Kingston vs OCZ DDR2-800MHz Memory

Kingston HyperX KHX6400D2LLK2/1G

Kit: 2 x 240-pin DDR2 Singled Sided DIMM
Module Size: 1GB Dual Channel Kit (2 x 512MB)
Rated Speed: DDR2-800
Rated Timings: 4-4-4-12
Rated Voltage: 2.0V
Price (as Reviewed): £81.29 (inc VAT)
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The Kingston HyperX KHX6400D2LLK2 1GB low latency kit are donned with Kingston's blue "HyperX" heat spreaders, which are held on with metal clips and frag tape. Rated at just 2.0V at CAS-4, this is pretty low voltage for relatively tight timings. Obtaining CAS-3 at ~2.2-2.3V should be pretty easy, although it all depends on the motherboard and how well the memory is kept cool.

The modules are single sided, so the second side has a thick piece of thermal tape between the bare PCB and heat spreader. This means the density of each of the 512MB and 1GB modules (1GB and 2GB kits with two sticks of memory per kit) are the same, since the 1GB modules are simply double sided.

Kingston HyperX KHX6400D2K2/2G

Kit: 2 x 240pin DDR2 Double Sided DIMM
Module Size: 2GB Dual Channel Kit (2 x 1GB)
Rated Speed: DDR2-800
Rated Timings: 5-5-5-15
Rated Voltage: 2.0V
Price (as reviewed): £150.49 (inc VAT)
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Rather unsurprisingly, the PC6400 2GB kit also feature the familiar HyperX heat spreaders. Kingston doesn’t offer the fancy hair do that you'll find on the OCZ FlexXLC or Corsair Dominator memory modules. Instead, the memory giant feels that its blue heat spreaders are more than enough to keep these modules cool.

This DDR2-800 2GB kit operates at 2.0V just like the 1GB kit - this is 0.2V over the standard DDR2 voltage of 1.8V. That shouldn't pose any problems in this day and age though, because virtually every motherboard we’ve seen to date supports at least a +0.3V (2.1V) memory voltage increment. The label also has little Pb in a circle struck out, which highlights the fact that Kingston modules conform to RoHS standards.