Intel Core i7-6700K And Z170 Chipset Review: Skylake For Enthusiasts

Name: Intel Core i7-6700K and Z170 Chipset Review: Skylake For Enthusiasts
Brand: Intel

by Marco Chiappetta — Sunday, November 22, 2015, 08:00 AM EDT

To coincide with the release of Skylake and the Z170 chipset, a number of Intel’s memory partners are at the ready with fresh, dual-channel DDR4-based memory kits optimized for the new platform. We got our hands on a couple of kits from G.SKILL and Corsair and have them pictured for you below.

G.SKILL RipJaws V F4-3000C15D-8GVR Dual-Channel DDR4-3000 Memory Kit

We should also mention that Intel’s new platform offers full support for the Extreme Memory Profile (XMP 1.3) specification, for easy memory optimization and overclocking.

The G.SKILL RipJaws V memory kit you see here consists of two, 4GB, DDR4-3000 sticks of memory (total capacity 8GB), model number F4-3000C15D-8GVR. The sticks run at 1.35v with CL15-15-15-35 timings, they feature red-anodized aluminum heat-spreaders, The kit is XMP 1.3 compatible too.

Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK16GX4M2A2666C16 Dual-Channel Memory Kit

Corsair will also be offering a number of memory kits targeted at Skylake, one of which is pictured above. The kit you see here is a 16GB, dual-channel offering, consisting of two, DDR4 8GB DIMMs (total capacity 16GB). This particular kit is model number CMK16GX4M2A2666C16. As the model number implies, the kit is rated for operation at 2666MHz with a CAS latency of 16. Corsair's Vengeance LPX CMK16GX4M2A2666C16 kit operates at only 1.2v, supports XMP for easy configuration, and features black-anodized aluminum heat-spreaders.

This is the memory kit we used for all of our Skylake testing and it ran perfectly throughout.

Tags: Intel, core i7, CPU, processor, Chipset, Skylake, z170, motherboar

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com