Kingston KHX3200AK2/2G
Kingston is the world's largest manufacturer of computer memory, with manufacturing plants around the world. If it's memory, Kingston has it in their catalog. That even includes high-end, enthusiast memory that Kingston markets under the HyperX name.
Specifications
Kingston rates their 2GB kit conservatively at 2.5-3-3 at DDR400, at standard voltage.
When we first saw these published specifications, we suspected that Kingston might be using a new memory chip for this 2GB kit. However, you will see in the test results that the actual performance is a mirror of how we have come to expect Infineon B die to perform.
Test Results
To be considered stable for test purposes, Quake3 benchmark, UT2003 Demo, Super PI, Aquamark 3, and Comanche 4 had to complete without incident. Any of these, and in particular Super PI, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.
While rated at 2.5-3-3, our Kingston 2GB HyperX performed at DDR400 at 2-3-2 timings - much better than rated. Performance was good all the way to DDR480, but we could not achieve stable performance at any setting above DDR480. This was the poorest overclock among the nine 2GB kits tested in this roundup.
In the range from DDR400 to DDR480, the Kingston HyperX 2GB kit is competitive with any of the other memories. If that range is all that is required, the HyperX will do an excellent job. If you want greater overclocking abilities, however, you need to look at one of the other eight memories tested in this roundup. Kingston HyperX is often an excellent value in the memory market. It is also worthwhile to compare pricing of the Kingston 2GB kit to competitors' pricing.
Kingston is the world's largest manufacturer of computer memory, with manufacturing plants around the world. If it's memory, Kingston has it in their catalog. That even includes high-end, enthusiast memory that Kingston markets under the HyperX name.
Specifications
Kingston rates their 2GB kit conservatively at 2.5-3-3 at DDR400, at standard voltage.
| Kingston KHX3200AK2/2G Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
1GB 2GB |
| Rated Timings | 2.5-3-3-7 at DDR400 |
| Rated Voltage | Standard (2.6V) Voltage |
| SPD | 3-3-3-8 |
When we first saw these published specifications, we suspected that Kingston might be using a new memory chip for this 2GB kit. However, you will see in the test results that the actual performance is a mirror of how we have come to expect Infineon B die to perform.
Test Results
| Kingston KHX3200AK2/2G (DDR400) - 2x1GB Double-Bank | |||||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed |
Memory Timings & Voltage |
Quake3 fps |
Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered |
Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
Wolfenstein - Radar - Enemy Territory fps |
| 12x200 | 400DDR | 2-3-2-7 2.6V |
539.2 | INT 2511 FLT 2648 |
INT 6040 FLT 6008 |
82 | 117.6 |
| 11x218 | 436DDR | 2.5-3-2-7 2.6V |
541.9 | INT 2648 FLT 2811 |
INT 6435 FLT 6382 |
82 | 118.0 |
| 10x240 | 480DDR | 3-3-3-7 2.8V |
550.1 | INT 2830 FLT 2908 |
INT 6675 FLT 6602 |
81 | 119.1 |
| 11x240 (2.64GHz) |
Highest Mem Speed DDR 480 |
3-3-3-7 2.8V |
561.7 | INT 2846 FLT 3001 |
INT 7079 FLT 6984 |
77 | 125.3 |
While rated at 2.5-3-3, our Kingston 2GB HyperX performed at DDR400 at 2-3-2 timings - much better than rated. Performance was good all the way to DDR480, but we could not achieve stable performance at any setting above DDR480. This was the poorest overclock among the nine 2GB kits tested in this roundup.
In the range from DDR400 to DDR480, the Kingston HyperX 2GB kit is competitive with any of the other memories. If that range is all that is required, the HyperX will do an excellent job. If you want greater overclocking abilities, however, you need to look at one of the other eight memories tested in this roundup. Kingston HyperX is often an excellent value in the memory market. It is also worthwhile to compare pricing of the Kingston 2GB kit to competitors' pricing.
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JarredWalton - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
I don't anticipate DDR1 prices changing much, and once AM2 comes out I expect prices to start climbing as DDR1 productions halts. DDR1 prices seem to have hit bottom about 6 months ago, and they're already starting to rise - at least on the budget parts.Thor86 - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
Did I miss this in the review? If not, it would help if you told us what memory settings used in the DFI bios for these sticks reviewed.Wesley Fink - Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - link
I used the 7/06 BIOS, which is basically the Bigtoe BIOS. I have found this BIOS to be remarkably compatible with a wide range of memory. All memory settings were left at default except the 4 reported memory timings (CAS to TRAS) and memory voltage in testing all the memory. We did not do any special tweaking, which is another reason we reran tests with the 3 2GB kits tested earlier. You can definitely achieve better bandwidth and higher scores than we did by tweaking memory in the DFI BIOS.keldog7 - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
I was surprised to find your review stating the Corsair 3500LL could only reach 492 MHz...especially when out of the box, I clocked mine to 500 MHz. This required no special tweaking of the other timings, other than what's listed below. Any careful research on this memory, using the many online reviews of it, show that the RAM runs fine (at slightly relaxed timings), well into 500Mhz territory, and beyond.In my case, I've got it on an A8N32SLI, at 2.7V, running 2.5-3-2-7 1T with a 1:1 divider at 250Mhz. In my case, this has been verfied to be Memtest86+ stable for at least 12 hours (last run was 90 hours...then I had to stop it to actually get some work done!)
I wonder if the motherboard used in your review has biased your overclocking results?
Wesley Fink - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
According to my review notes, the Corsair 3500LL Pro cloked to almost 260 (DDR520) on Super Pi and Sandra memory tests, but the highest we could do with stability on 3D tests was 246 (DDR492). There is always varaition in memory results.Since you criticize my results as being too low for your memory and another reader criticized my results as being too high for his memory, it is likely my results are typical of the range of results readers might achieve. Some will do better than my results and some will do worse. Overclocking results do vary among memory samples.
wildstaroct - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
Unless Anandtech got really good batches of Infineon ICs, I don't buy the analysis. There have been numerous reports of 3D instability issues...I've experienced them myself with the Redlines. They are primex2 and memtest stable at fairly high speeds (270) but only 3D stable near spec (250ish).entrecote - Friday, January 27, 2006 - link
Neither do i buy it.I invested in a pair of the mentioned 2GB Mushkin Redline PC4000 memory. I´ve stubbornly been trying to tweak them on my DFI Lanparty + X2 Toledo processor for two months. This Redline kit of mine refuses to surpass 252MHz / DDR504. One module does 256MHz / DDR512, the other one does 252MHz / DDR504 regardless of timings. Trust me, I´ve tried all combinations of different drive strenghts, Trefs and so on. My case is not isolated, I have the same symptoms as the perhaps majority of 2x1GB Redline owners, "3D instability".
My thoughts on the matter is that Mushkin was aware of this bad batch of theirs, possibly due to quality fluctuations of infineon modules. Then they quickly began to separate a few review samples for marketing puposes. I went through the same dissapointment one year ago when buying PC3200 Ballistixs after quickly reading through among other reviews anadtechs infamous "Ballistix cherry pick" DDR roundup.
I put great trust in anandtech, please do me a favor in the future to only review retail samples of memory. Some of these mentioned brands purposefully send special samples to rewievers.
Wesley Fink - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
We reported what we found, and 3D tests are part of our benchmarking. The OCZ for example was Super Pi and memtest stable to 290, but 3D dropped the stability to 275 (DDR550) which we reported. The Redline went well over 300 on memtest and Super Pi, but 293 (DDR586) was our highest 3D stable.What memory controller revision are you using with the Infineons? Our tests are with a Rev. E, and we have seen lower performance on the older clawhammer memory controllers with the 1GB dimms.
wildstaroct - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
I have a rev E6 Opteron 170. Perhaps I just got an unlucky set of sticks, but the forums are loaded w/ people with similar issues, particularly around 3D.Duonger - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
the mushkin parts have been back in stock for over a week now and is available (if not sold out already) on Newegg and on Mushkin`s Site.Wes- the ocz parts u compared. those are 2x512mb kits. why did u include it on this 2gig round up?