It's great to see how individual memory stacks up against the competition under stock configurations, but we're also going to show how it compares when overclocked. With performance in mind, we're going to compare the maximum overclocked results of the various DDR2/3 memory modules PCSTATS has tested in the past which are listed below. Remember, just because memory is clocked fast doesn't mean it's the best thing for a computer. Timings are also important, and getting the right ratio of both is the real key to performance based overclocking!

Maximum Overclocked Speeds - PCstats Results
DDR3 Memory - Maximum Speed w/ Low Latency	Timings	Capacity	Max Speed	Ranking
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D	7-7-7-20	1024	1840 MHz
DDR2 Memory - Maximum Speed w/ Low Latency	Timings	Capacity	Max Speed	Ranking
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1260 MHz
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF*	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1244 MHz
Patriot PDC22G9200ELK	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1170 MHz
OCZ PC2-7200 Platinum SLI*	4-4-3-15	1024MB	1142 MHz
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-9136C5D*	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1142 MHz
PNY XLR8 D22GX85XL-5	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1120 MHz
Mushkin XP2-6400	4-3-3-10	2048MB	1066 MHz
SuperTalent T1000UX2G4	4-5-4-12	1024MB	1044 MHz
Corsair Twin2X2048-6400C4*	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1000 MHz
Patriot PDC22G8000+XBLK	4-4-4-12	1024MB	1000 MHz
Corsair Twin2X2048-8500C5*	4-4-4-12	1024MB	977MHz
Crucial PC2-6400	4-4-4-12	1024MB	890 MHz
Corsair Twin2X2048-6400C3*	3-4-3-9	1024MB	888 MHz
PNY D22GX93XLP-5 XLR8	4-4-4-12	1024MB	N/A
DDR3 Memory - Maximum Speed	Timings	Capacity	Max Speed	Ranking
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D	8-8-8-24	1024MB	1920 MHz
DDR2 Memory - Maximum Speed	Timings	Capacity	Max Speed	Ranking
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1300 MHz
PNY D22GX93XLP-5 XLR8	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1280 MHz
Patriot PDC22G9200ELK	5-5-5-12	1024MB	1260 MHz
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF*	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1244 MHz
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-9136C5D*	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1244 MHz
PNY XLR8 D22GX85XL-5	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1220 MHz
OCZ PC2-7200 Platinum SLI*	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1219 MHz
Corsair Twin2X2048-8500C5*	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1200 MHz
SuperTalent T1000UX2G4	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1160 MHz
Patriot PDC22G8000+XBLK	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1155 MHz
Corsair Twin2X2048-6400C4*	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1142 MHz
Mushkin XP2-6400	5-5-5-15	2048MB	1130 MHz
Crucial PC2-6400	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1080 MHz
Corsair Twin2X2048-6400C3*	5-5-5-15	1024MB	1066 MHz

* - denotes tested on ECS PN2 SLI2+ platform

While DDR2 and DDR3 memory speed/timings are not directly comparable it's amazing to see how high the new DDR3 memory modules overclock. The Corsair DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D is damn fast hitting a sweet 1920 MHz, of course with very lax memory timings.

Welcome to the world of DDR3:

Ready or not here comes DDR3 memory! When dual core processors were introduced, both Intel and AMD shifted over to DDR2 quickly so their processors could get maximum bandwidth. When quad core chips are thrown into the mix, DDR2 just can't keep up.

DDR3 picks up from where DDR2 left off, and as you can see the initial sets of memory hitting the market can already clock pretty darn high! DDR3 is rated to run 1600 MHz+ according to JEDEC, let's hope that the governing standard increases that speed limit further!

Enthusiasts and Corsair go together like milk and cookies, and as expected Corsair is one of the first manufacturers to actually get its DDR3 memory modules to the market. Corsair's 2GB DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D DDR3 memory kit is wicked fast, but that speed comes with a very high price tag: $678 CDN ($645 US, £320 GBP). Compared to what we're used to seeing from ultra high end enthusiast grade DDR2, it's pricey. Compared to a similar class of high end DDR3 memory on the market, it's actually quite comparable.

The cost of DDR3 memory in this class is certainly high, but there are no other alternatives which match the Corsair DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D's specs right now.

Corsair's specialty has long been overclocking, and with DDR3 it's a whole new ball of wax. New mult-core CPUs, new motherboards and chipsets, and a new class of memory. The DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D overclocked very well. The DDR3-1800 modules are rated to run at 1800 MHz by default, and PCSTATS was able to best that by another 40 MHz with CAS Latency timings of 7-7-7-20 on the Asus Blitz Extreme P35 Express motherboard! Loosening the DOMINATOR's timings to 8-8-8-24 allowed it to overclock to a sky high speed of 1920 MHz!

Corsair has put together an impressive set of DDR3 memory this early in the game. Its DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D DDR3 memory is darn fast, there's no denying that. The Twin3X2048-1800C7D DDR3 memory will only appeal to enthusiasts who desire the absolute fastest PC on the planet, and have a thick wallet to back up those aspirations... If you're an average computer joe, going DDR3 won't do much for you, as it stands right now. If you're a speed freak, with your sights set on a 1333FSB quad core and looking to break overclocking records, Corsair's 2GB kit of DOMINATOR Twin3X2048-1800C7D is one of the tools that will help you get there.

Find out about this and many other reviews by joining the Weekly PCSTATS.com Newsletter today! Catch all of PCSTATS latest reviews right here.

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