1. Features
Today we present another DDR3 memory kit for Intel's X58 platform. Patriot Memory is offering the PC3-12800 3-ple channel DDR3 memory (2x3GB), promising high performance with a 1600MHz clock at CL9. If this performance alerady sounds extreme to you, in the following pages we will try to further overclock it even higher.
- Patriot Memory PVT36G1600ELK
Patriot Extreme Performance (EP) Enhanced Latency line is engineered to expand your gaming options. These modules are designed to operate at 1600MHz at 9-9-9-24 timings and is available in 3GB and 6GB kit capacities. Equipped with Patriot ACC (Aluminum Copper Composite) technology, these modules are designed for maximum performance and stability under extreme overclocking conditions.
- Features
- Extreme Performance PC3-12800 (1600MHz)
- Enhanced Latency (9-9-9-24)
- Equipped Patriot Viper Heat Shields with integrated ACC (Aluminum Copper Composite) technology
- 100% Tested and Verified
- Lifetime Warranty
- RoHS Compliant
- XMP Ready for Corei7 Processors
- Tested and compatible with Intel? X58 Express Chipsets
2. Opening the box
Patriot Memory provided us with the retail package of the 6GB kit (2GBx3), Viper Series PC3-12800 (PVT36G1600ELK), which retails for ~$176.99 and $151.99 after $25.00 Mail-In
Rebate from Newegg web site.
The kit comes in a well designed package, easily identified from the "Viper Series" logo on the front:
The three modules are placed and secured in a hard plastic shell:
The modules are equipped with Patriot ACC (Aluminum Copper Composite) heat spreaders for better heat dissipation.
The basic specifications of the memory are also included in the small label placed on each module: Part number PVT36G1600ELK, DDR3-1600 at CL9,1.65V.
The CPU-Z provides information about the memory. Conveniently enough, the Patriot Memory DDR3-1600 3ple Channel supports Intel's XMP profiles, meaning that compatible motherboards will automatically adjust the speed and the voltage of the modules. Of course, the standard JEDEC timings for 457 and 533MHz are also available, as the following screen shot shows:
3. Benchmarks
Here is the configuration of our test PC:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-920 Retail
- CPU Cooler: Titan Fenrir
- Motherboard: Asus P6T Deluxe/OC Palm Edition BIOS 1102
PSU: OCZ GameXStream GXS600 SLI-Ready
- VGA: MSI 7600GT Silent (stock memory/core timings)
- HDD: WD 800JB
- OS: Windows VISTA x64 SP1 with all the latest updates installed
Generally, before installing ay new memory modules, it is wise to update the BIOS of your motherboard to the latest version. This will ensure that your motherboard is compatible with the memory modules you bought and will also fully take advantage of the increased speeds of your memory.
For the stability tests, we used Prime95 v25.6 and MemTest v3.80 software under Windows VISTA x64.
The Asus P6T motherboard we used for this test offers various dividers in order to "overclock" memory without messing up with the processor. We left most of the BIOS options to the "Auto" mode and set the the DRAM voltage at 1.66V. Intel suggests that the memory voltage should not exceed the 1.65V, but our Asus motherboard doesn't include the 1.65V option, so we selected the 1.66V, which anyway shouldn't affect the results.
The memory was recognized as 1066MHz at CL7, but we managed to get CL6 without any problems:
(Click To Enlarge!)
Going further at 1333MHz, we selected CL7 and CL8, but the motherboard refused to work. So we went back back to CL9, which proved to be stable:
The advertised DDR3-1600 comes easily with CL9. With the voltage set at 1.66V we have a totally stable system:
After that point you have to either select the DDR3-1866 under BIOS or go try to manually find the overclocking limits of the memory kit. We selected the DDR3-1866 with no luck so we lowered the frequency to the DDR3-1600 divider and we increased the CLK. The memory seems to be totally stable at DDR3-1708 with CL9 @ 1.66V
Sisoft Sandra Memory Benchs also indicates that the higher speed we set in the memory modules, the better our system goes. Starting from the 1066MHz and 19.11GB/sec, we reached the 28.56GB/sec at 1708MHz, a good performance gain.
Patriot Memory PC3-12800 |
Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec) |
Memory Latency (ns) |
Cache And Memory (GB/sec) |
1066-CL7-7-7-20-1T-1.66V |
19,11 |
79 |
60,60 |
1066-CL6-6-6-18-1T-1.66V |
19,37 |
76 |
60,71 |
1333-CL7-7-7-20-1T-1.66V |
23,50 |
69 |
66,00 |
1600_CL9-9-9-24-1T-1.66V |
26,82 |
65 |
69,33 |
1708_CL9-9-9-24-1T-1.66V |
28,56 |
61 |
73,62 |
The Everest Ultimate Edition provides more performance figures for the DDR3-1600 and DDR3-1708 speeds:
4. Conclusion
The Patriot Memory DDR3-1600 3ple channel kit performed pretty well in our hardware tests. The memory gave stable operation and delivered the promised DDR3-1600 with CL9 at 1.65V, at least with the Asus P6T Deluxe motherboard.
According to our overclocking tests, the memory reached the 1708MHz, which is 108MHz more than its nominal specifications. Although we could expect a little more here, this frequency will have a significant boost in the memory bandwidth, as the Sisoft Sandra Memory Benchmarks showed.
Seriously, the low retail price, especially after rebate, the stability and the overall performance leaves us no choice but to recommend this product to anyone who has an X58 platform and needs to improve the performance by just going at a higher memory divider, in our case the DDR3-1600.
The Patriot rMemory PC3-12800 Viper Series 3ple channel is a balanced and properly priced product no matter if you are into overclocking or just need a fast memory kit.
