designed purely with laptops in mind, aiming to skirt around overheating issues that some performance laptops are currently feeling.

The Z511 Lab is explained by Apacer as being a special part of this company designed to look at performance products, and performance products only. Setup in early 2015, this group is responsible for performance and stress testing products before they are available to the market.

Samsung is already planning on the next memory grade beyond DDR4 and projects that it will be able to hit 32GB with base speeds of 6.4GHz by 2020.

With the mainstream adoption of DDR4 RAM fast approaching on the horizon, industry movers like Samsung are beginning to lay out the building blocks for the next memory standard. As technology continues to evolve at a blistering pace Samsung projects that the new SDRAM grade will manifest within the next five years and that prototypes will be unveiled as early as 2018.

At IDF 2015, Samsung laid out targeted performance values for the post-DDR4 solution. The findings project that next-gen DRAM should be able to hit speeds of up to 6.4Gb/s with a total memory bandwidth of up to 51.2GB/s. A sub-10nm form factor has been targeted for the memory IC.

IDF 2015 - Intel has laid out predictions for a marked rise in DDR4 RAM adoption following the widespread availability of Skylake-powered servers, notebooks and desktops.

Right now mainstream support for DDR4 RAM is rare, and it's mostly found in Intel's Xeon-powered servers and in enthusiast grade PC's powered by X99 chipsets. But according to analyst firm IHS, whose findings Intel touted on stage, DDR4 will already start to overlap production of DDR3 as early as next year.

IHS further lays out a timetable for desktops and servers that shows the projected transition period from DDR3 to DDR4. Servers have been using DDR4 since late 2014 thanks to the Xeon E5 v3 processor, and the platform will continue to account for a bulk of memory usage throughout this year and well into 2016. By the end of this year alone IHS predicts that DDR4 will account for 60% of all server memory shipments, and jump to 90% in the same time next year.

With the race being on for all RAM manufacturers to release the fastest clocked DDR4 memory to the public, one company leading the charge is G.SKILL with its TridentZ Series DDR4 8GB (4GBx2) kit which claimed to run at 4266 MHz.

These claims have been put to the test at Intel's Developer Forum 2015 (IDF 2015), with G.SKILL proudly displaying these two Z170 Chipset based rigs, paired with "Skylake" Intel processors and an ASRock or ASUS motherboard.

If you're interested in the need for speed, keep reading TweakTown for consequent RAM brand releases - it's an ongoing process at this stage as manufacturers are trying to push DDR4 into the mainstream enthusiast market.

Said to be designed for 6th Generation Intel Core processors in a recently issued press release, G.Skill's new Trident Z and Ripjaws V series of DDR4 memory modules are made with speed as the major goal.

Quoted as "the first retail memory kit to break through the 4000MHz barrier," the Trident Z Extreme DDR4 modules broke the 4000 MHz milestone through the help of an ASRock Z170 OC formula motherboard. Built with Samsung IC memory chips, this RAM can be set up to operate at speeds ranging from 2800 - 4000MHz.

As for the Ripjaws V, this series will feature five different color schemes and the 4GB, 8GB and 16GB modules will operate from 2133MHz to 3733MHz depending on your needs. Also featuring Samsung IC memory chips, G.Skill says that these modules have been extensively tested for hours on end to ensure safe overclocking practices for all consumers.

Computex 2015 - RAM and hardware company Crucial has unveiled the Ballistix DDR4 16GB performance memory kits.

Crucial manufactured the RAM so it's possible to have large-capacity modules in enthusiast machines and high-desktop systems, and not just in server systems anymore. The Crucial Ballistix DDR4 16GB RAM will be available starting in late July, with kits ranging in size from 16GB up to 128GB.

"This density of memory module will start to become broadly available in the desktop space with our new 8GB-based Ballistic DDR4 16GB modules," said Jeremy Mortenson, worldwide DRAM product marketing manager at Crucial. "We anticipate that our new modules and component densities will enable smaller form factors and the next generation of computers to have capacities that were traditionally limited to the server or high-end desktop space."

Computex 2015 - Coupled with the slogan "Born to Battle," ADATA has announced its new high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products to the world in a recent press release.

The XPG series includes high-performance SSDs and fast gaming RAM, with ADATA boasting its new sponsorship of the North American power house eSports organization, compLexity Gaming.

Complete with what ADATA calls its "A+ Teshing Methodology," it is claimed that this new series of RAM provides gamers with much needed technical features and the ultimate weapons for victory. More information on these products and eSports news can be found through ADATA's new product launch page which can be found here.

RAM manufacturer Patriot has announced it is adding 64GB and 128GB DDR4 memory kits to its Viper 4 series, designed for the Intel X99 DDR4 platform and Haswell-E processor. The kits are expected to launch during Q3 2015.

The 64GB (4 x 16GB) and 128GB (8x16GB) kits are designed for use in gaming and other PCs where RAM will be under heavy load. Both kits start at 2400MHz 1.2V, and higher speeds will be launched in the future, Patriot says. The Patriot Viper 4 has been built to support a custom heat shield to promote cooler and more stable operations.

"The addition of the 64GB and 128GB DRAM to the Viper 4 line will help to propel our already well established catalog of gaming memory," said Les Henry, VP of Engineering at Patriot. "Patriot is committed to further developing its gaming line of memory in order to meet the ever growing demand of today's high-end PCs."

We've seen G.SKILL and its 128GB DDR4 kit, but now Corsair has just announced the world's first available 128GB DDR4 unbuffered memory kits in its Vengeance LPX and Dominator Platinum Series lines.

The 128GB kits come in 8 x 16GB, and are designed for Intel's X99 series motherboards with XMP 2.0 support. Corsair's new 128GB DDR4 kits come in both 2666MHz and 2400MHz, with even higher speeds to "be announced soon". The Dominator Platinum Series 128GB DDR4 kit is "the most advanced memory kit available" with a "striking industrial design for good looks, patented DHX technology for cooler operation, and user-swappable colored "light pipes" for customizable LED lighting".

Corsair's Dominator Platinum Series RAM are the highest quality parts, as they are hand-screened ICs, and they undergo "rigorous performance testing", too. The second kit, Vengeance LPX Series 128GB DDR4 is designed for high-performance overclocking with each IC individually screened for its performance potential.

G.SKILL continues to dominate the RAM market with the announcement of the world's first 128GB kit of 2800MHz DDR4 RAM, which comes in 8x16GB sticks. We have memory timing of CL16-16-16-36 at 1.35V, with the new kit falling into their growing Ripjaws 4 line of RAM.

The new sticks are from Samsung, with their 8Gb ICs baked onto G.SKILL's product at the impressive 20nm process. This has allowed an entire new level of performance, and with 16GB sticks, something that has previously only been attainable by server memory. The new 128GB kit is perfect for the high-end workstation, with G.SKILL's new Ripjaws 4 128GB kit already validated on the ASUS X99 Rampage V Extreme motherboard, running in its intended quad-channel.

Tequila Huang, VP of Research & Development with G.SKILL said: "During development of these DDR4 16GB modules, we see amazing future potential for 128GB (16GBx8) memory kits in extreme high capacity operation on upcoming platforms. We will be witnessing the beginning of a new set of standards for extreme capacity and performance DDR4 memory kits on both current and future computing platforms. Needless to say, we are very excited for this release".

Showing off their new sponsor, Avexir Memory, GGF LAN Party has shared this amazing white and blue color scheme RAM which looks especially beautiful when paired with the white-themed ASUS Sabertooth motherboard.

"Each stick comes with functioning lighting/tesla style tube," says GGF LAN admin Stuart Tonks, "this is just sheer beauty. Meet the Raiden Series DDR3."

With the full information available here, we've learned that this DDR3 RAM can be tailored for Dual or Quad channel builds alongside speeds ranging from 1866 MHz to 2400 MHz being available.

The polished metal finish and unique color design ensures that this new addition to the Corsair Dominator series is like no other. The Dominator series as a whole certainly isn't new, I remember filling my i7 2600k system back in 2011 with a few sticks of red Dominator's - however the product name lives on and it sure has aged well!

Custom-designed for and paired brilliantly with the GIGABYTE GA-X99-SOC Force motherboard, we can't wait for this DDR4 RAM to be thrown into a system - paging all modders!

Featuring a tested Latency of 16-18-18-40, this set of RAM is "guaranteed to run at 3400MHz at ambient room temperature" according to Corsair's official website.

SSDs are already ridiculously cheap compared to what they used to be a few years ago, but Apacer is predicting that 256GB SSDs will be priced at under $70 by the second half of the year.

According to CK Chang, the General Manager of Apacer Technology, 256GB SSDs will cost under $70 while 128GB drives will be priced at around $40. Chang revealed the news during an interview with DigiTimes, adding that SSD are becoming much more reasonably priced, and that shrinking manufacturing technologies and the falling cost of NAND flash memory chips will continue to push the price of SSDs down.

The top NAND flash makers are moving over to 14nm, 15nm and 16nm fabrication processes, as well as the push toward triple-level cell (TLC) NAND and vertically-stacked NAND will only help further the reduction of cost to SSDs. We should expect to see mainstream laptops with 256GB SSDs in the near future, as their price is reduced as we moved into the second half of 2015. With the 256GB SSDs reducing in price, we can expect the 512GB drives to drop, which will hopefully see 512GB become the new 256GB, and 1TB become the new 512GB. Or am I reaching too high, too fast?

Update: SK Hynix has reached out to us to clarify that it does not own or run the new KLEVV brand. The SK Hynix rep said: "KLEVV has NO relationship with SK Hynix Inc and is NEVER owned or launched by SK Hynix Inc.. KLEVV is a brand name under the company ESSENCORE (which is a subsidiary of SK C&C)".

The high-end DRAM market has been dominated by a few players in the last couple of years, with the likes of Corsair, G.SKILL, Crucial and a few others. But it looks like this could all change with the introduction of a new company, KLEVV, which was showing off its new DDR3 and DDR4 modules at PAX South this weekend. The KLEVV website has only opened up in the last 24 hours, which you can check out here.

KLEVV is a partner of SK Hynix, who sell their DRAM IC to companies like Corsair or G.SKILL, but now it could be providing its top binned (best chips) to KLEVV, giving it a serious edge against the competition. This means that KLEVV will be a force to be reckoned with within the DRAM market rather quickly, without having to worry about securing the best IC and paying through the nose for it, as it will be cherry picking the very best thanks to its strong connection with its parent company; Essencore, which falls under the SK Hynix umbrella.

CES 2015 - Back in 2011, I had recently moved to the state of Victoria, Australia. As I only had found a temporary share house and it was a blazing hot summer, I got completely roasted. As any good nerd would do, I spent the hottest of the days in my bedroom, sweating whilst on my computer - playing Counter-Strike:Source and wishing I was somewhere else. My PC got so hot that it blue screened and obviously I tried to figure out what was going on. Opening up the side of the case, I went to re-seat my RAM only to have my hands burnt by the inferno that was now my memory. RAM gets hot, people!

Mushkin are trying to combat spicy RAM stories like these, releasing information on their new Ridgeback heat sink for their Blackline and Redline memory products. Claimed to be produced from aircraft-grade aluminum, this is the second generation of Ridgeback to hit the market - scheduled to launch in Q1 2015 with Mushkin's DDR4 memory kit line.

These DDR4 modules feature XMP 2.0 profiles, delivering easy and reliable overclocking performance when paired with Intel X99 and the latest generation of Intel Core i7 CPUs. Mushkin further claim in their press release that the "Redline and Blackline Ridgeback memory kits are built with hand-screened DRAM, undergo rigorous stress testing, and incorporate state-of-the-art cooling for reliable performance in demanding environments."

ADATA has just announced its new Gold Edition XPG Z1 DDR4 overclocking RAM, which comes in four speeds; 3000/3200/3300/3333MHz. The new memory is perfect for your Haswell-E build, as it will provide some of the best DDR4 RAM for your system, period.

ADATA has decreased the operating voltage of its XPG Z1 RAM from 1.5V to 1.35V, with that 10% reduction in power providing lower temperatures for more stable operation at higher speeds. Even at 3333MHz, the CL16-16-16 timings and a transfer bandwidth of 26.6GB/sec, you can be assured, you're getting some seriously fast RAM with the ADATA kit.

The company has splashed its jet wing-inspired design with a race car carbon texture that ADATA says "embodies the pursuit of extreme performance." The XPG Z1 chips are cooled by its unique Thermal Conductive Technology and 10-layer PCBs with 2oz of pure copper, which has the chips on the XPG Z1 enjoying direct contact with the heat sinks. This means that the IC and PCB "operate at an evenly distributed temperature."

As according to their newly issued press release, Samsung announced today that mass production has begun for the industry's first 8 gigabit low power double data rate 4 (LPDDR4) mobile DRAM.

This technology is claimed to be based on their 20-nm process technology, stating that LPDDR memory is generally used as 'working memory' for mobile devices around the globe.

Samsung's Executive Vice President of Memory Sales and Marketing is excited given this news, comenting that "by initiating production of 20nm 8Gb LPDDR4, which is even faster than the DRAM for PCs and servers and consumes much less energy, we are contributing to the timely launch of UHD, large-screen flagship mobile devices," further adding "as this major advancement in mobile memory demonstrates, we will continue to closely collaborate with global mobile device manufacturers to optimize DRAM solutions, making them suitable for next-generation mobile OS environments."