G.Skill is a Taiwanese manufacturer of enthusiast grade memory modules that we haven't heard much from lately. They have been around since 1989, and they have always been on the cutting edge of the latest memory technology, but it has been about three years since we have conducted a review of one of their products here at Bigbruin.com.

The 4GB DDR3-1600 Pi Series dual channel memory kit provided for review gets us right back up to speed with what G.Skill has to offer. These modules offer timings of 7-7-7-18 at 1600MHz, as well as other features sure to grab the attention of enthusiasts running DDR3 compatible systems.


The promotional image above provides a quick look at the modules provided for review. In addition to tight timings at elevated speeds, we see that the appearance also caters to the enthusiast crowd with an interesting heatspreader design. Before taking a closer look at the memory and how it can perform, let's take a look at some published data regarding it.

Features and Specifications:

The G.Skill website wasn't particularly easy to navigate when I started this review, but has recently been revised and finding all of their products is much easier. The list of features and specifications shown below was developed using information on the box and from the product listing at Newegg.com, since this page did not exist at the time.

» Part Number: F3-12800CL7D-4GBPI
» Capacity: 4GB - 2x 2048MB Memory Modules
» Speed Grade: PC3-12800, 1600MHz DDR3
» Timings: 7-7-7-18
» Voltage: 1.9 V
» Type: 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
» Warranty: Limited lifetime on parts and labor

In addition to being the first 4GB DDR3 kit to be reviewed at Bigbruin.com, I found a couple other items listed above to be of interest. The first is that the timings are pretty tight (for DDR3), and I am hopeful that this will be reflected in the performance. The other is that 1.9V is the highest I have seen, and while most other kits have topped out at 1.8V, the trend seemed to be that DDR3 was getting more energy efficient and running down around 1.5V or 1.6V.

Packaging:

The images below show the front and back of the packaging that the G.Skill memory modules arrived in. It is a bit more elaborate than what other manufacturers use, but in the end it serves about the same purpose. The front of the box doesn't tell you much other than that some sort of G.Skill Pi Series memory is inside, while the back of the box provides all the technical data on a label.


The cover of the box hinges open to reveal the modules through a window on the left. On the right a thermal image presents some data regarding the effect of heatspreaders. What it implies is that G.Skill has found that heatspreaders can reduce surface temperature by a significant amount (what appears to be 10-15 degrees C).


Inside the box the modules are protected by a clear plastic case, and you even get a G.Skill snowboarding sticker for good measure.