Warranty

Both Corsair and Super Talent offer lifetime warranties which are obviously as good as they get. However, if you're running all day every day at 2.0+V, then the life expectancy of the modules is going to drop dramatically, so be wary.

If, say, a year or two from now one stick dies then it's very likely a newer version of your memory will be out by then, possibly meaning that you won't get a matched pair again because the memory chip has changed. This could be done for economic reasons within the company or simply because Micron doesn't make those particular D9s anymore.

All of this could mean you've got unbalanced sticks that don't overclock like they used to. So, as fantastic as a lifetime warranty is and we don't want to lose it, bear in mind what it entails in a two (or even four) stick system.

Temperatures

The Corsair DHX technology works spades better than the standard Super Talent heatspreaders - even without the fan, the DHX heatsinks are 3ºC cooler than the Super Talent is with a fan. You can buy the Triflow fan separately and both are still cheaper than the Corsair are, but they aren't designed to be used together.

Value

Firstly, Play.com isn't known as being the cheapest place in the UK for computer parts, however no one else in the UK stocks these DIMMs, not even our usual stop for Corsair stuff - Scan. This means that comparatively the Corsairs are £130 more expensive for what is effectively exactly the same core memory. The only difference is the heatsinks stuck to the side and the extra triflow fan included - and I can't say these are worth that kind of money.

Obviously though, keep checking around and if you're desperate for some 1,800MHz Dominators then get on the phone to your favourite e-tailer and see if they can help you out for less money.

The "Scan Branded" £360 DDR3 1,866MHz memory is actually the same Super Talent we reviewed here - you will get what you've read in this review, however due to limitations of contract with another memory company Scan has to, uh, "alter" the image to unbrand them. What is interesting though is that Scan brands them as 7-7-7-18 at 1,866MHz, but I'm pretty certain this is a typo.

Across the pond there's a price difference, though a less significant $40 - but it's still a difference that you could spend elsewhere.

£360 is still cheaper than Corsair's 1,600MHz DHX memory by some £20. The memory chips will still be D9s on both of them, but Corsair will likely save the most capable ones for its 1,800MHz modules. Even the OCZ Platinum 1,800MHz modules are £411 and only rated for 8-8-8-24 at this speed.

No one in the UK sells the Project X DDR3 yet , but it could be a serious contender to the Dominators if the price is better because the looks are virtually identical.

So, the Super Talent memory is the cheapest Micron D9 based DDR3 out there and by some margin; in that respect it's certainly good value. However, do remember that DDR2 is still insanely cheap to the point where you'd be crazy to avoid it - For example, 1,200MHz Kingston DDR2 is just £96 now, so 4GB super-super fast DDR2 could be yours for less than £200.

Conclusions

Both use the same Micron D9GTR chips and there is very little between them in terms of performance. Corsair looks better and you get a free fan but there's a large UK price premium on these modules right now.

Both the 1,600MHz and 1,800MHz modules use the Micron D9s, so why not just buy the 1,600s and overclock them to 1,800? Well internal testing done at the respective companies highlights what ICs are better, so the best end up on the more premium 1,800MHz modules. However there is a voltage difference between the Corsair ones - 1.8V versus 2.0V, so who's to say that at least some 1,600MHz modules at 2.0V wouldn't do 1,800MHz speeds?

Final Thoughts

As much as I'd want the Dominators for the look (and bragging rights), the price difference is just too great and the Super Talent memory is very good value for what it is. We'd just have to swallow our pride at wanting to show them off, but the extra £150 in our pocket should help ease that.

If you have to buy DDR3 and don't care about the cost then the Corsair Dominator TWIN3X2048-1800C7DF G is the way to go, otherwise the Super Talent W1866UX2G8 performs the same for less. Neither will sell very many in my estimation mind you, as DDR2 prices should remain through the floor until sometime next year.

Corsair Dominator TWIN3X2048-1800C7DF G

• Performance
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• 10/10

• Features
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• 8/10

• Value
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• -
• -
• -
• 4/10

• Overall
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• 7/10

Super Talent W1866UX2G8

• Performance
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• 10/10

• Features
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• -
• 6/10

• Value
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• -
• 6/10

• Overall
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• 7/10

What do these scores mean?