Kingston HyperX DDR2-800 2GB Memory Kit
Conclusion
With Intel's Core 2 Duo about to ship, along with the increasing demand for Socket-AM2 processors, demand for high-quality, high-speed DDR2-800 modules will skyrocket in the next few months. Kingston is right there with an excellent set of DDR2 memory modules which can appeal to those who want excellent stock performance and overclockability as well.
Granted, Kingston's HyperX DDR2-800 modules are not as overclockable as some newer enthusiast-class modules which are hitting clock speeds of over 1GHz, but we were able to get quite a bit more juice from these memory modules through overclocking, we simply had to lower the timings in order to gain a little more flexibility when it came to upping the clock speed. With our Socket-AM2 platform, we were able to see peak clock speeds of 950 MHz, impressive considering the Elpida chips used on this memory module are actually only rated for 667 MHz operation.
Our HyperX pack performed exactly as stated, providing excellent CAS 4-4-4 latencies at 800 MHz clock speeds without any stability or heat related issues. Our Socket-AM2 platform was able to achieve higher bandwidth numbers and lower latencies compared to our Pentium-D platform, simply due to the effectiveness of AMD's integrated DDR2 memory controller. Those looking to use HyperX modules with an nForce 590 SLI platform may want to wait for the EPP-enabled variants of these modules to be released, as these will allow for simpler setup and operation. Performance levels will not differ from the modules we're testing today, however.
While Kingston's HyperX 800 MHz modules are more expensive compared to "generic" 800 MHz modules, they certainly can provide better stock performance and lower latencies, all without any overclocking. We've found that Kingston's HyperX 800 MHz modules are also quite a bit less expensive than similar Corsair and OCZ DDR2-800 modules, making them a solid buy all around. We're giving them an 8.5 on the Heat Meter.
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