Intel Lynnfield Memory Performance Analysis

Conclusions

For the Lynnfield platform, buying high performance memory offers questionable appeal. From the results we can conclude that only multi-tasking and file compression show the only notable performance advantage for high performance memory, and then only with latency reduction not frequency increments.

However, for the cost of the seven to 10 per cent performance increment, dropping the latency at 1,600MHz from CL9 to CL7 or 6 (if your CPU/BIOS can handle it) using performance memory can cost between one and a half and two times as much as vanilla CL9 stuff. CL8 is not worth it over CL9 in any case - don't be tempted to spend more.

For that money, it's extremely difficult to recommend spending it considering additional performance can be had, for less, elsewhere in the system (an SSD for example). Our advice for gamers is to buy 1,600MHz CL9 memory, save your money and plow it into increasing the CPU frequency or, better yet, getting a faster graphics card.


While we didn't take thermal results, at 1.65V fancy heatsinks are mostly there for aesthetic reasons and not really necessary for cooling: we didn't apply extra cooling throughout the entire test, even if the kits like the Corsair Dominator Blue or G.Skill Perfect Storm came with additional fan attachments.

Extra frequency is almost entirely gained by binning the ICs in the first place and since they are rated to run up to 85ºC, there's only about 50 to 100MHz extra gain from extreme cooling like Corsair's waterblock/chiller for its Dominator 'sinks when additional voltage is applied.

Finally, if you do value aesthetics in your purchase, we want you to tell us which you like the best. Follow this link to a poll in our forum and vote on which heatsink/heatspreader you feel looks the best from not just our featured memory pages, but also across the internet, then drop us a note to tell us why!