G.SKILL Trident X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2600 (PC3 20800) Desktop Memory Model F3-2600C10D-8GTXD

Pros: Fast. Just plugged them in and set bios to 2600 and that was that. Using with 3770K and ASUS Z77 Deluxe mobo.

Cons: None

Pros: Blazing speed, fan looks cool in my blue liquid cooled rig. It works great, with a significant caveat (See below).

Cons: Cost: This RAM costs 2x as much as the 2400MHz rated model, and while I was happy to splurge on it at the time, learning that it does not actually reach the advertised speeds is pretty upsetting.

Advertised speed is misleading: It does not overclock to the advertised speeds with my i5-3570K. I contacted G Skill, and was told that it would only reach these speeds with the 3770k. I was very disappointed, as I could have purchased 2400 MHz ram for half the cost. As gaming rigs don't benefit much from hyperthreading, I think this is a situation many users may find themselves in.

Other Thoughts: The RAM works, but it's significantly overpriced, and frankly, I feel cheated. I took a risk and bought G. Skill because of the insane advertised speed, but I'll be going back to Corsair RAM from now on.

Manufacturer Response:

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Dear Customer

We are sorry to hear you are having issues reaching the rated specifications of the memory. The memory does reach the advertised speeds if you have a CPU that can support it. The memory controller is embedded in the CPU, so the actual memory speed may vary due to the overclocking margin of the CPU. With an Intel i7-3770K CPU, you will have absolutely no issues. This is currently the only LGA 1155 CPU tested to be fully capable of this memory kit. With any other CPU, it is not guaranteed. All G.Skill memory products are strictly tested and guaranteed to operate at the rated specifications. This is a top-of-the-line kit, so the price reflects the rare chip quality. Many world class overclockers are able to achieve DDR3-3000+ with this kit, which can not be attained with simply any memory kit. Since your CPU can not support the high frequency, you can lower frequency and timings to achieve similar performance. This memory will still outperform with lower settings, the RAM cost directly reflects chip performance. Should you have any further questions or issues, please don't hesitate to contact us directly.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

Quality and customer service are our top priorities.

Tech Support Email: ustech@gskillusa.com
RMA Dept Email: rma@gskillusa.com
G.Skill Forum: http://www.gskill.us/forum/

Pros: Look nice without the fans and I have not yet booted up the thing.

Cons: They are advertised as being for the Z77 Platform but, maybe not for P8Z77-V-Deluxe by ASUS. I found that the G.SKILL fan mount cannot be installed correctly when using the 3.0 header. There isn't enough room for the mount to sit squarely on the ram dimms. If I'm wrong please help!!!

Manufacturer Response:

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Dear Customer

Thank you for your G.Skill purchase and review. This memory kit is indeed compatible with your ASUS Z77 motherboard. Trident X extreme DDR3-2600 is one of the best kits currently offered on the market. You will be very pleased with the performance results. We are aware of the memory fan fitment issue, some adjustments may be necessary to make it stable. If you have any further questions or issues, please feel free to contact us directly.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

Quality and customer service are our top priorities.

Tech Support Email: ustech@gskillusa.com
RMA Dept Email: rma@gskillusa.com
G.Skill Forum: http://www.gskill.us/forum/

Pros: Speed! Fast ram and reasonably priced for it.

Cons: 1.65v

It says made for Z77 but is rated for 1.65v which Intel CLEARLY states is a no-no and highly recommends against it for Ivy Bridge (even for Sandy bridge for that matter)

Manufacturer Response:

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Dear Customer

We can certainly clarify the confusion you may have. Intel does NOT support overclocking, so DDR3-1600 is the maximum frequency they suggest. As a result, DRAM Voltage is also limited at 1.50V (standard). This memory kit is clearly not average, or standard, so of course it will not follow Intel's guidelines. As you know, Intel has had this DDR3 limitation for Sandybridge and chipsets prior, so it is nothing new. If you do a quick search for performance DDR3 memory, everything is above 1.50V. Rarely is <1.50V memory considered high performance.

G.Skill produces the best (extreme) memory modules available on the market. Rest assured that the kits are tested for their specific platforms. With the proper settings, although much greater than Intel specifications, it will not harm your CPU. Similar to CPU frequency overclocking, 4.6GHz+ from 3.8GHz default (turbo) is common, but technically Intel does not support it. If you want to follow Intel and the standards, you will need to purchase DDR3-1600 CL11 or under.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

Quality and customer service are our top priorities.

Tech Support Email: ustech@gskillusa.com
RMA Dept Email: rma@gskillusa.com
G.Skill Forum: http://www.gskill.us/forum/