Conclusion:

The Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 memory kit is definitely worth considering by those looking for a high speed, high capacity kit to take their system to the next level. Until somewhat recently, getting such a large kit of DDR3 to run at such an elevated speed took some serious overclocking skills, a bit of luck, and perhaps a good deal of patience. An XMP profile at 2133MHz makes the whole process extremely simple, and anyone with a compatible motherboard should be up and running in no time. And as testing showed, the kit provided some significant performance benefits when compared to 1600MHz or 1800MHz kits.



My only negative comment regarding this kit is that I couldn't quite get it to run as specified. 2133MHz operation was not a problem, but getting to the specified timings was (ran at 9-11-9-27, instead of 9-9-9-27). The kit received for review was an early sample that apparently had not been revised to address the fact that Kingston wasn't able to get the chips to yield 9-9-9-27 as they did before, and that they are now 9-11-9-27. Kits purchased now should be expected to run at 9-11-9-27. In the end, the difference between this one value being off slightly might have minimal impact on performance, but I know I always like to get what I paid for.

Newegg.com has this kit for $208.99, which does include free shipping. If you're not concerned with speed, other 4x2GB kits can be had for $90 or so (but it is 1333MHz stuff). There aren't many 2133MHz kits in this exact configuration, but several other brands do offer 2x2GB kits of 2133MHz DDR3, where we see that the Kingston HyperX T1 stuff is more competitively priced. G.Skill has one 4GB kit that sells for $75, making an 8GB kit $150, while most other brands are right around $100 for 4GB, making an 8GB kit $200. The Kingston kit is right in the same ballpark. One thing to consider is that the HyperX RAM fan is not included at this price, and was not found bundled with this kit at any retailer that I checked out.

All things considered, the Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 memory kit earns the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" award.



Pros:

» High speed and (relatively) tight timings with minimal effort thanks to XMP profiles
» Solid performance in benchmarks and real world usage
» Slick heatspreader design
» RAM fan knocks the temperature down by quite a bit
» Lifetime warranty

Cons:

» Actual timings weren't as good as those specified (9-11-9-27 vs 9-9-9-27)
» HyperX RAM fan sold separately

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