T-Force Xtreem 16GB DDR4-3600 Dual-Channel Kit Review

Team Group’s T-Force Xtreem DDR4-3600 comes with solid CAS 18 timings, but do these factory-overclocked modules provide the performance and value needed to win our approval?

Early Verdict

TeamGroup’s T-Force Xtreem TXGD416G3600HC18ADC01 16GB DDR4-3600 Dual-Channel memory kit has the looks and the high data rate to win certain buyers who aren’t interested in additional overclocking.

Pros

  • +

    Good Timings

  • +

    High XMP Data Rate

Cons

  • -

    Can’t be easily overclocked beyond XMP settings

  • -

    Expensive

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Introducing T-Force Xtreem DDR4-3600

The T-Force gaming brand brings the latest in heat spreader design from Team Group, and its Xtreem range crosses over from the company's overclocking group. Thus, the T-Force Xtreem TXGD416G3600HC18ADC01 should give us the best of both, with its sharp-looking heat spreaders covering DDR4-3600 modules rated at a respectable CAS 18.

The biggest advantage of the T-Force Xtreem heat spreaders appears to be that it holds a TeamGroup logo on top, though the sinks are solidly made of extruded aluminum.

Remembering that cycle time is the inverse of frequency, CAS 18 at 3600 MHz data rate has the same quickness and twice the bandwidth of a CAS 9 module at an 1800 MHz data rate. The T-Force DDR4-3600 timings unfortunately aren’t “straight” CAS 18, as tRC and tRTP are both rated at 20 cycles. The enhanced data rate also requires additional voltage, and the 1.35V setting is designed into the memory’s XMP profile.

Prior to setting XMP mode on the motherboard, T-Force DDR4-3600 boots at standard DDR4-2133 CAS 15 settings. Users whose motherboard lacks XMP are welcome to try manual configuration to reach the module’s rated settings, but most boards that lack XMP also lack manual memory settings. In other words, you’ll need an enthusiast-market motherboard (and processor) to take advantage of this stuff. In our performance charts, we’ll compare it to our most recent test sample, as well as our most closely-matched test sample.

DDR4 Rated Specification Comparison

Since T-Force Xtreem TXGD416G3600HC18ADC01 is the first DDR4-3600 kit in this lab to use 8GB DIMMs, we’re going to shoot for our own 2x 8GB overclocking record. Patriot’s DDR4-3400 2x 8GB kit has already gotten us to a 100% stable 3808 MHz data rate, so this could be an interesting race!

MORE: Best Memory

MORE: DDR DRAM FAQs And Troubleshooting Guide

MORE: All Memory Content

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
  • Metteec
    Thanks for the review. The benchmarks tell quite a story. For the extra money and faster DRAM speed, you get a one extra FPS in speed for gaming. At least they look cool!
    Reply
  • Malik 722
    is it also better than corsair vengeance platinum.
    Reply
  • xvegan
    You guys at Toms are bleeding away your core audience with this excessive 'game' stuff.

    Please realize you are becoming irrelevant to the average techno felon.

    Stop with the game crap long enough to take a look around.
    Reply
  • Crashman
    19030522 said:
    You guys at Toms are bleeding away your core audience with this excessive 'game' stuff.

    Please realize you are becoming irrelevant to the average techno felon.

    Stop with the game crap long enough to take a look around.
    We review the stuff we're sent, same as always. We still try to overclock the crap out of it. I personally try to remain neutral to stuff that doesn't exceed expectations, but you'll notice the glee when stuff actually does.

    If you want to change what we get, you'll have to pressure the industry.
    Reply
  • logainofhades
    19030522 said:
    You guys at Toms are bleeding away your core audience with this excessive 'game' stuff.

    Please realize you are becoming irrelevant to the average techno felon.

    Stop with the game crap long enough to take a look around.

    The vast majority of build requests, in the forums, are for gaming rigs, so I would have to disagree.
    Reply
  • Metteec
    I have used TH for over five years. I am primarily a gamer with a curiousity for how things work. TH has focused on gamers and hardware related to gamers for as long as I can remember. If TH stopped the focus on games and benchmarks, I would probably regular another website like Anandtech. So TH, keep up the good work.
    Reply
  • Crashman
    19032944 said:
    I have used TH for over five years. I am primarily a gamer with a curiousity for how things work. TH has focused on gamers and hardware related to gamers for as long as I can remember. If TH stopped the focus on games and benchmarks, I would probably regular another website like Anandtech. So TH, keep up the good work.
    I think his is a marketing complaint. You know, overclock something to its limit, set that as an XMP profile, slap the name "Gaming" or some variation of "Extreme" on the label, sell it to people who can't be bothered to do their own overclocking. Well, we covered the slower stuff, and overclocked that as well, so readers are just seeing a wider array of marketing tactics. And we really can't blame companies for wanting to send MORE of their enhanced-marketing labels.
    Reply