Packaging:
The packaging for the 4GB PC2-5400 Vista Upgrade Edition DDR2 kit is just like any other memory product from
OCZ Technology. At one point I actually got another kit (2GB of System Elite DDR2 to be used in this review) confused with the Vista Upgrade kit since the packaging and modules were nearly identical.
You have a good look at the product from the front of the packaging, and around back you have some basic company information and accolades received from various tech sites over the years. There is no mention of anything product specific, so it is a good thing you can see the memory's label through the packaging.
The Basics:
Each module of the PC2-5400 Vista Upgrade Edition DDR2 kit sports a copper colored version of the widely used OCZ XTC heatspreader. One side is left unmarked, while the other features a sticker that contains some product information, as well as a warning that the warranty is voided if the sticker (and/or heatspreader) is removed.
The above right image provides an end view of one module intended to show how the heatspeader is attached. While most memory modules with a heatspreader seem to have a problem with chips at either end making good contact, the situation was different here. If you look closely, you may notice the center of the heatspreader is bowed up and away from the module. What we have here is that the two most central memory chips were not making contact with the mesh portion of metal, and then the mesh portion wasn't even making contact with the solid piece of metal which trims off the edges.
It was only on one module, and squeezing it back together did help (for the few days I have been watching it), so it is not the end of the world. But, whether you believe heatspeaders are needed or not, it is obviously just for show if it isn't touching the chips at all.
Other evaluations have shown that similar DDR2 with the XTC heatspreader actually runs warmer than with no heatspreader, so maybe a bit of a gap is a good thing.
