Kingston HyperX 8GB KIT 1600mhz (KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX)

1. Introduction2. Kingston HyperX Memory3. Testing Methodology and Overclocking4. SiSoft Sandra5. KitGuru Photoshop Benchmark 1(4)6. Everest Ultimate7. Winrar Multithreaded Processing8. Super Pi9. Closing Thoughts10. View All Pages

For many years people have been tied to a 32bit Operating system with a 4GB (nearer 3.5 in real world terms) memory limitation. In 2010, the adoption of 64 bit Windows is finally getting off the ground, which is long overdue. Windows 7 64bit is a fantastic OS and the KitGuru's recommend to make the move as soon as possible, if you haven't already.

So, if you have just upgraded to a 64bit OS and want to take advantage of a higher memory configuration for enhanced multitasking performance then todays review product will surely appeal to you. Kingston have recently released a new 8GB HyperX memory kit which comprises two 4GB modules. This is a perfect dual channel partner for either Intel 1156 systems or the latest AMD platforms. Buying this particular kit means that if you need even more memory down the line then you are only using two slots in your system and you don't need to start from scratch.

The Kingston KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX kit is a dual channel kit, with two sticks @ 4GB each.

The packaging is a classic Kingston design, the memory simply clips into plastic retention sockets and an overlaying plastic shroud protects them during shipping.

The modules are finished in a striking blue and silver accented heatspreader which we think looks absolutely beautiful. These are the ‘Cameron Diaz' of memory sticks! We are pleased to note that the heatspeaders are a low profile design which means we can easily use our cooler of choice … the Noctua NH-D14 ‘Austrian Sandwich', which we love.

A close up of the specifications, this also shows the source country as China. For those who don't already know Kingston offer a lifetime warranty on their memory.

To test the memory today we are using an Intel 1156 system with the Core i7 875k processor. Additionally we will also overclock the memory as far as we can and document any performance changes.

The timings from the profile in our Intel motherboard (taken as an initial check before the final review build) show 8-8-8-24. Even though the packaging shows CL9 ratings, the XMP profile is picking up tighter timings.

We started with 1600mhz 8-8-8-24 in our Gigabyte GA P55 UD6 system and it was perfectly stable.

At 1.67volts we managed to get them running at 2000mhz by loosening the timings to 9-9-9 which we thought was a really fantastic result. especially for 4GB modules. We managed to boot at 2050mhz but the system was unstable and I was unwilling to increase voltage any further. Obviously its worth pointing out that overclocking can be pretty much a ‘hit and miss' exercise with some kits giving better results than others. We doubt Kingston have hand picked these so we would assume most kits would get within earshot of our results … 1900mhz easily anyway.

Our testing today will be performed at the reference 1600mhz 8-8-8 settings and our maximum overclock of 2000mhz at 9-9-9.

Test System:
Memory: Kingston 8gb HyperX Memory
CPU: Intel Core i7 875k
Cooler: Noctua NH 14D
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA P55 UD6
Hard Drive: Intel 40GB SSD x2 (Raid 0)
PSU: Enermax 1250w Revolution
Graphics: Zotac GTX465
Chassis: Silverstone Raven 2
Operating System: Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate
Monitor: LaCie 730 30 inch LED screen

Generic DDR3 1066mhz
Generic DDR3 1333mhz

Everest Ultimate
SiSoft Sandra Professional
KitGuru Photoshop Benchmark V1(4)
Winrar
SuperPi

All our results were achieved by running each test five times with every configuration. Median averages were extrapolated from the results – this ensures that any glitches are removed from the results.

SiSoft Sandra is a great benchmarking suite and one I have used for many years now. We are concentrating on the memory bandwidth settings within the application.

At reference speeds the system hit around 20GB/s bandwidth in Sandra and when we overclocked to 2000mhz we managed to hit 23.28 GB/s. A very satisfying result indeed, especially for dual channel.

When I was in charge of DriverHeaven I wrote a scripted benchmark which was not only used to help users ascertain system specific performance levels but was useful in reviews to accurately measure performance in key areas. Leading tech sites such as Madshrimps, Hardware Canucks, Benchmark Reviews and Hardocp used my benchmark in their reviews also.

This version of the script has been thoroughly tested on Adobe Photoshop CS5 and CS4 and is compatible with Photoshop 7. It is important to document however that different versions of Photoshop give different end results. Adobe have been fine tuning the program over the years and enhancing specific filters and algorithms for better performance (some filters were rewritten during the CS2 time period). This means ultimately that comparing times with users running other versions of Photoshop is not going to give consistent results.

Lower times are better

KitGuru PS Bench 1(4)	Reference 1066mhz results	Reference 1333mhz results	Kingston HyperX 8GB @ 1600mhz
1. Texturiser (1)	1.7	1.6	1.6
2. CMYK	1.6	1.5	1.5
3. RGB	1.4	1.4	1.4
4. Ink outlines	29.1	28.9	28.7
5. Dust & Stratches	3.3	3.2	3.1
6. Watercolor	25.9	25.8	25.6
7. Texturiser (2)	2.0	1.9	1.9
8. Stained Glass	23.9	23.6	23.5
9. Mosiac Tiles	14.1	13.9	13.8
10. Extrude	157.8	157.4	157.2
11. Rough Pastels	12.8	12.7	12.4
12. Smart Blur	98.4	98.3	98.2
13. Underpainting	36.6	36.4	36.1
14. Mosiac Tiles	15.0	14.9	14.7
15. Spherize	3.6	3.5	3.4
16. Palette Knife	23.1	23.0	22.9
17. Sponge	43.1	42.9	42.8
18. Smudge Stick	13.9	13.7	13.5
Total:	507.3	504.6	502.3

While Adobe have yet to properly implement multicore support for their filtering algorithms it is clear that memory bandwidth aids with performance and we record minor increases with some of our test results throughout the benchmark. This ends up showing a 5 second differential between DDR1066 and the Kingston Hyper X 8GB kit @ 1600mhz. This could translate into a few hours saved each week, if heavy Photoshop filtering use is high on your priority.

EVEREST Ultimate Edition is an industry leading system diagnostics and benchmarking solution for enthusiasts PC users, based on the award-winning EVEREST Technology. During system optimizations and tweaking it provides essential system and overclock information, advanced hardware monitoring and diagnostics capabilities to check the effects of the applied settings. CPU, FPU and memory benchmarks are available to measure the actual system performance and compare it to previous states or other systems. Furthermore, complete software, operating system and security information makes EVEREST Ultimate Edition a comprehensive system diagnostics tool that offers a total of 100 pages of information about your PC.

Our results are very positive indeed and when we overclock the memory to 2000mhz we can see noticeable gains throughout the Everest performance suite.

Winrar is a useful ‘real world' test to analyse system performance, including memory bandwidth. We create a custom folder with files of multiple sizes inside and then measure performance in kilobytes per second.

Increasing the memory overclock gives impressive results with this particular test, with more system bandwidth, the results are noticeably improved.

Super PI is used by overclockers across the globe and we felt for this particular memory review that it was an interesting addition to the overall suite. We used the XS mod version.

The increased speed on the memory helps to improve the time by just under 1 second. While this sounds minor, in reality it is a healthy boost just by overclocking ram in this particular system.

This 2 piece Kingston Hyper X 8GB kit is a great purchase, especially if you want to leave another two slots on your motherboard free for a potential future upgrade.

As our testing shows, even though they are rated CL9, they operated at the same CL8 timings as their 2GB siblings and they did so with perfect behaviour throughout the last week of KG's intense stress testing. Considering the density of the individual sticks I was pleasantly surprised to get 2000mhz out of them with only a little extra voltage. There is a possibility they could be pushed even further, but under Intel's strict guidelines I didn't want to cause long term damage. If I owned the memory myself, I probably would have risked it!

Testing a 8GB for performance is an important facet of a review, however it really is important to mention that if you are the kind of person to have many applications open simultaneously while wanting no performance loss at all, then an upgrade from 4GB to 8GB is well worth it. These 4GB sticks offer the same capacity as two full 4GB kits (2x2gb) while ensuring more potential upgrade growth down the line.

With such high density comes a price, and at time of press this 8GB kit sells for around £410 inc vat in the UK which will put them out of reach for many people.

They look beautiful, work perfectly with oversized CPU coolers, overclock like hell and offer maximum futureproofing. The cherry on the cake? Kingston's lifetime warranty.

KitGuru says: Need memory? want it fast? get a set of these, or two if your name is William Gates.

Discuss over here in our forums or just leave a quick comment below.

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