These new GeIL memory modules don't look any different from others we've aleady tested. The metal shielding around the DIMM, called a heat spreader, is supposed to conduct heat away from the memory chips, but also has the side-effect of making them look less "techie" and giving them a more elegant appearance. But this increases the heft of each memory module as well. One unfortunate result of their glossy finish is an increased ability to show fingerprints after handling.

GeIL mounts temperature sensors on one side of each module, that kick in as various temperatures are reached: 40, 50, 55, and 60° C (corresponds to 104, 122, 131, and 140° F). Any time these sensors report temperatures at the high end of this range (50° C and higher) we assess the potential for chip failure as high.

At Computex, GeIL informed us that elevated voltage levels are indeed necessary for these modules to perform properly at higher speeds. When we used them with CL2.5-3-2-5 timings, we needed no more than 2.7V to achieve stable operation, but at CL2.0-2-2-5 we needed 2.9V - and even then, PCMark05 crashed repeatedly. With timings set to CL1.5-2-2-5 we not only needed 3.0V but also employed a fan designed specifically to cool memory modules.

We observed little difference between measurable performance for CL1.5 and CL2.0 timings. Minimal performance improvements may be possible, but proved nearly impossible to detect or measure.