Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB Review
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Introduction:-
With the mass adoption of DDR3 ram on both AMD and Intel platforms, the rates of ram modules and kits have being spiralling down and have now prices are at an all time low. Having extra ram is never a bad thing. Last Saturday, PrimeABGB had a deal of the day, where they offered the Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB for Rs.2800+Shipping (Rs.160). That’s a steal for an 8 GB kit and that too from a reputed memory maker. Just to put things into a better perspective, my Gskill Ripjaws DDR3 4 GB kit (2x2) cost me Rs.5500 last year (August). I quickly made the transaction and in the heat of the moment forgot to check on the compatibility issues I might face with two different types of memory modules which differed in operating voltages (1.5 V vs 1.25 V) as well as overall system compatibility and the ever present issue of the obstructed and unusable DIMM slot 1 in my motherboard thanks to the fan of my Coolermaster HSF. The weekend was spent lamenting on my hasty decision and reading up every thread and post online which could shed some light on my dilemma. A FEDEX deliveryman showed up at my office and delivered the Gskill ram. Read on to know what to expect from the Sniper.
Packaging and contents:-
The ram came in a brown envelope which was nicely packed and was covered in bubble wrap. After ripping the envelope open I found the very simple retail packaging which Gskill has used to pack the ram. A circular orange label on the packaging indicates this is the 1.25V kit, because a 1.5V variant is also available. Both memory modules can be seen through the clear plastic exterior and are placed vertically next to each other, where differentiating features of similar memory kits can be found on the warranty and specification label placed on each heat spreader. At the back are the usual company, warranty, and specifications information.
This is the information provided by Gskill in the product page of the Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB:-
Gskill’s take on the Sniper Series of RAM:-
Construction and Details:-
The Sniper has been named aggressively and styled equally aggressively. One can see the heat spreaders on the module shaped to look like a gun. The heat spreader has grooves and indentations for the trigger and the stock. The whole gun themed look is completed with the addition of iron sights and a Picatinny rail. The PCB is black in colour and looks good. The heat spreaders are finished with a coat of black paint and a matte finish. They are constructed out of lightweight aluminium and are good and effective at heat dissipation. These modules would look good in a case with a transparent side panel.
The heat spreaders have a lower profile when compared to the heat spreaders in the Gskill Ripjaws. Looking at the height of the heat spreader, it is safe to say that the Gskill sniper falls between the low profile and medium profile memory modules. This was a boon for me as I could get the modules to fit in DIMM slots 1 and 2 although it was a very tight fit between the modules and the fan of my aftermarket heat sink. (Pardon my dirty system! I haven't cleaned it in 6 months!)
The CAS label identifier gives us the model name, rated frequency - 1600MHz, capacity - 8GB, CAS timings - 9-9-9-24, voltage - 1.25v, serial number and manufacturing year/month on the barcode along with a hologram sticker.
Now for some memory trivia!
Fact: - The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V is in fact the lowest voltage mass market RAM available as of now. At 1.25v it stands out amongst the more widely accepted and used 1.5v modules. This is exceptionally low and should aid overclocking headroom, plus reduce stress on the memory controller.
Testing and Benchmarks:-
The Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB was tested with my desktop having the following configuration:-
I shall now answer a few queries which I am sure a lot of people might have about the Gskill Sniper ram.
1) The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V used here has been designed specifically for the new Intel P55 and P67 platforms but is compatible with AMD platforms and other Intel platforms as well.
2) The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V used here ran perfectly with my already installed Gskill Ripjaws 1600 MHz 4 GB kit.
3) The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V used in this review was compatible right out of the box when I installed them in my motherboard and powered up the system.
4) The voltage settings were auto detected @ 1.28 Volts and so were the frequencies i.e. at 1600 MHz in the BIOS itself, it needed no tweaking on my part.
5) The installed Gskill Ripjaws is running at its normal, stated voltage of 1.55 Volts and 1600 MHz.
6) On booting into Windows 7 (64 Bit) there were no BSODs (Blue screen of death) or any other hiccups and Windows showed 12 GB of ram installed.
7) All the installed programs and games ran properly and the system was snappier. I did not have to re-install Windows 7 and used my existing install for testing the memory modules.
Let's look at a few screen shots from the BIOS of my motherboard to see the frequencies and voltages which the Gskill Sniper has been operating upon:-
Let's now have a quick look at the Windows Experience Index and the CPU-Z screen shots:-
These are the readings obtained on CPU-Z with the Gskill Sniper Kit in DIMM 1 and DIMM 2.
These are the screen shots of the readings obtained on CPU-Z for my Gskill Ripjaws Kit in DIMM 3 and DIMM 4.
Benchmarks:-
Let's see how the Gskill Sniper 8 GB kit (@ 1.25 V) performs in a battery of both synthetic and real world tests.
The following software and driver versions were used respectively:-
Drivers:-
AMD Catalyst 11.7 for Ati 5850
Latest Motherboard drivers and BIOS version F3 for the Gigabyte GA-MA-785GMT-USB3
Software Used for Synthetic Benchmarks:-
AIDA 64 Extreme Edition (The successor to Lavasys Everest)
PCMark Vantage
3DMark Vantage
The AIDA 64 test was run twice with 3 passes each for :-
[1] Only the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at stock settings and stock timings of 9-9-9-24 and 1600 MHz
[2] The Gskill Ripjaws 4 GB Kit along with the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at timings of 11-11-11-29 (auto detected) and 1600 MHz overall
Real World Gaming Tests:-
Crysis Warhead - 1920x1080 (Gamer Settings)
Modern Warfare-2 - 1920x1080 (Maximum Settings, 4x AA)
Battlefield BB 2 - 1920x1080 (Maximum Settings,8x AA,16xAF)
Farcry 2 - 1920x1080 (Maximum Settings, 8x FSAA)
Scores and Results:-
First up let's look at how the Gskill Sniper scores in the 3DMark Vantage and the PCMark Vantage test suites:-
Now moving on to the test which shall draw the maximum attention, the AIDA 64 test which was run twice with 3 passes for each run with the following conditions :-
[1] Only the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at stock settings and stock timings of 9-9-9-24 and 1600 MHz
[2] The Gskill Ripjaws 4 GB Kit along with the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at timings of 11-11-11-29 (auto detected) and 1600 MHz overall
Clearly there are differences in the scores of each of the test runs. All the settings were the default stock settings without any sort of tweaking carried out in the BIOS
Moral of the test :- Its best if matched pairs of memory are run. The mix and match approach will not give good results when it comes to memory modules.
Now let's look at some Real World Test scenarios with some gaming tests:-
Overclocking :-
Let me summarize this part with the help of the following points :-
[1] The best timings I managed to get for the 8 GB kit of the Gskill Sniper were 8-8-9-25 with the stock timings being 9-9-9-24. However others have managed to get 8-8-8-24. I could do better with a better motherboard.
[2] The G.SKILL Sniper 1.25V is actually not designed for overclocking but for low voltage operation, so the user can save some electricity in the process.
[3] It will easily operate at 1.6 Volts without damaging the ram modules or the motherboard.
[4] It will perform better if you happen to be the owner of a P55 or a P67 chipset based motherboard as the Gskill Sniper is designed specifically for those chipsets.
[5] Pushing the frequency was troublesome for me primarily due to the lack of a good chipset (the 785 chipset's heydays are over!). I managed to run it at the rated 1600 MHz.
[6] This Sniper low voltage kit is targeted towards gamers and not towards serious overclockers. The ram offers the best performance at stock settings and is reliable.
[7] The final settings that I am using right now for both the GSkill Sniper and the Gskill Ripjaws running together are as follows :-
Conclusion :-
Let me summarize the conclusion as well:-
[1] The Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit cost me Rs.2800 (+ Rs.160 for shipping) from PrimeABGB (Lamington Road, Mumbai) which is an amazing deal considering the brand, the quantity and the quality of the modules !
[2] It will perform well on any platform (both AMD and Intel platforms) at the advertised settings and timings but is targeted towards the owners of the P55 or a P67 chipset.
[3] Don't go by what people tell you about overclocking your ram - it is utter nonsense and it won't give you any performance bump. People who get a high from overclocking the ram to show off in threads may give the memory a dressing down due to the lack of its overclocking capabilities but then this ram isn't catered towards them and overclocking isn't everything and "the be all and the end all". Many users don't even overclock their memory modules. The Gskill Sniper is a very good performer. It is reliable and stable and that's what matters to 99% of the crowd.
[4] It comes with a unique look and supports XMP in supported motherboards.
[5] The Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB is a really good memory kit for the amount it retails for, definitely check them out if you're looking for an 8GB kit.
[6] My score card for the Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB kit along with its pro's and cons :-
Pros
+ Good overall performance
+ Very affordable 8GB kit
+ Aggressive and unique styling
+ Extremely low voltage (1.25 V) although other higher voltage and more powerful variants exist in the Sniper series
+ Short heatspreaders a massive boon for me! ( saved a lot of money on another hsf)
Cons
- None (lack of overclocking skills maybe a con for a few people)
My score :- 5/5
[attachment=9003:15603.attach]
Introduction:-
With the mass adoption of DDR3 ram on both AMD and Intel platforms, the rates of ram modules and kits have being spiralling down and have now prices are at an all time low. Having extra ram is never a bad thing. Last Saturday, PrimeABGB had a deal of the day, where they offered the Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB for Rs.2800+Shipping (Rs.160). That’s a steal for an 8 GB kit and that too from a reputed memory maker. Just to put things into a better perspective, my Gskill Ripjaws DDR3 4 GB kit (2x2) cost me Rs.5500 last year (August). I quickly made the transaction and in the heat of the moment forgot to check on the compatibility issues I might face with two different types of memory modules which differed in operating voltages (1.5 V vs 1.25 V) as well as overall system compatibility and the ever present issue of the obstructed and unusable DIMM slot 1 in my motherboard thanks to the fan of my Coolermaster HSF. The weekend was spent lamenting on my hasty decision and reading up every thread and post online which could shed some light on my dilemma. A FEDEX deliveryman showed up at my office and delivered the Gskill ram. Read on to know what to expect from the Sniper.
Packaging and contents:-
The ram came in a brown envelope which was nicely packed and was covered in bubble wrap. After ripping the envelope open I found the very simple retail packaging which Gskill has used to pack the ram. A circular orange label on the packaging indicates this is the 1.25V kit, because a 1.5V variant is also available. Both memory modules can be seen through the clear plastic exterior and are placed vertically next to each other, where differentiating features of similar memory kits can be found on the warranty and specification label placed on each heat spreader. At the back are the usual company, warranty, and specifications information.
This is the information provided by Gskill in the product page of the Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB:-
Gskill’s take on the Sniper Series of RAM:-
Construction and Details:-
The Sniper has been named aggressively and styled equally aggressively. One can see the heat spreaders on the module shaped to look like a gun. The heat spreader has grooves and indentations for the trigger and the stock. The whole gun themed look is completed with the addition of iron sights and a Picatinny rail. The PCB is black in colour and looks good. The heat spreaders are finished with a coat of black paint and a matte finish. They are constructed out of lightweight aluminium and are good and effective at heat dissipation. These modules would look good in a case with a transparent side panel.
The heat spreaders have a lower profile when compared to the heat spreaders in the Gskill Ripjaws. Looking at the height of the heat spreader, it is safe to say that the Gskill sniper falls between the low profile and medium profile memory modules. This was a boon for me as I could get the modules to fit in DIMM slots 1 and 2 although it was a very tight fit between the modules and the fan of my aftermarket heat sink. (Pardon my dirty system! I haven't cleaned it in 6 months!)
The CAS label identifier gives us the model name, rated frequency - 1600MHz, capacity - 8GB, CAS timings - 9-9-9-24, voltage - 1.25v, serial number and manufacturing year/month on the barcode along with a hologram sticker.
Now for some memory trivia!
Fact: - The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V is in fact the lowest voltage mass market RAM available as of now. At 1.25v it stands out amongst the more widely accepted and used 1.5v modules. This is exceptionally low and should aid overclocking headroom, plus reduce stress on the memory controller.
Testing and Benchmarks:-
The Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB was tested with my desktop having the following configuration:-
I shall now answer a few queries which I am sure a lot of people might have about the Gskill Sniper ram.
1) The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V used here has been designed specifically for the new Intel P55 and P67 platforms but is compatible with AMD platforms and other Intel platforms as well.
2) The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V used here ran perfectly with my already installed Gskill Ripjaws 1600 MHz 4 GB kit.
3) The G.SKILL Sniper DDR3-1600 8GB 1.25V used in this review was compatible right out of the box when I installed them in my motherboard and powered up the system.
4) The voltage settings were auto detected @ 1.28 Volts and so were the frequencies i.e. at 1600 MHz in the BIOS itself, it needed no tweaking on my part.
5) The installed Gskill Ripjaws is running at its normal, stated voltage of 1.55 Volts and 1600 MHz.
6) On booting into Windows 7 (64 Bit) there were no BSODs (Blue screen of death) or any other hiccups and Windows showed 12 GB of ram installed.
7) All the installed programs and games ran properly and the system was snappier. I did not have to re-install Windows 7 and used my existing install for testing the memory modules.
Let's look at a few screen shots from the BIOS of my motherboard to see the frequencies and voltages which the Gskill Sniper has been operating upon:-
Let's now have a quick look at the Windows Experience Index and the CPU-Z screen shots:-
These are the readings obtained on CPU-Z with the Gskill Sniper Kit in DIMM 1 and DIMM 2.
These are the screen shots of the readings obtained on CPU-Z for my Gskill Ripjaws Kit in DIMM 3 and DIMM 4.
Benchmarks:-
Let's see how the Gskill Sniper 8 GB kit (@ 1.25 V) performs in a battery of both synthetic and real world tests.
The following software and driver versions were used respectively:-
Drivers:-
AMD Catalyst 11.7 for Ati 5850
Latest Motherboard drivers and BIOS version F3 for the Gigabyte GA-MA-785GMT-USB3
Software Used for Synthetic Benchmarks:-
AIDA 64 Extreme Edition (The successor to Lavasys Everest)
PCMark Vantage
3DMark Vantage
The AIDA 64 test was run twice with 3 passes each for :-
[1] Only the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at stock settings and stock timings of 9-9-9-24 and 1600 MHz
[2] The Gskill Ripjaws 4 GB Kit along with the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at timings of 11-11-11-29 (auto detected) and 1600 MHz overall
Real World Gaming Tests:-
Crysis Warhead - 1920x1080 (Gamer Settings)
Modern Warfare-2 - 1920x1080 (Maximum Settings, 4x AA)
Battlefield BB 2 - 1920x1080 (Maximum Settings,8x AA,16xAF)
Farcry 2 - 1920x1080 (Maximum Settings, 8x FSAA)
Scores and Results:-
First up let's look at how the Gskill Sniper scores in the 3DMark Vantage and the PCMark Vantage test suites:-
Now moving on to the test which shall draw the maximum attention, the AIDA 64 test which was run twice with 3 passes for each run with the following conditions :-
[1] Only the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at stock settings and stock timings of 9-9-9-24 and 1600 MHz
[2] The Gskill Ripjaws 4 GB Kit along with the Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit at timings of 11-11-11-29 (auto detected) and 1600 MHz overall
Clearly there are differences in the scores of each of the test runs. All the settings were the default stock settings without any sort of tweaking carried out in the BIOS
Moral of the test :- Its best if matched pairs of memory are run. The mix and match approach will not give good results when it comes to memory modules.
Now let's look at some Real World Test scenarios with some gaming tests:-
Overclocking :-
Let me summarize this part with the help of the following points :-
[1] The best timings I managed to get for the 8 GB kit of the Gskill Sniper were 8-8-9-25 with the stock timings being 9-9-9-24. However others have managed to get 8-8-8-24. I could do better with a better motherboard.
[2] The G.SKILL Sniper 1.25V is actually not designed for overclocking but for low voltage operation, so the user can save some electricity in the process.
[3] It will easily operate at 1.6 Volts without damaging the ram modules or the motherboard.
[4] It will perform better if you happen to be the owner of a P55 or a P67 chipset based motherboard as the Gskill Sniper is designed specifically for those chipsets.
[5] Pushing the frequency was troublesome for me primarily due to the lack of a good chipset (the 785 chipset's heydays are over!). I managed to run it at the rated 1600 MHz.
[6] This Sniper low voltage kit is targeted towards gamers and not towards serious overclockers. The ram offers the best performance at stock settings and is reliable.
[7] The final settings that I am using right now for both the GSkill Sniper and the Gskill Ripjaws running together are as follows :-
Conclusion :-
Let me summarize the conclusion as well:-
[1] The Gskill Sniper 8 GB Kit cost me Rs.2800 (+ Rs.160 for shipping) from PrimeABGB (Lamington Road, Mumbai) which is an amazing deal considering the brand, the quantity and the quality of the modules !
[2] It will perform well on any platform (both AMD and Intel platforms) at the advertised settings and timings but is targeted towards the owners of the P55 or a P67 chipset.
[3] Don't go by what people tell you about overclocking your ram - it is utter nonsense and it won't give you any performance bump. People who get a high from overclocking the ram to show off in threads may give the memory a dressing down due to the lack of its overclocking capabilities but then this ram isn't catered towards them and overclocking isn't everything and "the be all and the end all". Many users don't even overclock their memory modules. The Gskill Sniper is a very good performer. It is reliable and stable and that's what matters to 99% of the crowd.
[4] It comes with a unique look and supports XMP in supported motherboards.
[5] The Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB is a really good memory kit for the amount it retails for, definitely check them out if you're looking for an 8GB kit.
[6] My score card for the Gskill Sniper F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 2x4GB kit along with its pro's and cons :-
Pros
+ Good overall performance
+ Very affordable 8GB kit
+ Aggressive and unique styling
+ Extremely low voltage (1.25 V) although other higher voltage and more powerful variants exist in the Sniper series
+ Short heatspreaders a massive boon for me! ( saved a lot of money on another hsf)
Cons
- None (lack of overclocking skills maybe a con for a few people)
My score :- 5/5
