Introduction and Specifications

We review the latest Corsair XMS2 8500 dual-channel memory kit. Unlike other reviews you may have read, we overclock using three different motherboards to give you a better idea of how it will perform.

With DDR2 finally coming to the AMD market, it’s time for company loyalists to invest in some good DDR2 RAM. Luckily for upgrading users, you have the advantage of better modules with tighter timings and faster bus speeds. The Corsair XMS2 8500 is the successor to the highly overclockable XMS2 8000UL and XMS2 6400.

While other websites have already reviewed the XMS2 8500, we are the only ones to have tested them on three different motherboards to give you a more detailed report.

Specifications

The parts we are examing today is the Twin2X1024-8500 package which contains two CM2X512-8500 sticks. The SPD settings for this RAM is 5-5-5-15 at 2.2V and is tested to run at 1066 MHz. Getting to 1066 MHz memory bus speed will be a challenge for those of you without a ExtremeEdition CPU, but it should mean you can use tighter timings and still get great overclocking.

Corsair XMS2 8500 DDR2 Memory Review - Memory 8


Corsair XMS2 8500 DDR2 Memory Review - Memory 9
Installed and ready to go.

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