OCZ Black Edition DDR3 Memory Kit Review

There is no shortage of DDR3 memory in the marketplace these days, and it's priced lower than DDR2 in many cases. As always though, the choices to be made when selecting RAM for a system can be confusing. There are a lot of kits currently available that are "optimized" for Intel i5 and i7 systems, and now OCZ has released two new low voltage kits that are designed to complement the AMD Black Edition series of CPUs. Both sets of DIMMs are specified at 1600 MHz; one at CL7 timings, and the other at CL8. They are both rated to run these speeds at 1.65v. In this article Benchmark Reviews will examine how a dual-channel kit of CL8 modules, optimized for an AMD 790FX platform, performs at a variety of speeds and timings.

The pair of DDR3 DIMMs under test is rated at 1600MHz with relatively tight timings of 8-8-8-24 (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS) at a low 1.65 volts. OCZ has taken advantage of the Black Edition Memory Profile (BEMP) feature that AMD has built into the latest release of AMD OverDrive (AOD), and made these modules capable of having their optimum settings loaded directly into AOD, via download from an AMD web server. This is quite different from how SPD values are normally loaded into the system BIOS.

We're going to look at several DRAM speed and timing configurations, to see how flexible this new low-voltage kit is on an AMD AM3 platform. An AMD Phenom II Black Edition CPU with an unlocked multiplier will give us some needed flexibility in setting up test configurations. We'll also overclock the modules a bit, and see how much additional performance we can wring out of them.

OCZ Black Edition DDR3 Features

OCZ offers a memory kit for nearly any computer configuration you can think of, and this Black Edition kit is but one example. There are currently eighteen different kits available in the OCZ Special Edition series alone. Let's take a quick look at the special features that OCZ packs into this particular memory set.

OCZ's AMD Black Edition is tested and qualified specifically for AMD's latest "Black Edition" CPUs for ultimate performance and stability. Featuring the unique AMD "OverDrive^TM" (AOD) specification, users can unleash the remote stored profiles directly from AMD when used with supporting 790FX / 790GX motherboards, giving users a performance edge with instant "plug and play" functionality. This highly advanced feature detects your OCZ Black Edition RAM when used in conjunction with AOD-supporting motherboards and AMD Black Edition Phenom CPUs, then the data is sent to a remote server to download the correct profiles to get your system up and running at its peak.

These high performance modules feature both the high densities and blazing frequencies enthusiasts and gamers demand to make the most of the latest PC titles and applications. Delivering plug and play overclocking; the "AOD" feature does all the work for you!

* OCZ Black Edition memory is validated on ASUS M4A79T 790FX motherboards. Please make sure your 790 GX/FX motherboard specifically supports AOD and you have downloaded the latest software update from AMD if you wish to enable this feature on your system. Please note that you must be online to access the memory profiles in AOD.

OCZ3BE1600C8LV4GK Specifications

• Brand: OCZ Technology
• Series: AMD Black Edition
• Model: OCZ3BE1600C8LV4GK
• Type: 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
• Capacity: 4GB (2 x 2GB)
• Speed: DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
• Cas Latency: 8
• Timing: 8-8-8-24 (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
• Voltage: 1.65V
• ECC: No
• Buffered/Registered: Unbuffered
• Multi-channel Kit: Dual Channel Kit
• Heat Spreader: Yes
• Features: AMD OverDrive (AOD)*
• Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime

About OCZ Technology

OCZ Technology Group, a member of JEDEC, designs, develops, and manufactures ground-breaking, high performance memory and premium computer components. OCZ products are the first choice for users needing high-reliability, enthusiast-grade solutions. OCZ continually invests in R&D to push the limits of performance, speed, and value for consumers, system integrators, and OEM clients.

OCZ Technology was founded by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, and our commitment to that end-user group has not digressed. Entering the memory market in August 2000, OCZ was built around the determination to manufacture the very best high-speed memory for overclockers. In this pursuit, OCZ became the first manufacturer to make "dual channel" optimized memory kits available to the public, which originally took advantage of NVIDIA's Twinbank, or Dual DDR architecture, found in their nForce^TM chipset. Over the last decade, we have maintained that thirst for innovation and performance leadership in multiple categories including power management and solid state storage.

Today, OCZ continues to be a frontrunner in the memory industry, offering high-performance DDR3 modules for the next generation of JEDEC standards. OCZ was the first to release DDR3 Intel Extreme Memory for the X38/48 Chipset, along with other high-compatibility and high-speed modules that were some of the fastest on the market. By breaking speed barriers and maintaining the reputation of quality, OCZ is a name enthusiasts have turned to time and time again for cutting-edge memory solutions.

Now that we've heard what OCZ has to say abot the kit, let's take a closer look ourselves.

Previous Page - Next Page >>