The Best Memory for Sandy Bridge

Test Seup

• Intel Core i7-2600K - 4(8) - Hyperthreading Enabled, TurboBoost and C1E Disabled.
  
• Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4 - (Intel P67 F5r BIOS)
  
• 4GB G.Skill Perfect Storm 2,200MHz CL8
  
• MSI GeForce GTX 480 Lightning Graphics Card
  
• GeForce Driver Version 260.66
  
• Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB
  
• 650W Seasonic X-series PSU
  
• Microsoft 7 Home Premium x64

Memory Speeds Tested

Intel Sandy Bridge

• (3,000MHz CPU) 100MHz x 30: 1,333MHz
  • 9-9-9-24-1T
    
  • 8-8-8-20-1T
    
  • 7-7-7-17-1T

• (3,000MHz CPU) 100MHz x 30: 1,600MHz
  • 9-9-9-24-1T
    
  • 8-8-8-20-1T
    
  • 7-7-7-17-1T

• (3,000MHz CPU) 100MHz x 30: 1,866MHz
  • 9-9-9-24-1T
    
  • 8-8-8-20-1T
    
  • 7-7-7-17-1T

• (3,000MHz CPU) 100MHz x 30: 2,133MHz
  • 9-9-9-24-1T
    
  • 8-8-8-20-1T

It's worth noting, especially if you use older DDR3 memory, that you need to keep the VCCIO/VCCSA and memory voltage within 0.5V of each other. This follows on from the same rule set by Nehalem and Lynnfield, but given that the whole Sandy Bridge die is now 32nm and operates at a lower ~1.15V voltage, mixing this with older 1.65V+ DIMMs puts it on the fringes of acceptable long-term reliability.