| OCZ Technology PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire Edition 2GB Kit
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OCZ Technology has been making memory for the enthusiast market for quite some time. They specialize in combining quality memory chips with stable PCBs, and this formula has allowed them to maintain an avid following throughout their history. Another part of the OCZ Technology strategy that helps them compete with much larger companies is their customer service and lifetime warranty. According to their website, every memory module they make is backed by this commitment.
As 800MHz DDR2 (PC2-6400) becomes more of a standard in the memory market, PC users looking to squeeze more from their systems are moving to PC2-8500 and above. OCZ Technology manufacturers many modules with higher speeds, and one dual channel kit they offer, the PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire Edition 2GB Kit, is typical of the type of high performance memory products available. What isn't typical about these modules is the heat pipe cooling solution OCZ Technology developed to get the most out of this memory. Also atypical to this market segment is OCZ Technology's 2.35V EVP (Extended Voltage Protection) which extends lifetime warranty coverage for these modules to cover usage up to 2.35 Volts.
I feel that these two features are mutually dependent. Higher voltages produce more heat, which traditional heat spreaders have problems dissipating, especially as voltages climb above 2.1V. OCZ Technology seems to have boosted their memory's performance by developing a cooling solution that allows their memory to safely run at voltages up to 2.35V. Combining a first class warranty with quality memory chips, circuit boards, and an innovative cooling solution is what has kept OCZ Technology in this business for so long.
Before taking a look at the PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire Edition 2GB Kit provided for review, let's look at some published data taken from the OCZ Technology website...
Specifications:
» 1066Mhz DDR2
» EPP 5-5-5-15 (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
» Unbuffered
» 2.3 Volts
» 240 Pin DIMM
Features:
» Reaper HPC Heat sink (Patent Pending)
» EPP Ready
» 2.35V EVP
» OCZ Lifetime Warranty
The list of features and specifications is brief and pretty much to the point. For those that are unfamiliar with EPP (enhanced performance profile), it is a memory enhancement technique originally developed by Nvidia that essentially adds additional data to a module's SPD. When used in a supported motherboard, the BIOS reads this extra data to automatically adjust memory speed, latency, voltage and command rate, thus simplifying memory overclocking.
Packaging:
The PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire Edition 2GB Kit arrived in a plastic package that was actually quite easy to open, which is not always the case. No scissors required! The packaging has a very clean layout which provides a good look at the memory from the front, and shows a diagram of the benefits of "HPC" (Heat Pipe Conduit) technology in a diagram on the back.
 
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