High-end RAM prices have fallen far faster than they have in the mainstream market, enticing mid-budget builders. As 4GB mainstream kits hover around $100, Tom’s Hardware asks the question “How much more can we get for a few dollars more?”
It might be a stretch to file high-speed DDR3 under the “mainstream” label, but recent pricing drops certainly make these parts attractive to mid-budget enthusiasts. That’s because, while true mainstream parts have remained relatively expensive since last summer, the difference in price between “ordinary” and “enthusiast” products has narrowed. Buyers one year ago could expect to pay twice as much to get a 50% higher data rate. Today, the price difference has now fallen to around 50%.

While our own tests have shown that super-high data rates really aren’t helpful for adding program performance to modern desktop platforms, higher speeds are useful for retaining whatever an overclocker believes is an optimal DRAM multiplier, while pushing the CPU frequency skyward. Many of today’s competitors can even be viewed as “overclocking-only” parts, since settings beyond DDR3-1600 are achievable only by overclocking other parts of your system.
| Sub-$150 Performance Memory Statistics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Timings | Voltage | Price | |
| Crucial CT2KIT25664BA1339 | DDR3-1333 | 9-9-9-24 | 1.50V | $111 |
| G.Skill Trident series F3-16000CL9D-4GBTD | DDR3-2000 | 9-9-9-27 | 1.60V | $150 |
| Kingston HyperX T1 Series KHX1600C8D3T1K2/4GX | DDR3-1600 | 8-8-8-24 | 1.65V | $143 |
| Patriot Viper II Sector 5 PVV34G1600LLKB | DDR3-1600 | 8-8-8-24 | 1.65V | $130 |
| PNY XLR8 Gaming series MD4096KD3-1600-X8 | DDR3-1600 | 8-8-8-24 | 1.65V | $120 |
| PQI Immortality Edition MFAFR521PA7001 | DDR3-2000 | 9-9-9-24 | 1.65V | |
| Super Talent Chrome Series WP200UX4G8 | DDR3-2000 | 9-9-9-24 | 1.65V | $149 |
| Team Group Xtreme Dark TXD34096M1600HC8DC-D | DDR3-1600 | 8-8-8-24 | 1.65V | |
We invited fifteen of the world’s premier memory brands to take part in today’s comparison, requesting the absolute best 4GB dual-channel kit each firm could offer for a Web price under $150. Kingston surprised us with DDR3-1600, when its cheapest DDR3-2000 costs only $6 more.
LOL
Add another $50 and buy two cheaper ddr3-1600c9 sets instead. More beats faster.
I think is better to stick with the 1600mhz
Besides, corsair is usually middle of pack, and ocz has compatibility issues on every second motherboard or something. Not the biggest of losses.
LOL
I think that if someone is building a new PC, it is now better to invest in 8gb in a 2x4gb kit than it is to invest in 2x2gb. You will eventually upgrade to 8gb anyway (next year or in 2 years), so why don't you just buy the 8gb in 2 sticks for only a slight % increase of Cost/GB
(Darn, 300$ down the tube)
if you have ddr2 what would you upgrade to? unless you have one of those mid 2007 p35 motherboards with both ddr2 and 3, you're probably going to upgrade your platform to support new memory. And honestly that's a waste. It's much more important to have enough memory than it is to have memory speed.
My server system's using 6gb ddr2-667 memory. It needs more amount rather than more speed.
My parents have 12GB ddr3-1600c9 which I've underclocked to 1066 speeds for the sake of stability, and I haven't heard them complain.
And personally I can't notice any real difference between 1333 and 1600 speeds on my low latency modules
We know that G.Skill is a very good manufacturer, but like I say in this review isn't the Baliistix, Ballistix Tracer, Corsair and OCZ.
Really? When you could get 6GB kits for less than today's 4GB kit prices?
I bought 6 kits of 2x2GB DDR3-1333 CT2KIT25664BA1339's last year for $65 each. They're now $105 each. A better article would be why the prices are so high.
Newegg