GSKill TridentX 2666Mhz CL11 Dual Channel Memory Review

High performance memory can be found in a variety of different formats and depending on the platform one type can be faster than the other.  For instance you can often offset the speed of low latency memory modules by increasing the frequency provided the memory controller and motherboard can handle the overclock.

In this review we will be looking at a very special DDR3 memory kit from GSKill called the TridentX.  These modules come in a variety of speeds ranging from 1600Mhz up to a blistering 2800Mhz with a price premium to accompany the binning effort.  The modules featured in this review are rated at 2666Mhz (PC3 21300) with a latency of CAS 11 at an operating voltage of 1.65v.  Timings and voltage are configurable by enabling one of the two XMP profiles or will follow JEDEC standards in the default configuration.

The GSKill TridentX is a third generation memory module designed for the Z77 and Ivy Bridge processors and follows on the success of the popular RipjawsX and RipjawsZ designed for Sandy Bridge.

The Sandy and Ivy Bridge architecture puts a huge emphasis on memory performance and favors speed over latency.  This is evident in the memory multiplier that is responsible for the high memory frequency and is also something you need to pay special attention when overclocking.  There are a number of memory multipliers available with Ivy Bridge that range from the default 16x up to 36x on some systems.  These are multiplied by the Base clock (BCLK) and together determine the overall memory frequency and how well your memory modules will run.

By default our 3770K boots at 16 x 1 x 100 giving us a memory frequency of 1600Mhz.  If you are fortunate enough to buy higher speed memory, like the TridenX modules, you have two options to increase performance.

• Set the XMP Profile which will auto adjust for timing, frequency and voltage.
• Manually adjust the settings to match or tweak as you would like.  

The second option is often limited by the entire system including processor, motherboard and memory modules so using an XMP profile is generally the better choice.

As was mentioned before our TridentX modules are 2666Mhz parts and come with a fully supported XMP profile, that profile, when set, will adjust the system clock to a 26.66x along with setting the base timings and voltage.