Ultimate DIY Performance PC: EVGA & Intel Infused

Due to the fact that each Intel Xeon 5500 / 5600 series processor has an integrated memory controller, each chip requires its own pool of RAM.

To run at peak performance, a triple-channel configuration is required for each CPU, which means a minimum of six DIMMs is necessary. Thankfully, due to the popularity of Intel’s Core i7 desktop processors, which also require triple-channel memory for max performance, and the proliferation of 64-bit editions of Windows (and other OSes) high-capacity, six-DIMM memory kits are now widely available.

Considering the extreme nature of the EVGA Classified SR-2, we wanted to pair the board to an equally extreme memory kit. Ultimately, we enlisted the help of G.SKILL. The PI+ Turbulence 12GB (6 x 2GB) F3-12800CL6T2-12GBPIS kit you see here is the only 12GB, high-speed memory kit we’ve seen with a CAS latency of 6 (6-8-6-20 to be exact).

The DIMMs are outfitted with oversized, aluminum heatsinks, and require a voltage of only 1.6v. In addition, G.SKILL includes an active cooler, which can be snapped right down over the memory retention clips.

This memory kit is what we’d call a “universal” kit—it can be run at high-speeds with low-latencies and voltage, or the latencies and voltages can be increased and the kit can run at very high frequencies. If you’re a tweaker and overclocker, this kit is a great match to the EVGA Classified SR-2 in our opinion. It’s not cheap at about $400, but it offers excellent performance and flexibility.