Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600 i7/i5 Optimized 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit Review

Intel’s latest two lines of processors, LGA 1366 and the latest one, LGA 1156, have onboard memory processors that have one huge requirement…the maximum memory voltage of 1.65v. Now, I’m far from a memory tech, and really have no idea of the problems that may or may not have presented the memory manufacturers. I do know that voltages of upper-end DDR3 memory had gotten to 2.0v and could be overvolted to as much as 2.1v to attain those high frequencies, and now the memory guys were being told that they were limited to 1.65v.

It obviously wasn’t an insurmountable problem, as we saw DDR3-2000 triple channel kits not long after the release of the LGA 1366 i7, and I found that not only did they do DDR3-2000 at that voltage, they were all able to be overclocked beyond that.

Now that the LGA 1156 has been released, we need dual channel kits utilizing that same low voltage requirement. That obviously was no problem, the memory was already there, they just needed packaging that held only two modules rather than three.

Today I will be looking at one of Corsair’s low voltage dual channel kits, the Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600 i7/i5 4GB Dual Channel kit. It is XMP enabled, sports Corsair’s Dominator cooling fins, and timed at 8-8-8-24. Of course its Vdimm is 1.65v. Will the Dominator dominate? Read on to see!

Specifications:
Part Number: CMD4GX3M2A1600C8
Module Type: 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM, unbuffered, non-ECC
Multi Channel: Dual Channel
Speed: DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Capacity: 4GB (2 x 2GB)
CAS Latency: 8
Timing: 8-8-8-24 (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
Warranty: Lifetime Limited, parts and labor
Intel XMP Ready
Designed for use with Core i7/Core i5

Packaging
The Corsair Dominator comes in a sharp looking hanging box. The rear of the box has a couple of windows that show the product labels.

Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600 i7/i5 Optimized 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600 i7/i5 Optimized 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit

Inside the modules are each in their own blisterpack.

Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600 i7/i5 Optimized 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit