Patriot Memory is one of the staple memory providers in today’s computing market. While they offer flash, SSDs, storage enclosures and even media players, their memory is the foundation of the company. Like most memory companies, they make changes to that product category to support each new processor generation.
Recently, Patriot announced their new Viper III memory line at Computex 2012 in support of Ivy Bridge processors and Z77 motherboards. The latest series is XMP capable and will come with new color choices including red, green, blue and black. Normally, the color changes are just color changes, but Patriot has made additional tweaks to specifications for each color, giving them more than just pretty heatsinks. Since Intel Ivy Bridge has proven hot in operation, you’ll need some good quality memory just to keep up. Let’s see what the new Viper III 2133MHz DDR3 dual channel memory kit can do!
Features and Specifications
When a new Intel processor launches, it may seem like it’s simply to boost memory sales. Although true in some respects, it’s also because the integrated memory controller (IMC) changes from architecture to architecture and it’s necessary to test for best possible compatibility, leading to changes to design if necessary. For example, Gulftown, Nehalem, Lynnfield, Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge have IMCs that each require different SPD programming to run perfectly. Ivy Bridge is no exception and the Viper III from Patriot are tuned for that processor
As mentioned, the new Viper III kits will come in different colors that signify specific tweaks and features that are unique to each series. Here’s a quick break down.
Most of the frequencies are similar across the four kits with the exception of the Jungle Green memory which operates with a mere 1.35Volts. Low voltage memory means selecting very specific memory ICs capable of low consumption but not very high overclocked frequencies. The Crimson will sport the highest frequencies at launch and will be your choice for those major overclocks. Blue comes in Sapphire and IEM (Intel Extreme Masters) themes with similar specs.
OK, those aren’t their real “codenames” but I’m an enthusiast and love an elite name worthy of the pending potential so I had a little fun giving them. You’re not going to find them anywhere else but here so don’t go walking into a store and asking for “Congo Viper” green modules at the store.
The IEM is the only set that is specifically XMP certified. The rest do not have this certification, but they are capable. However, we didn’t have any issues applying XMP profiles in testing. It’ll remain to be seen at how well these modules support the new AMD AMP memory profiles when boards that support them start hitting the streets.
Retail price for our Viper III Black Mamba DDR3 2133MHz Dual Channel Kit as tested will cost roughly $59.99 US at most major retailers. Overall, that isn’t out of the ballpark of most memory modules in this quality range.
Closer Look at the Black Mamba Viper III
Compared to the Division IV, the Viper III take a step in a new design direction. An enthusiast named Josh from NFC Systems, known for custom contemporary modded systems, was one of the driving forces of the new heat sink design. It’s cool to see that Patriot Memory still values the enthusiast spirit. The Viper III heat spreaders are actually very light compared to the Viper Extreme (Division IV) due to the extensively scultped shape. Even though they match in size, the Viper III are and almost half the weight of the Viper Extreme. If you know something about thermal dynamics, then you know these spreaders will still get the job done.
During the first part of the launch, all the modules up to 2133 MHz currently use Hynix RAM modules. Later on down the line some Micron or Samsung ICs may be used depending on the frequencies and specs of the kits. However, it was during testing that we discovered there was a very good reason to use Hynix. Both the fab and Patriot’s engineers have found some extra memory bandwidth between these specific ICs and the Ivy Bridge memory controller. DIY enthusiasts appreciate the higher frequency RAM because it can often be down clocked to support the CPU better by not overclocking. We’ll explain more shortly.
Test System and Configuration
The Viper III will be tested against different memory kits using the stock timings and overclocked frequencies. Keep in mind that these attributes were manually set in the motherboard BIOS. The goal is to compare memory module quality despite their operating defaults.
- Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge
- Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth Z77
- Memory 1: Patriot Memory Viper III 2133MHz 8GB (as tested)
- Memory 2: G.Skill TridentX 2400MHz 8GB
- Memory 3: Kingston HyperX Genesis 1600MHz 8GB
- Storage: Kingston HyperX 128GB SSD
- Graphics: MSI GTX 560 Ti SLI
- OS: Windows 7 Pro 64bit
Testing included a three day at default specs (to ensure stability), SISOFT SANDRA memory, Unigine Heaven 2.5 demo, Graysky 4.0, PCMark7, and Cinebench R11.5 benchmarks. This suite tests any benefits memory has on the system.
Let’s get right into testing!
SISOFT SANDRA Memory Benchmark – System Response
Lower memory timings increase memory bandwidth which increases system responsiveness. For example, games that need more than 1.5GB of memory benefit execution more than anything else. Keep in mind that the processor’s IMC is the primary constant that effects memory performane. Here are the memory test results.
The Viper III 2133 produces about 2MB/s less bandwidth than the TridentX 2400. While one could drop the Viper III timings to CL10, it only offers a little extra memory bandwidth. The unexpected surprise is that the Viper III provides about 2MB/s more bandwidth at 1600 CL8 than the TridentX using CL7 timings. After repeated testing, it’s evident that the Ivy Bridge IMC really favors the Hynix based Viper III.
Graphical Influence – Unigine Heaven 2.5 and Aliens vs Predator
When it comes to gaming, it’s all about the GPU, and in some circumstances, CPU performance. Budget 1600MHz kits are more than enough but don’t always look as good as the high performance flag ship kits.
Graysky 4.0 Benchmark – H.264 Transcoding
After repeated trials, these were the average encoded frames per second using the GraySky 4.0 benchmark. The reason for the scores being so similar between 2133 and 2400MHz is that the Ivy Bridge CPU isn’t capable of utilizing all that memory bandwidth. Even with an overclocked CPU, it’s the same story.
PCMark7 – Overall System Benefit
Often, memory can effect overall system performance. PCMark7 is good at revealing any performance advantages.
At this point, the test system is running so optimally that there’s only slight changes in performance. Interestingly, the results are very close again as there is more than enough memory bandwidth feeding the CPU. When overclocked, the TridentX 2400MHz shows the advantage of extra bandwidth.
CineBench R11.5 – Rendering
Even with and without the extra memory frequency, the system performance is very close. These slight variations point to the finest tuning between the BIOS and memory. When over clocked, the CPU is still unable to utilize all that bandwidth. Still, this gives you an idea as to what memory frequencies realistically support the system for the best cost.
Final Thoughts
Until the Viper III arrived, the TridentX 2400MHz didn’t have a challenger. But it’s clear that the Viper III’s additional tuning and careful selection of Hynix memory chip would better support Ivy Bridge’s 1600MHz IMC. Whether at CL8 or CL9 timings, it’s currently faster than the many kits that we currently have in the labs.
The Patriot Memory Viper III 2133MHz 8GB memory kit is perfect at stock speeds and surprisingly fast when down clocked to 1600MHz and with latencies tightened. This will satisfy users who demand maximum system responsiveness. The ability to work with tighter timings is one of the greatest benefits hidden within high performance overclocking memory. Any Ivy Bridge processor will get maximum bandwidth at all times as a result of this combination of tuning. Although the high CL11 timings at higher speeds may deter some looking for even higher speeds when pushed.
So in the end, the Patriot Memory Viper III 2133MHz DDR3 dual channel kit offers the ability to clock to new heights, but can also run at tighter timings to give your Ivy Bridge system more responsiveness. Patriot has taken the time to select the right parts for Intel’s new processor and that shows in the results. It’s clear that these aren’t just rebadged/remarketed modules. They are the real deal and at about $59.99 US/CA , they also won’t overtax your wallet. They receive a very strong recommendation from us.
Pros
- Attractive light weight heat spreaders
- Clean black PCB Viper III theme
- Good 2133MHz performance
- Very good hidden 1600MHz performance
- XMP profiles worked well
Cons
- CL11 timings may deter some users
Overall Rating: 9.0 / 10.0
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