Conclusion:

Configuring the Patriot Viper Series 2GB PC3-12800 DDR3 memory kit was extremely easy, which made getting up and running at such high speeds even more enjoyable. It usually takes some tweaking for me to get stable at such elevated frequencies, but this kit was pretty much plug and play.

Testing quantified that this memory performs well, and it is just as strong and reliable in every day use. While it may be hard to tell the difference between one 1600MHz kit and another running typical desktop applications or even 3D games, upgrading to a kit like this from a slower/smaller kit is easy to appreciate. After running the same test system on a 1GB PC2-8500 kit for a few days, using the Patriot Viper 2GB PC3-12800 convinced me that it was worth considering by anyone on a similar upgrade path.


A search of PriceGrabber turns up just one result, but a broader search of the Internet finds many other places (like ClubIT, NCIX, and Newegg) selling this 1600MHz Patriot Viper kit. At about $260, this kit is reasonably priced for high speed DDR3, especially considering the tight timings provided. Those used to DDR2 prices may be a bit shocked by the price, but DDR3 is slowing becoming more competitive and will hopefully be universally affordable some time soon.

Considering the strong performance, competitive pricing (as far as DDR3 goes), and interesting design of the Viper heatspreader, the Patriot Viper Series 2GB PC3-12800 DDR3 memory kit earns the award of "Highly Recommended".


Pros:

» Low latency at high speeds
» Strong performance
» Up and running with just about zero tweaking
» Viper heatsink provides simple, effective cooling without going overboard
» Competitively priced with other high speed DDR3

Cons:

» DDR3 prices are getting better, but aren't great yet

Special thanks to Patriot Memory for providing the Patriot Viper Series 2GB PC3-12800 DDR3 Memory Kit to Bigbruin.com for review!