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  • GSkill Pi Black Triple Channel PC3 12800 6GB Memory Review
  • GSkill Pi Black Triple Channel PC3 12800 6GB Memory Review

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    Introduction

    Today in the Ninjalane Labs we will be looking at the G.SKILL PI Black DDR3 PC 12800 CL8 6GB Memory Kit.  This is a triple channel kit designed specifically for the Intel Nehalem line-up to showcase the new integrated memory controller.. In order to comply with Intel specifications these modules are rated for a max of 1.65v (as more voltage could damage the i7 memory controller) and come in a triple matched set like the dual channel kits before.

    The Ram comes in a simple Clamshell packaging, clearly showing the 3 memory modules and nicely finished heatspreaders. These modules are constructed on six layer PCB's and are rated for timings of 8-8-8-21 @ 1.6 - 1.65volts.  The CAS8 rating is extremely good for DDR3 where the majority of modules at this speed are rated at 9 or higher.
    For this review we will run a variety of memory and CPU based benches and see how these modules perform and in proper Ninjalane form we will also look at the overclocking potential.  The modules are rated up to 1600Mhz which is well beyond the stock frequency and pushing them even further is just icing on the cake.

    Ram is one of the few consumer items that comes from the factory with different performance levels already programmed in.  These profiles are stored on the SPD chip which stands for Serial Presence detect.  The SPD helps to ensure that the standards set forth by JEDEC are enforced and will be compatible on a variety for products.  In addition to the SPD profiles some memory mfgs include E.P.P. or Enhanced Performance Profiles for even greater performance.

    The CAS8 rating on these modules is defined by internal testing at G.Skill and is sometimes not completely accurate; in fact we feel that CAS8 is rather conservative.
    Memory Module Specification
    Main Board: intel
    System: Desktop
    System Type: DDR3
    M/B Chipset: Intel X58
    CAS Latency: 8-8-8-21  
    Capacity: 3GB(1GBx3), 6GB(2GBx3)  
    Speed: DDR3-1600 (PC3 12800)  
    Test Voltage: 1.6v-1.65v  
    PCB: 6 Layers  
    Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered  
    Error Checking: Non-ECC  
    Type: 240-pin DIMM  
    Warranty: Lifetime 

    For a complete list of current specs please consult the G.Skill website.