Review: MX-Tech Armor Series DDR3-1600 4Gb Kit

Posted by Will Smith

Friday, 24 September 2010 00:03

Article Index
Review: MX-Tech Armor Series DDR3-1600 4Gb Kit
Specifications and Features
Photo Gallery and Test Setup
CPU-Z, Everest and PC Mark
Sandra Pro and ScienceMark 2
Verdict and Conclusion

Page 1 of 6

View Comments

Introduction

As computer systems become more and more powerful, so will the need for high performance memory. Over the past few years, we've seen DDR3 memory speeds increase steadily, with speeds now reaching upto 2200Mhz, that's DDR3-2200 or PC3-17600 spec. These type of memory is really designed only for the hardcore overclocking enthusiasts. At this speed, these memory modules will require increased voltages for normal operation. An increase in voltages will result in excess heat. To combat this, many manufactures of high-end overclocking memory will include large heatsinks/heatspreader to effictively dissipate this excess heat. This is evident when you see the some of the high-end overclocking memory on the market... all seem to have crazy designs for their heatsinksheatspreaders.

Normal users like you and I, will probably never get to play with this kind of memory ... instead, we tend to look for the memory products that offer the best price/performance ratio. To be honest, any memory upto DDR3-1600 or PC3-12800 is more than enough ... even for some seasoned overclockers out there. Last week, we've looked at the MX-Tech Black Diamond DDR3-1600 4Gb kits. We were pleased with its overall performance and features. It comes with XMP support, low memory timings and high-end Japanese Aluminum for cooling. We now take at a look at MX-Tech higher-end memory series ... the ARMOR!

P1000371

As I've mentioned before in our last memory review, MX-Technology or Mach Xtreme Technology was only established this year in January of 2010. They've enjoyed some quick success, largely thanks to their knowledge in the memory business. For those who are not too familiar with MX-Technology or their products, here's a little blurb taken from their website.

"Mach Xtreme Technology is a newly established Company since January 2010 constructed of a combination of elite professionals who have had years of exceptional exposure and involvement in the IT industry. Our dedicated team has expert knowledge covering all aspects of the IT industry and more specifically in development of innovative products along with aggressive marketing and effective distribution.

MX-Technology achieves the highest performance possible through it's continuous research & development which ensures rapid advancements of SSD, memory and Flash drives. MX-Technology enable their customers to achieve maximum efficiency with matching performance to make time spent on work more convenient and productive."

P1000380

Mach Xtreme Technology (I'll call the MX-Tech for short) have an pretty large list in their catalogue for the memory products. They not only have your standard memory for mainstream users, but also memory for high-end users, overclockers and enthusiasts. What's more they also produce SO-DIMMs, as well as SSDs. Here's a quick list of their memory product line up:

Armor Series - Mach Xtreme Technology's ARMOR™ DDR3 memory series is engineered to deliver performance for gaming and power users. A special heatsink with a combination of pillar and fins offers an outstanding cooling efficiency during overclocking.
Black Diamond Series - The BLACK DIAMOND™ heatsink is not only lightweight but also highly effective. Low latencies coupled with an intelligent cooling will satisfy the needs of any power user.
Platinum Series - The Platinum series are not only affordable but also highly reliable. The lightweight heatsink is made of specially imported top grade Japanese aluminum.
Copper Series - The COPPER™ series is aimed at everyday users that have limited budget, but still are looking for highly reliable memory.

In this review, we'll be taking a look at the MX-Tech Armor Series DDR3-1600 4Gb Kit. They're rated at DDR3-1600, that's PC3-12800 spec with memory timings of 8-8-8-24, and supports XMP (for motherboards that have this option in the BIOS). They come with some mean-looking heatspreaders with aluminum fins. This should provide excellent heat dissipation. Interestingly, these modules are certified as being "hand tested" and comes with life-time warranty. It's quite a bold statement to make. Let's see how it compares with other memory modules in its class.

P1000405

We'll be installing these into our test rig, which consist of the following ... Intel Core i5 - 650 (LGA 1156), Gigabyte P55 USB3 motherboard (with XMP support), Geforce GTX 460, Noctua NH-C12P SE14 CPU cooler, and a Silverpower 650W PSU. I'm not sure what to make of these memory modules from MX-Tech. They look great ... but looks ain't everything ... it's all about performance, price and features. It will be interesting to see how well they will compete against the likes of ADATA and Crucial.

Right, let's take a closer look at the specifications and features of the MX-Tech Armor Series DDR3-1600 4Gb Kits