Tom's Hardware Verdict
While the Xpower Zenith DDR4-3200 C16 isn't the fastest memory kit on the market, it does offer an excellent plug-n-play experience for the latest generation of Intel and AMD processors.
Pros
- +
+ Decent XMP performance
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+ Low-profile design
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+ Competitive price tag
Cons
- -
No RGB (for some users)
- -
Low overclocking headroom
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Silicon Power has been around since 2003 and has a diverse portfolio of storage and memory products. The company may not be the first vendor that comes to mind when you speak of memory, but there's no denying that the brand has a ton of experience under its belt. Like any other hardware vendor, Silicon Power also created a separate gaming division that caters to gamers and enthusiasts. Xpower, as the sub-brand is called, recently added two new additions to its memory portfolio: the Zenith and Zenith RGB series.
The Xpower Zenith checks in with an iron-grey aluminum heat spreader. It's a simple and compact design, which many will value. The memory measures 38.5mm (1.52 inches) tall and the rectangular design sports a nice brushed finish. The Xpower logo is imprinted on both sides of the heat spreader as well as on the top.
This particular Xpower Zenith memory kit comes with two 8GB single-rank memory modules. Silicon Power produced the memory modules with an eight-layer PCB and Hynix integrated circuits (ICs). Thaiphoon Burner failed to pinpoint the exact model of the ICs (H5AN8G8N?FR-VKC), but these could be C-die, judging by the nature of the primary memory timings.
The memory modules boot up at DDR4-2666 with 19-19-19-43 timings. The kit runs at DDR4-3200 when XMP is active, and the timings drop to 16-18-18-38 with a DRAM voltage of 1.35V. For more on timings and frequency considerations, see our PC Memory 101 feature, as well as our How to Shop for RAM story.
Comparison Hardware
| Memory Kit | Part Number | Capacity | Data Rate | Primary Timings | Voltage | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Group T-Force Xtreem ARGB | TF10D416G3600HC14CDC01 | 2 x 8GB | DDR4-3600 (XMP) | 14-15-15-35 (2T) | 1.45 Volts | Lifetime |
| Silicon Power Xpower Zenith | SP016GXLZU320BDC | 2 x 8GB | DDR4-3200 (XMP) | 16-18-18-38 (2T) | 1.35 Volts | Lifetime |
| PNY XLR8 Gaming Epic-X RGB | MD16GK2D4320016XRGB | 2 x 8GB | DDR4-3200 (XMP) | 16-18-18-38 (2T) | 1.35 Volts | Lifetime |
| Lexar DDR4-2666 | LD4AU008G-R2666U x 2 | 2 x 8GB | DDR4-2666 | 19-19-19-43 (2T) | 1.20 Volts | Lifetime |
The Intel system is comprised of the Intel Core i9-10900K and Asus ROG Maximus XII Apex (0901 firmware), while the AMD system utilizes the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero (3501 firmware). The MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Trio takes care of the graphics-intensive RAM benchmarks, including all the gaming tests.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Intel System | AMD System |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i9-10900K | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X |
| Motherboard | Asus ROG Maximus XII Apex | Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero |
| Graphics Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming X Trio | MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming X Trio |
| Storage | Crucial MX500 500GB, 2TB | Crucial MX500 500GB, 2TB |
| Cooling | Corsair Hydro H115i Pro | Corsair Hydro H115i Pro |
| Power Supply | Corsair RM650x 650W | Corsair RM650x 650W |
| Case | Streacom BC1 | Streacom BC1 |
Intel Performance
The Xpower Zenith memory kit performed very well in the Microsoft Office benchmark. An 8.1% margin separated it from the slowest memory kit in our tests. The Xpower Zenith was also the fastest memory kit in LuxMark, although the margin was negligible.
AMD Performance
The Xpower Zenith memory kit didn't stand out in any particular workload on the AMD platform as it ranked third place in both the application and gaming cumulative charts.
Overclocking and Latency Tuning
The Xpower Zenith showed similar overclocking potential as the other DDR4-3200 memory kit in our tests. The memory kit reached DDR4-3600 without problems. We got there by loosening the timings to 17-18-18-38 and increasing the DRAM voltage to 1.45V.
Lowest Stable Timings
| Memory Kit | DDR4-2666 (1.45V) | DDR4-3200 (1.45V) | DDR4-3600 (1.45V) | DDR4-3600 (1.46V) | DDR4-3900 (1.45V) | DDR4-4200 (1.45V) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TeamGroup T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600 C14 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 13-14-14-35 (2T) | N/A | 19-19-19-39 (2T) |
| Lexar DDR4-2666 C19 | 16-21-21-41 (2T) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 17-22-22-42 (2T) | N/A |
| Silicon Power Xpower Zenith DDR4-3200 C16 | N/A | 14-16-16-36 (2T) | 17-18-18-38 (2T) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PNY XLR8 Gaming Epic-X RGB DDR4-3200 C16 | N/A | 15-18-18-38 (2T) | 20-20-20-40 (2T) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Our optimization efforts produced very good results on the Xpower Zenith. By upping the DRAM voltage to 1.45V, we had headroom to lower the timings from the 16-18-18-38 down to 14-16-16-36. It didn't hit Samsung B-die standards, but it was close enough.
Bottom Line
It's important to establish just what kind of memory the Xpower Zenith DDR4-3200 C16 is. It doesn't take a genius to realize that Xpower isn't looking to compete with the high-end memory kits, like the T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600 C14. Instead, Silicon Power's memory kit targets a specific segment of consumers who value the plug-n-play experience. Both Intel and AMD's latest processors natively support DDR4-3200, meaning consumers can install the kit, enable XMP, and then forget about it.
The Xpower Zenith DDR4-3200 C16 currently retails for $54.97, falling in line with the other DDR4-3200 memory kits on the market. But, of course, you will have to live without RGB lighting. If you can't, the XLR8 Gaming Epic-X RGB DDR4-3200 C16 has RGB and offers a similar level of performance but comes with a steeper price tag due to the RGB tax.
