A-Data DDR3-2200+ DRAM XPG Plus 2.0 review

The Verdict

Stunning, sexy, hardware pr0n  --  that's what A-Data's XPG Plus Series DDR3-2200+ memory really is. Very little memory available on the market is this capable. I mean, we easily achieved 2200 MHz with 1.65 DIMM voltage. The very same memory is running at CAS 8:8:8:24 with a 1T command rate. These really are superior timings for a memory clock frequency that high.

Now don't get me wrong -- as all enthusiastic `x-factor´ hardware goes, we can never ever justify the price. It's the same with this memory kit. I mean this memory will cost you roughly 70 USD per gigabyte which is three to four times more expensive than your average 1333 MHZ CAS 8 DIMMs. But face it, people who purchase this kind of memory look the other way when it comes to matters of the wallet. It's the high-end PC crowd, yeah you guys -- Guru3D readers.

Now if you plan to purchase this memory, obviously we must point you to a Core i7 860 or preferably 870 processor, you really need a 2:12 memory ratio in order to make good use of the XMP profile and to get the memory working spiffy and all sexed up, mind you that your motherboards needs to support XMP as well. If that is not the case, then you'll have to select and configure everything manually in the BIOS yourself.

• With a Core i7 750 you'll need to work hard on overclocking in order to get close to 2200 MHz ... we did reach 2100 MHz though.
• With a Core i7 870 we had the memory up and running in 5 seconds - apply the XMP profile and you are booting into Windows with your memory completely configured running steady at 2200 MHz at only 1.65 volts.

So yes -- the memory does as advertised, 2200 MHz at CAS 8:8:8:24 with a 1T command rate - it is not an issue whatsoever. The respectable thing here is that it can actually manage to do so at 1.65 volts (a low voltage profile requirement for Nehalem processor architecture) and that's what makes this memory so special.

Sure it is expensive, hard to find and plus you need to be an avid tweaker with overclocking experience and own a very P55 decent motherboard/processor too -- these are the requriements that come to mind with A-Data's XPG Plus Series DDR3-2200, but if you have all variables right, then I think we can all agree that reaching close to 20.000 MB/sec read memory bandwidth on a dual-channel configuration is an exceptional amazing result. And with such timings it will definitely help in your overall performance.

Now next aside from the synthetic memory performance measured, it really is hard to show you the effect of memory at this frequency on say a game, as the CPU baseclock and thus CPU consistently changes in clock frequency as well. Trust me when we say this though, it does matter. Memory like shown today can add 5~10% additional performance over reference JEDEC 1333 MHz memory. It's very hard to prove considering the massive amount of variables involved though.

Also notable is that the memory itself will go even higher .. when we fired off a slightly more extreme 1.7 volts at it -- it allowed us to go to 2350 MHz just as well at advertised timings. We seriously ran out of time but perhaps if you apply CAS9 you will be able to reach 2400~2500 MHz. The sky is the limit here.

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The bottom line: A-Data's XPG Plus Series DDR3-2200 memory is intended for a really small audience, but if you are a hardware tweaker you might as well be a match for this kind of memory. The results are there and the memory will definitely not disappoint. A-Data tops off the memory with a lifetime warranty. As such we can do nothing else than to really recommend this memory as a tweakers essential -- but only if it meets your needs and requirements of course. But heck yeah, we like it very much.