The Basics:

Once we break out the shears to remove the plastic coffin, we can extract the modules and inspect them further. As you can tell from the images, these particular modules sport a very large heatsink with fins at the top for improved heat dissipation. The total height of the module is right about 2 inches, so you'll need to keep that in mind if you're using anything other than stock cooling, as they may interfere with larger CPU coolers. The large yellow stripe and screened logo add a nice touch.



As you can see in the below right image, each module is etched with the model number, speed rating, timings, and the default voltage required to achieve those ratings. In this case, we'll be evaluating a pair of 1600MHz modules rated for 8-8-8-24 timings at 1.65V. You will also notice that they are stamped XMP, which is an Intel developed "performance-packed expansion of the standard DDR3 memory specification" which is supported by the newer Intel chipsets and basically provides a better overclocking and performance experience to the user.



As we flip the modules over, as seen in the image below, you will notice that the back gets a grooved heatsink instead of the flashier, Ballistix branded front. There is also a sticker on each module which we could not decipher.



The image below is provided to give you an idea of how big the fins actually are in relation to the rest of the module.