RAM Kingston Hyperx. Review of the new budget HyperX Fury DDR4 RAM with excellent overclocking. Description of test systems

Company Kingston is a well-known manufacturer computer components for personal PCs. But this manufacturer gained particular popularity thanks to the production random access memory. The company's production capacity is such that today Kingston is one of the largest suppliers of RAM to the retail market. Having placed their main bet on ordinary consumers, Kingston announced a new line of memory modules in the spring of 2014 HyperX FURY. This line of memory is intended for both ordinary gaming-grade home personal PCs and powerful systems enthusiasts.

Kingston HyperX FURY memory modules are equipped with radiators in blue, black, red and even white. Users can choose between 4 and 8 GB memory sticks, or sets of two memory sticks with a total capacity of 8 or 16 GB. The clock speed of Kingston HyperX FURY, depending on the model, varies at frequencies of 1333, 1600 and 1866 MHz.

Specifications

Our editors got their hands on a set of Kingston HyperX FURY, consisting of two black memory modules with a total capacity of 16 GB (2*8 GB) with a frequency of 1600 MHz.

Manufacturer
Series
Model
Form factor	DIMM 240 pin
Clock frequency
Delays
Bandwidth
	16 GB (2*8 GB)
Built-in profile
Supply voltage
Radiator
Compatibility	Intel® 3rd and 4th Generation Core Processors (Ivy Bridge and Haswell)

Packaging and appearance

For many years now, Kingston has packaged its RAM in plastic blister packaging, and the new HyperX FURY memory line is no exception. The plastic design has a transparent top cover through which you can see the memory modules themselves. In addition to providing basic information about the memory, the sticker on the package also acts as a seal, allowing you to accurately determine whether the box has been opened.

The sticker itself contains a barcode, product marking, and also indicates its main technical characteristics and the volume of the kit.

Inside the container, each memory module has its own place. The modules are placed inside the package with the front side of the radiators so that the name of the line printed on the radiators in large white letters can be seen through the transparent cover.

The Kingston HyperX FURY package is not very rich and includes the memory modules themselves, a Kingston HyperX sticker, as well as a warranty card and instructions for installing memory modules.

What you should pay attention to first of all when getting acquainted with Kingston HyperX FURY memory modules is the design and shape of their radiators. In the opinion of our editors, this asymmetrical shape of the radiators introduces some variety in the external presentation of memory modules. The special shape and curves of the radiators seem to hint at the aggressive capabilities of this memory.

One side of the radiators bears the name of the new HyperX FURY line, while the other contains a sticker with technical data and the name of the module model.

The upper edge of the radiators, which in Kingston HyperX FURY has a flat design, also contains the HyperX inscription, emphasizing that the memory belongs to a certain series of Kingston products.

Aluminum radiators are easy to remove. Heat transfer from the contact pads of the microcircuits to the cooling radiators is carried out through special thermal pads.

All modifications of Kingston HyperX FURY use black printed circuit boards. Each memory module carries 16 chips, 8 on each side. The capacity of each chip is 512 MB, which gives a total of 8 GB of memory on each module.

When producing these memory sticks, Kingston uses chips manufactured by SK Hynix labeled H5TQ4G83MFR.

Thanks to the lacquered color of the heatsinks, the Kingston HyperX FURY memory on the motherboard looks very impressive. Let us remind you that these modules are available for purchase in a choice of black, blue, red and white. Therefore, creating a special design of the system, harmonizing the play of colors, will not be difficult.

An important advantage of Kingston HyperX FURY RAM will be the height of the memory modules. Being extremely compact in height, this memory will not cause big problems when installing large air cooling systems.

Test bench and testing

CPU	Intel Core i7-4770k 3.5GHz LGA1150 (HyperThreading On, TurboBoost On)
Motherboard
Solid State Drive
power unit	Thermaltake ToughPower XT 775W
HDD	SATA-3 1Tb Seagate 7200 Barracuda (ST1000DM003)
	ASUS PB298Q, 29" (2560x1080)
Thermal interface	Gelid GC-Extreme
operating system	Windows 7 x64 SP1
Other software	CPU-Z ROG 1.69.2, Aida64

To test Kingston HyperX FURY RAM, we assembled test bench based on Intel Core i7 4770k processor and motherboard ASUS boards Z87-Plus.

Based on data from the CPU-Z program, we can confidently say that given memory released relatively recently, in the 10th week of 2014. The memory modules have four built-in JEDEC profiles.

The maximum documented memory frequency is 1600 MHz. In this mode, the memory operates with delays of 10-10-10-30-1T, the motherboard did not have any problems with automatically determining the optimal settings.

The performance in this mode corresponds to the average static PC-12800 modules.

However, the standard operating mode at a frequency of 1600 MHz for these memory modules is far from the limit, and practically experiments with overclocking Kingston HyperX FURY completely prove this. Thus, in the hands of our editors, the tested modules were able to work immediately at a frequency of 2133 MHz without any problems. At the same time, the timings had to be increased in relation to the nominal ones not at all much - 11-11-11-35-1T.

In the synthetic Aida64 benchmark, performance has increased significantly compared to the standard 1600 MHz mode, and memory latency has also decreased significantly.

But this turned out to be far from the limit for Kingston HyperX FURY. Memory modules are overclocked even more, and the maximum frequency reached for them is 2400 MHz. The delays at this frequency were 12-12-12-44-1T.

This mode of operation allowed us to slightly increase memory performance while simultaneously reducing latency in the popular synthetic benchmark Aida64.

Analyzing the progress in the field of overclocking, it is worth saying that the tested Kingston HyperX FURY RAM is perfect for the 4th generation Intel Haswell platform. Good overclocking capabilities of Kingston HyperX FURY memory made it possible to increase the memory frequency from 1600 MHz to an impressive 2400 MHz. These advances, in turn, have a positive impact on overall system performance, reducing memory latency and increasing data processing speed.

Conclusion

Kingston HyperX FURY RAM is not just a godsend for an overclocker, but also a win-win option for those who appreciate the beautiful appearance of the system. New line Kingston HyperX FURY RAM offers users not only a variety of colors, but also the ability to choose the desired volume of modules or kits. On a positive note for Kingston HyperX FURY is also its price. Even at the start of sales for modules of this series, the manufacturer does not ask for large financial investments; prices for Kingston HyperX FURY memory modules are comparable to competing solutions from other companies. That is why, in the case of assembling a game home system Kingston HyperX FURY RAM can be recommended as the optimal purchase from the point of view of the totality of consumer qualities.

pros:

• reliable manufacturer;
• lifetime warranty;
• good performance;
• excellent overclocking potential;
• small height of modules;
• wide choice of color design for modules.

Minuses:

• The maximum volume of the Kingston HyperX FURY kit is only 16 GB.

Appreciating Kingston HyperX FURY HX316C10FBK2/16, our editors award the tested memory kit a gold rating.

The Kingston line of memory modules is presented in several series, which are distinguished not only by their stylish design, but also by their functional purpose. ValueRAM and Server Premier are high performance options for servers. For gaming platforms, we suggest choosing and buying Kingston HyperX Fury RAM with an asymmetric heatsink design or Savage in a compact form factor with an aluminum heatsink and high overclocking potential. HyperX Predator and HyperX Predator RGB with high frequency and low latency for better gaming results. Aggressive black design and high throughput leave no chance for competitors. From a wide variety of models, you can choose modules of the DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4 standard with capacities from 1 to 32 GB in sets of 1, 2 and 4 sticks. Choose your Kingston 1.2V, 1.35V, 1.5V or 1.8V, Dual-Way or Dual-Channel Chipset Memory, Overclocking RAM, Server or Gaming PC at a great price.

Kingston ValueRAM - high-performance memory modules for those who are looking for the optimal solution among standard memory. RAM in this series fully complies with JEDEC technical specifications, undergoes full testing of all components, and is designed for desktop computers and servers and comes in sets of 1, 2 and 4 sticks with capacities of 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB. Registered memory is represented by models standard DDR3 PC3-12800 1600 MHz, DDR4 PC4-17000 2133 MHz and DDR4 PC4-19200 2400 MHz, and for desktop PCs there is RAM standard DDR2 PC2-6400 800 MHz, DDR3 PC3-10600 1333 MHz and DDR3 PC 3 -12800 1600 MHz.

Kingston HyperX Fury - RAM for professionals, gamers and PC overclockers entry level. Memory modules of this series with an asymmetric design automatically recognize the platform and independently accelerate to the maximum available frequency, providing sufficient power. These modules support 1333 MHz, 1600 MHz, 1866 MHz, 2133 MHz, 2400 MHz and 2666 MHz frequencies and are available in black, blue, red and white with black designs. printed circuit board with a capacity of 4GB and 8GB in a set of 1, 2 and 4 strips. Choose suitable RAM standard DDR3 PC3-10600, DDR3 PC3-12800, DDR3 PC3-15000, DDR4 PC4-17000, DDR4 PC4-19200, DDR4 PC4-21300, including dual-sided, with XMP support and on-chip heatsinks.

Kingston HyperX Savage – stylish memory modules with an asymmetrical aluminum heatsink design. The RAM of this series with a black board is made in a compact form factor and has effective cooling, and XMP profiles are provided for the most efficient overclocking of the system. Select DDR3PC3-15000, DDR3PC3-17000 or DDR3PC3-12800 memory modules with a capacity of 4GB or 8GB in sets of 1, 2 or 4 sticks with support for frequencies of 1600 MHz, 1866 MHz or 2133 MHz.

Kingston HyperX Predator - RAM with an aggressive black design with an aluminum heatsink that provides effective cooling. High operating speed and low signal latency guarantee maximum performance, effective work in multitasking mode and high speed of the system as a whole. Memory modules of this series are available in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB in sets of 1, 2 and 4 sticks with support for frequencies of 2400 MHz, 3000 MHz, 3200 MHz and 3333 MHz. Choose DDR4 PC4-19200, DDR4 PC4-24000, DDR4 PC4-25600, or DDR4 PC4-26600 Predator Series RAM to give you a distinct advantage in any battle.

Kingston HyperX Predator RGB – DDR4 RAM with customizable RGB lighting that is easily synchronized using HyperX Infrared Sync technology. Modules of this series are available with a capacity of 8 GB, 1 or 2 modules per set, provide high system performance and give it a spectacular appearance. They operate at frequencies up to 3600 MHz and have a throughput of up to 28800 MB / s, and heatsinks on memory chips guarantee excellent cooling and stable operation even in aggressive conditions.

Kingston Server Premier is reliable Registered DDR4 server RAM that delivers outstanding performance. Double-sided memory modules with a supply voltage of 1.2 V and ECC support are available in capacities of 8 and 16 GB, operate at frequencies up to 2666 MHz and have a bandwidth of up to 21300 MB / s.

PrefaceKingston's position as a supplier of memory modules for high-performance personal computers has traditionally been very strong in the Russian market. Just a few years ago, modules sold under the Kingston-owned HyperX brand gained a reputation as almost a universal choice, which is recommended first when it comes to what memory should be chosen for a gaming or professional build. But recently, this rule has begun to fail, because enthusiasts have begun to accumulate well-founded complaints about the HyperX memory module lineup.

The fact is that after DDR4 SDRAM became mainstream, most major memory manufacturers were able to quickly increase the speed of their products for advanced users and enthusiasts. The frequencies of mass-produced DDR4 SDRAM kits crossed the 3 GHz mark, and overclocker DDR4 modules were able to move beyond the 4 GHz mark, and companies like ADATA, G.Skill or Corsair formed a wide range of new products on this wave. Kingston, for some reason, was marking time for a long time, which led to a serious lag in terms of modules offered top level speeds Of course, the number of buyers of modules of the DDR4-3200 class and above is not so large, and this is more of an elite than a mass product. But the lack of flagship solutions raises certain questions, because the fact that a company cannot offer premium-level products may indicate some serious problems in the development cycle.

However, Kingston did not plan to give up without a fight, and in March of this year decided to bring to the market an updated line of HyperX Fury DDR4 memory with corrected shortcomings and improved characteristics. From a positioning point of view, HyperX Fury memory modules are relatively inexpensive, high-speed memory that can be used by both high-performance enthusiasts and mass users. And Kingston significantly increased the speed of such modules, raising their frequencies to DDR4-3466, which at the same time did not affect their cost too much. As a result, the updated HyperX Fury range is back among the attractive offerings, at least in terms of price and performance.

Now the question is how users will react to the new wave of HyperX Fury modules. And the answer to this question is not so obvious at first glance. The fact is that, by raising the frequencies of its own DDR4 memory, Kingston significantly weakened its timings. It turns out that the new HyperX Fury DDR4 series memory, when compared with similar products from other manufacturers, offers almost the highest latencies in each class. And although we are used to the fact that timings have a subtle impact on performance, the difference between the typical CAS Latency of 14-16 and the CAS Latency offered by Kingston at 18-19 cycles may be too large to be noticeable.

In order to finally understand how attractive the new HyperX Fury kits, focused on working in DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3466 modes, can be in modern realities, we tested three variants of such memory.

About the Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 series

The HyperX Fury series of memory modules has been on the market for several years and is well known to consumers. DDR4 memory, part of this series, has been offered by Kingston since the beginning of 2015, and since then it has changed significantly, incorporating modules with numerous capacity and speed options. However, all HyperX Fury DDR4 modules, both those released three years ago and now, have the same set of basic features. First of all, this is the exterior and purpose. HyperX Fury DDR4 series memory is positioned as an inexpensive overclocking offer for users who do not overclock professionally. This is why the nominal frequencies of the products in this series are unlikely to impress sophisticated enthusiasts: this moment they are limited to 3466 MHz. Nevertheless, the modules included in the kits under the HyperX Fury DDR4 brand have a fairly impressive appearance and can fit well even into modding systems.

But special attention in this memory is paid to a completely different aspect - ease of configuration. HyperX Fury DDR4 supports Kingston's unique proprietary Plug and Play (PnP) technology, thanks to which the use of memory sticks in their passport mode does not require any parameter settings in the BIOS: the required frequencies and timings should be activated completely automatically. True, this technology has a number of limitations, and one of the most serious is that it only works on systems based on Intel processors.

Kingston's PnP implementation is based on careful SPD padding. Usually BIOS motherboards By default, they use parameters taken from SPD for memory, and to activate overclocking modes you need to either set the frequency and timings manually, or enable a suitable XMP profile (if available). However, with HyperX Fury DDR4, all this is not necessary. The frequency and delays of the passport overclocker mode are not only recorded in the XMP profile, but also programmed in the SPD. Therefore, if the parameters of the memory subsystem in Motherboard BIOS The boards are set to the Auto position, as is usually the case during the first startup or after resetting the CMOS, then the provided frequencies and delays are activated automatically, without the need to make any changes to the settings.

Despite the steps taken by the developers towards simplifying the use of HyperX Fury DDR4 modules, do not think that this is only an option for inexperienced users. This memory has all the features typical of high-quality overclocking DDR4 SDRAM models. It is equipped with aluminum radiators, and the heat removal plates covering both surfaces of the modules have a non-trivial asymmetrical shape, which gives them a slightly aggressive appearance. Their surface is generously decorated with small bulges and slits, plus on the front side there is the name FURY written in paint and a convex, shiny, sweeping HyperX logo. All this, in general, gives the HyperX Fury DDR4 memory the appearance of a high-quality and expensive product, which there is no shame in installing in a system in the upper price range.

It is worth noting that, in accordance with the wishes of users, HyperX Fury DDR4 memory is available in various color solutions. Radiators are painted not only black, but also red or white. This allows you to select memory modules for the system not only by characteristics, but also by appearance, which for some users can be quite important.
Along with the attractive aesthetic component of the radiators installed on the HyperX Fury DDR4, one more positive feature should be noted. They add only 3 mm to the standard module height, and the total vertical dimension of such assembled memory does not exceed 33 mm. This means that when purchasing a HyperX Fury DDR4 memory kit, you don’t have to worry about whether it will be possible to combine it in your computer with a massive processor cooling system. Including these memory sticks will certainly not conflict with coolers of the “two-section tower” type.

In its current form, the HyperX Fury DDR4 lineup consists of several kit options that can include 4, 8 or 16 GB sticks with frequencies from 2133 to 3466 MHz. For testing, we took three of the newest and fastest dual-channel kits with a total capacity of 16 and 32 GB.

It is worth noting that all HyperX Fury DDR4 kits are sold both as ready-made dual-channel kits, including two modules, and separately. In other words, the modules included in the sets we have indicated can be purchased one at a time, and there are no differences between the memory from the sets and the modules sold individually.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 8 GB Kit (HX432C18FB2K2/16)

The 16 GB dual-channel Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 memory kit with product code HX432C18FB2K2/16 consists of two 8 GB HX432C18FB2/8 modules. Accordingly, you can buy such a memory set in two ways - either as a set or in separate modules. In any case, the buyer will ultimately receive the same thing, the only difference is whether the two modules will be packaged in a single blister, or each in their own.

The kit consists of four DDR4 SDRAM modules with a capacity of 8 GB each;


Operating voltage – 1.2 V.
The modules themselves have a completely standard design. They are made on a printed circuit board designed by Kingston engineers with black textolite; the memory modules are based on Micron revision E chips, which are produced using a 16-nm process technology.

It is worth noting that previously HyperX Fury DDR4 modules used memory chips from SK Hynix, and this was one of the reasons why they did not receive high frequencies. Now, as we see, the situation has changed for the better and Kingston has switched to cooperation with Micron, which makes its modules similar to Crucial modules. However, as practice shows, higher overclocking results and better compatibility with various systems are provided by memory chips not from Micron, but from Samsung, which Kingston, for some unknown reason, diligently avoids.
HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 with a capacity of 8 GB each have a single-sided design and a peer-to-peer structure. They do not support temperature monitoring.
XMP modules are equipped with two ready-made profiles - for the DDR4-3200 frequency, which is considered standard for them, and for the DDR4-2933 frequency. Kingston explains the presence of the second profile by the requirements of compatibility with systems built on AMD processors.

The SPD content also deserves attention, thanks to which the HX432C18FB2/8 modules feature Kingston Plug and Play technology. The maximum mode described in the SPD completely replicates the first XMP profile, and thanks to this, when installing such memory in a compatible system, the DDR4-3200 mode with timings 18-21-21-39 is immediately activated, even without activating XMP in the BIOS.
Frankly speaking, the HyperX Fury DDR4-3200's specification timing scheme is weak even by DDR4 standards. For comparison, Corsair Vengeance LPX modules with similar characteristics and price will, in the worst case, use a 16-18-18-36 delay scheme. But to operate the described HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 memory at the target frequency, no voltage increase is required. It can operate stably at the 1.2 V voltage standardized for DDR4, which is also reflected in the XMP profiles, which do not increase the DRAM voltage when activated. This is quite rare for high-speed memory a feature that allows HyperX Fury DDR4 to operate without any noticeable heat.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 16 GB kit (HX432C18FBK2/32)

Like the 16 GB DDR4-3200 HyperX Fury kit described above, the 32 GB kit with the same frequency also consists of two modules, which can be purchased separately or together. The article number of the kit is HX432C18FBK2/32, individual modules and its components are HX432C18FB/16. The delivery is standard, the modules are packed in blisters, only a small instruction and an advertising sticker are included with them.

The specifications for this kit are as follows:

Nominal frequency – 3200 MHz;
The nominal timing scheme is 18-21-21-?;
Operating voltage – 1.2 V.
In appearance, modules with a capacity of 16 GB are no different (except for a sticker with markings) from 8 GB DDR4-3200 strips. There are no differences in the element base - 16-nm E-die chips produced by Micron are also used here.

It must be said that the commonality in the element base of the HX432C18FB/16 and HX432C18FB2/8 modules, despite the twofold difference in capacity, is mirror-like. In other words, the chips used here and there are absolutely identical. This determines the differences in design: 16 GB modules are double-sided and dual-rank. Let us remember that dual-rank memory usually provides slightly higher performance, but is often more capricious in overclocking.
Considering that each HX432C18FB/16 module structurally corresponds to a pair of HX432C18FB2/8 modules, it is quite logical that there is no temperature monitoring in the 16 GB DDR4-3200 sticks.
The contents of the XMP profiles are no different for the 8GB and 16GB DDR4-3200 HyperX Fury modules. Not only the primary, but also the secondary timings are the same in both profiles: the main one at the DDR4-3200 frequency and the secondary one at the DDR4-2933 frequency.

Kingston Plug and Play technology also works here, so it is not surprising that the SPD defines the same DDR4-3200 mode as the XMP.
Everything that was said about the timings chosen for the 16 GB HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 kit is also true for the 32 GB kit. The latencies are weak, but such memory works without increasing the voltage - at 1.2 V. This gives hope that Kingston leaves users with untapped overclocking potential, but such a hypothesis needs to be tested in practice.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3466 2 x 16 GB kit (HX434C19FBK2/32)

The HX434C19FBK2/32 dual memory kit is the flagship offering in Kingston's HyperX Fury DDR4 series, clocked at 3466 MHz. This set consists of two models with article number HX434C19FB/16, which are faster than in this model range there is nothing. However, the flagship status is not particularly emphasized. The packaging is completely ordinary, as is the delivery set.

The specifications for this kit are as follows:
The kit consists of four DDR4 SDRAM modules with a capacity of 16 GB each;
Nominal frequency – 3466 MHz;
The nominal timing scheme is 19-23-23-?;
Operating voltage – 1.2 V.
The appearance of the modules in question is the same as that of the slower options. The only difference can be seen in the markings on the sticker.

The similarity with other kits concerns not only the appearance. It also extends to the hardware. Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3466 memory sticks with a capacity of 16 GB use exactly the same printed circuit board as DDR4-3200 of the same capacity, which houses exactly the same Micron chips based on 16-nm E-die crystals. In other words, the behavior of the flagship HyperX Fury DDR4 kit will be similar to slower memory and there is nothing surprising in this.

The modules included in the HX434C19FBK2/32 kit have a dual-rank architecture. They do not have a temperature sensor, as in other representatives of the HyperX Fury DDR4 line.
The XMP of the HyperX Fury DDR4-3466 kit contains two profiles. The second profile is absolutely the same as that of the kit with a frequency of 3200 MHz. It describes the DDR4-2933 mode with timings of 17-19-19-39. The first profile contains information about the most important DDR4-3466 mode, the operation of which is guaranteed at unprecedentedly high latencies of 19-23-23-42. Until now, such delays could only be found in DDR4-4333 memory, and there it was forgivable. But the HyperX Fury DDR4 series memory with frequencies above 2666 MHz is for some reason not optimized in terms of latency, and also uses the same timing schemes.

Not only XMP, but also the contents of the SPD chip are effectively used in Kingston HX434C19FB/16 memory modules. The settings of the first XMP profile are duplicated here, which ensures the functionality of these modules in passport mode without any preliminary configuration. This is a manifestation of Kingston's exclusive Plug and Play technology.
The ability of HyperX Fury DDR4 modules to operate at high frequencies in automatic mode This is largely due to the fact that they use the standard 1.2V voltage defined by JEDEC specifications. The same applies to the HX434C19FBK2/32 kit. It is worth emphasizing that DDR4-3466 modules operating at 1.2 V are quite rare. Therefore, speaking about HyperX Fury DDR4-3466, one cannot help but pay tribute to Kingston’s chip selection system, which allows you to find memory chips in large quantities that support high frequencies at low voltages.

Description of test systems

With the exit AMD processors Ryzen approaches to memory testing had to be changed. The DDR4 SDRAM controller integrated into these processors is significantly different from Intel's, so the same memory works completely differently in systems based on Intel and AMD processors. That is why the tests in this case were carried out in two systems simultaneously.
Accordingly, the list of equipment involved in testing has become much longer than it was before:
Processors:
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (Pinnacle Ridge, 8 cores + SMT, 3.7-4.3 GHz, 16 MB L3);
Intel Core i7-8700K ( Coffee Lake, 6 cores + HT, 3.7-4.7 GHz, 12 MB L3).
CPU cooler: Noctua NH-U14S.
Motherboards:
ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate (Socket AM4, AMD X470);
ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero (LGA1151 v2, Intel Z370).
Memory:
Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 8 GB (HX432C18FB2K2/16);
Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 16 GB (HX432C18FBK2/32);
Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3466 2 x 16 GB (HX434C19FBK2/32).
Video card: NVIDIA Titan X (GP102, 12 GB/384-bit GDDR5X, 1417-1531/10000 MHz).
Disk subsystem: Samsung 960 PRO 2TB (MZ-V6P2T0BW).
Power supply: Corsair RM850i ​​(80 Plus Gold, 850 W).

Testing was performed in the operating room Microsoft system Windows 10 Enterprise Build 15063 using the following driver set:
AMD Chipset Driver 18.10;
Intel Chipset Driver 10.1.1.45;
Intel Management Engine Interface Driver 11.7.0.1017;
NVIDIA GeForce 391.35 Driver.

Overclocking test results

The main characteristic of modern memory kits that has a primary impact on platform performance is their operating frequency. Therefore, the ability to increase it above the standard values ​​is an important feature of overclocking kits, allowing for an additional increase in performance.
Practical testing of the kit for overclocking the memory studied in the review was carried out according to the following scheme:
The DDR4 SDRAM supply voltage was increased to 1.35 V - it is considered safe for long-term use. It usually does not degrade either the processor memory controller or the modules themselves.
A “weak” delay scheme of 20-24-24-44 was installed, at which the maximum frequency of stable operation of memory modules was determined.
With the maximum DDR4 SDRAM frequency set, a search was made for the most aggressive timing scheme, at which the modules retain the ability to operate stable.
The stability of the memory subsystem was checked using the Prime95 utility version 29.10 in the “Custom” mode with manual indication of the available amount of free memory. The final results were additionally verified by two-hour testing in Prime95, as well as by the MemTest 2.5 utility, several copies of which were run in parallel on all logical cores of the processor.
The tests were carried out on two platforms: based on an Intel processor from the Coffee Lake family and on a system with an AMD Ryzen processor.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 8 GB (HX432C18FB2K2/16)

First of all, we checked how Kingston Plug and Play technology works and what memory settings are selected by default. In the platform based on the Core i7-8700K processor, this really did not pose any problems.

The system automatically configured the memory in DDR4-3200 mode with timings 18-21-21-39, which is its nominal mode. Please note that the Command Rate delay is set to 2T, which usually does not have the best effect on performance.

However, improve timings manual setting It turned out to be not so simple. The HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 8 GB kit does not work with Command Rate 1T, but the remaining latencies in DDR4-3200 mode could only be improved to 16-20-20-38.

This gives only a 4% reduction in practical latency.

In a system based on the Ryzen 7 2700X processor, Kingston Plug and Play technology turned out to be only partially functional. With default settings, the memory starts only in DDR4-2933 mode with timings of 18-20-20-36.

But if you try the settings for the DDR4-3200 mode manually, you can get the HX432C18FB2K2/16 kit to work with slightly better timings than the specification promises. The modules take the mode 18-19-19-38 at Command Rate 1T.

However, due to high latencies, the performance of the memory subsystem is relatively low. Memory sticks on Samsung chips can often work in Socket AM4 systems with latencies of 14-14-14-34, but you shouldn’t expect such agility from Kingston modules, which are based on Micron chips.

But the HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 8 GB kit is overclocked. In a system based on the Core i7-8700K processor, we were able to achieve DDR4-3700 frequency with it when choosing a delay scheme of 18-23-23-43-2T.

But practical latency, as follows from the results of the AIDA64 test, is still worse than that of the original mode. True, a solid win is achieved in bandwidth.

As it turns out, the HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 8 GB kit is capable of operating at frequencies higher than the nominal frequency in a system based on the Ryzen 7 2700X processor. Of course, you can’t dream of any 3700 MHz here, but the DDR4-3466 mode with a timing scheme of 18-21-21-40-1T is quite possible.

And in this case, this is beneficial not only from the point of view of reducing practical latency, but also brings benefits in practical throughput.

The overall verdict is this: the HX432C18FB2K2/16 memory kit offers high latency and is not based on the most fashionable Samsung chips, but if you can put up with the high latency, it can be considered a good option for overclocking. For example, in Intel systems the frequency can be raised by 15 percent above the nominal value.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 2 x 16 GB (HX432C18FBK2/32)

The modules included in the HX432C18FBK2/32 kit are almost the same as those in the HX432C18FBK2/16 kit, but use twice the number of chips. This, naturally, affects both overclocking and performance. But Kingston Plug and Play technology works the same in both cases.
In a system based on an Intel processor, the HX432C18FBK2/32 kit runs at DDR4-3200 with timings of 18-21-21-39-2T, as prescribed by the specification.

However, while the clocks and latency are the same as the equivalent 16GB kit, the performance of the 32GB kit is different. Bandwidths are higher, but practical latency is worse. The reason is that the 16 GB modules have a dual-rank architecture.

The timings of the HX432C18FBK2/32 kit are not very successful. Even by increasing the supply voltage to 1.35 V, the delays were reduced only to 16-20-20-38-2T.

In terms of performance, this allows you to reduce the practical latency of a 32 GB kit to the practical latency of a 16 GB kit when used in nominal mode.

When using this set of memory sticks in a system with an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X processor, Kingston Plug and Play technology does not work. Without any prior BIOS settings The motherboard memory starts in DDR4-2933 mode with latencies of 18-20-20-36-1T.

If you select the DDR4-3200 mode manually, the memory does not lose performance, despite the fact that Ryzen processors do not “digest” dual-rank modules well. And even more than that, at the same time you can use better timings than specified in the specifications. For HX432C18FBK2/32 memory in the Socket AM4 platform, the 18-20-20-39-1T delay scheme is quite suitable.

The timings, of course, are high, but there’s nothing to be done - the chips chosen by Kingston don’t know any other way.

It is logical to at least try to overclock memory that operates with high latency. However, the HX432C18FBK2/32 module set cannot produce results as good as the HX432C18FB2K2/16 kit. In a system based on a Core i7-8700K processor, we were only able to get the maximum frequency of DDR4-3333 with timings of 16-21-21-42-2T.

In terms of performance, as the test shows, this is almost better than that mode, which was available in the DDR4-3200 state.

But in a system based on the Ryzen 7 2700X processor, the situation turned out to be a little better. In such a platform, 16 GB HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 modules were able to work in the higher speed DDR4-3466 mode with timings of 18-23-23-42-1T.

This mode is obviously more productive than what can be achieved at a nominal frequency of 3200 MHz. Testing shows a 4 percent advantage in practical latency.

In general, the HX432C18FBK2/32 kit is somewhat worse in terms of speed characteristics than its analogue made up of 8 GB modules. He takes more low frequencies during overclocking, and requires the use of relaxed timings. However, do not forget that we are talking about 16 GB modules. And in any case, such modules are inferior to 8 GB ones due to their dual-rank architecture.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-3466 2 x 16 GB (HX434C19FBK2/32)

The HX434C19FBK2/32 memory kit is designed in exactly the same way as the HX432C18FBK2/32 discussed above, the only difference is that for the faster kit the manufacturer selects higher quality memory chips. However, we should not forget about the differences in the software level. In this case, Kingston Plug and Play technology should run the memory at 3466 MHz.
And on a system based on a Core i7 -8700K processor, it really does this. Without any settings for the memory, the DDR4-3466 frequency is turned on and the delay scheme is set to 19-23-23-42-2T.

Please note that the nominal timings and DDR4-3466 memory are noticeably worse than those of slower kits. But increasing frequency still affects performance. According to practical test The HX434C19FBK2/32 kit offers both lower latency and higher throughput for a variety of operations.

In addition, HX434C19FBK2/32 modules do not have to be operated with CAS Latency 19, as the specification suggests. Timings can be easily reduced to 16-21-21-40-2T.

At the same time, performance will increase a little more, and the advantage over DDR4-3200 kits will become undeniable.

But the situation in a system built on a processor AMD latest generation looks completely different. To begin with, Kingston Plug and Play technology does not work in this case. Without configuration, the modules run only in DDR4-2933 mode with timings of 18-20-20-36-1T. That is, exactly at the same frequency and with the same timings as the HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 kits.

At the same time, if you manually configure the memory subsystem in the BIOS, you can not only switch to the nominal frequency of DDR4-3466, but also achieve stability with a delay scheme of 18-21-21-42-1T.

The performance is clearly better than that provided by the HyperX Fury DDR4-3200 kits.

The situation with overclocking is twofold. On the one hand, in the Intel system the HX434C19FBK2/32 kit is overclocked quite a bit - only to DDR4-3500 with timings of 17-22-22-42-2T.

The performance gain compared to running in the DDR4-3466 state is almost unnoticeable, and practical latency generally becomes worse.

On the other hand, when overclocked in a system based on the Ryzen 7 2700X processor, the HX434C19FBK2/32 memory modules perform unexpectedly well. The kit turns out to be capable of operating in DDR4-3600 state, which looks kind of fantastic for dual-rank strips. However, you need to take into account that the timings have to be adjusted to the depressive scheme 18-23-23-42-2T.

Performance in this state, however, turns out to be disproportionate to the frequency of the modules. Better memory latency can be achieved even when using DDR4-3200 memory with low timings.

Ultimately, the HX434C19FBK2/32 kit turns out to be the fastest representative of the HyperX Fury DDR4 series, not only in terms of formal characteristics, but also in terms of overclocking results. But you need to keep in mind that this does not save it from the shortcomings of its brothers: the timings offered by this kit seem clearly overpriced compared to the offers of competitors.

Performance

In order to illustrate the effect of overclocking the tested memory kits and compare their performance in practice, we conducted several tests of the reviewed products of the HyperX Fury DDR4 lineup. As noted, almost every other DDR4 SDRAM offers lower latencies compared to HyperX Fury DDR4, but is this really critical to performance? Testing was carried out using synthetic benchmarks AIDA64 Cachemem and SiSoftware Sandra Memory Benchmark. Performance indicators for each set of memory modules were measured in two states: in nominal mode and at maximum frequency overclocking. Experiments were conducted on both test platforms participating in the tests: processor-based Intel Coffee Lake and AMD Ryzen 7 processor.

The situation with productivity is ambiguous. IN Intel platform HyperX Fury DDR4 memory is not very impressive. High delays and the use of Command Rate 2T mean that it will not provide any record latency indicators. Therefore, when placing a bet on HyperX Fury DDR4 kits, you must be aware that this offer is far from best option in terms of performance. However, to be fair, it should be said that the throughput of dual-rank Kingston modules with a capacity of 16 GB each looks quite at the level, and only the HX432C18FBK2/16 kit raises obvious complaints.
The situation is better with the operation of HyperX Fury DDR4 modules in a system built on an AMD processor. Here these modules show good results in terms of throughput both at nominal and when overclocked. The latency is also somewhat lame, but overclocking the frequency allows you to eliminate the loss. In other words, weak timings of HyperX Fury DDR4 kits on an AMD system have a much less negative impact than on an Intel system.
At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind that the relatively high timings that HyperX modules are characterized by are not a big problem. In real applications, especially gaming ones, performance is primarily affected by the memory frequency, and with it the kits under consideration are more than fine. In addition, as was shown in the tests, owners of the reviewed Kingston modules always have the opportunity to improve their delays and increase the frequency through overclocking, that is, to significantly improve their real characteristics. The margin in operating parameters that is built into HyperX kits will certainly make it possible to compensate for their lag in latency compared to kits from other manufacturers.

conclusions

Kingston has not increased the frequencies of its memory modules designed for advanced users for a long time desktop systems top level. But finally, this moment has come. The new modules of the HyperX Fury DDR4 series have received frequencies increased to 3200-3466 MHz, which allow them to be installed in high-performance systems based on AMD and Intel processors. And this is definitely good news.

Memory offered by Kingston has always been different good quality and attractive appearance, and in addition offered various additional benefits. Nothing has changed even now. For example, in the case of the considered DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3466 kits, there are two key advantages. Firstly, it is operable at a voltage of 1.2 V, which translates into full compliance with the JEDEC standard and low heat dissipation. And secondly, it supports Kingston Plug and Play technology, eliminating the need for any memory settings in the BIOS in systems based on Intel processors.

However, before recommending the new Kingston modules, we need to talk about their shortcomings. The most important thing is the high latencies, in which this memory lags behind products offered by other manufacturers. And as tests show, this really has a negative impact on performance, especially on systems built on Intel processors. However, this disadvantage cannot always be considered significant. The impact of memory on overall system performance is not very noticeable in most cases. Especially if we are talking about a working and not a gaming configuration. Therefore, the situation with HyperX Fury DDR4 timings will not worry everyone, but only those who are especially zealous about optimizing their system.

Ultimately, the HX434C19FBK2/32, HX432C18FBK2/32 and HX432C18FB2K2/16 sets are quite good DDR4 SDRAM, worthy of installation in modern systems. Yes, it cannot be classified as a premium option for overclockers and radical enthusiasts, but it does not pretend to be this role. The cost of HyperX Fury DDR4 modules is quite affordable, and this is their main value. Kingston knows how to position its products correctly, and therefore the HyperX Fury series, after the recent replenishment, will certainly continue to remain in demand and popular.

Although DDR4 memory is on the way, ordinary users are unlikely to be able to immediately switch to the new standard. There are several reasons for this, the most important of which is the high cost of upgrading a PC. Due to this state of affairs, DDR3 memory will not fade into the background so quickly, and it is too early to write it off.

Many manufacturers share the same opinion and continue to saturate the market with DDR3 standard solutions. Most recently I distinguished myself in this regard Kingston company, announcing a new series called Kingston HyperX FURY. It is designed for a mass audience and should replace the Kingston HyperX Blu line on store shelves. The new series includes kits with a frequency of 1333 / 1600 / 1866 MHz and a capacity of 4 / 8 / 16 GB. In addition, you can choose from one of four radiator color options: black, blue, red and white. Memory can be purchased both in the form of individual modules with a capacity of 4 or 8 GB, and in sets of two pieces. There is no word yet on their cost, but, as in the case of the Kingston HyperX Blu line, Kingston also promises to pursue a very aggressive pricing policy.

Meet with new series We will use the Kingston HyperX FURY as an example of the flagship 16 GB memory kit.

Specification:

Manufacturer and model	Kingston HyperX FURY DDR3-1866
Module marking	HX318C10FBK2/16
Memory type
Guaranteed effective operating mode (real frequency, MHz)
Form factor	240-pin DIMMs
Number of modules in a set
Memory capacity of each module, GB
	DDR3-933 10-11-10-30
Rated supply voltage, V
Normal operating modes	DDR3-933 13-11-10-30 DDR3-933 11-11-10-30 DDR3-800 9-10-9-26 DDR3-667 8-8-8-22 DDR3-533 7-7-6-18 DDR3-533 6-7-6-18 DDR3-400 5-5-5-13
Extended XMP Profiles	DDR3-933 10-11-10-30
Extended EPP Profiles
Air temperature during operation, °C
Products webpage

Packaging and appearance of modules

The DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 kit consists of two modules, which are supplied in a plastic package with a transparent top cover. She provides reliable protection memory strips during transportation from mechanical damage and breakdown of static electricity. On top of the box you can find a special tape with brief information about the memory kit and warranty conditions.

Inside the package, in addition to the modules themselves, there is also a manual for their installation and a sticker with the Kingston HyperX series logo.

The first thing that catches your eye when looking at the Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 DDR3-1866 strips is the updated radiator. The previous Kingston HyperX Blu series used two regular aluminum plates glued to the memory chips. Here the cooling system has a more complex configuration with a set of slots to improve convection and more quickly remove heat from the chips. Note that the modules themselves have not increased much in size. The upper edge of the radiator protrudes above the textolite by only a few millimeters. Therefore, memory from the Kingston HyperX FURY line will be compatible with most processor coolers on the market today.

As practice has shown, the cooling system installed here copes with its task perfectly. When testing the kit under continuous load, the temperature of the modules was only 39°C, while for its competitors operating at the same speed, it was usually 5-10°C higher.

Just in case, we note that according to the specification, the maximum air temperature at which the DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 set is allowed to operate is 85°C.

The strips themselves are made of black PCB, with 8 memory chips attached to both sides. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to remove the cooling system in order to study the configuration of the Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 DDR3-1866 modules in more detail. We can only report that they use memory chips manufactured by SK Hynix, which are famous for their good quality and high overclocking potential. We will definitely check the last statement a little later during testing.

The sticker found on the memory modules contains minimal information. Only the marking (HX318C10FBK2/16), the number of strips in the set (2) and the rated supply voltage (1.5 V) are indicated. If you wish, you can visit the official page at this link, which provides a breakdown of the markings of Kingston RAM modules.

More complete technical information can be obtained using special utilities. We refused to use the popular programs AIDA64 and CPU-Z, since they interpret information from SPD using the old algorithm and are not always correct. To avoid possible inaccuracies, it was decided to use the Thaiphoon Burner utility, developed specifically for diagnosing memory modules. Below is a full report on technical specifications modules from the Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 DDR3-1866 memory kit.

We would like to pay special attention to the operating supply voltage. Here it is 1.5 V, that is, the same as for conventional DDR3-1333 MHz modules. Very often, for frequencies above 1600 MHz, it is necessary to increase the supply voltage in order to achieve stable operation of the entire system. As you can see, the use of higher quality memory chips on DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 modules made it possible to abandon this procedure.

This kit supports PnP (Plug and Play) technology, so after assembling the computer you do not have to go to the BIOS menu and set the memory frequency settings and timings manually. The system will do all this automatically, and the most optimal option will be selected.

I would also like to note that the DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 set is compatible not only with modern platforms, but also with those released several years ago, in particular, with Socket LGA1155 and Socket FM2. In this case, the chipset level on the motherboard does not play a special role.

Before we move on directly to testing, we need to clarify one more detail that concerns not only this kit, but the entire Kingston HyperX FURY series as a whole. Many resources, when printing a note about the announcement of a new line of memory, mentioned a certain automatic overclocking function, without really delving into its features. This gave rise to a lot of speculation and controversy among readers. So, let’s say right away that it has nothing to do with the similar function of automatic (dynamic) overclocking of a processor or GPU (when, during heavy load, their frequency and voltage increase, and in the absence of it, on the contrary, they decrease). In Kingston HyperX FURY memory sets it is simply a combination of two technologies: the PnP described above and Intel XMP. That is, if the level of the motherboard allows it, the XMP profile (DDR3-1866 10-11-10-30) is automatically loaded. Otherwise, the system uses one of the other modes recorded in the SPD memory (a table of all possible modes is presented above in the Thaiphoon Burner program report).

Testing

To conduct tests, we used the following bench configuration:

CPU	Intel Core i7-3770K (3.5 GHz, 8 MB L3, LGA1155)
motherboards	ASUS P8Z77-V PRO/THUNDERBOLT ASUS Z87-K (to check overclocking potential)
	Thermalright SI-128 (LGA775) + VIZO Starlet UVLED120 (62.7 CFM, 31.1 dB)
Video card	ZOTAC GeForce GTX 480 AMP! (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480, 1.5 GB GDDR5, PCIe 2.0)
HDD	Hitachi Deskstar HDS721616PLA380 (160 GB, 16 MB, SATA-300)
Optical drive	ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA
power unit	Seasonic M12II-500 (SS-500GM), 120 mm fan

The testing opponent was a 16 GB memory kit (2 x 8 GB). Both kits were tested in the following operating modes:

	Operating speed, MHz	Set of delays
Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16
G.Skill TridentX F3-2400C10D-16GTX

Analysis of the obtained graphs showed that changing the RAM parameters affects the performance of the proposed system. The AIDA64 benchmark clearly demonstrates that as the speed of modules increases, the speed of copying/writing/reading from memory increases significantly. When moving from a frequency of 1600 MHz to 1866 MHz, these figures increased by 15-16%, and compared to a speed of 1333 MHz, the increase was already approximately 36-38%. As you can see, the difference is quite significant. True, results in “synthetics” are one thing, but in real applications they are completely different. However, they also experience an increase in performance after increasing the speed of the RAM subsystem - on average by 3-10%.

As for comparing the DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 with its opponent, the latter showed slightly better performance at the same speed. This is explained by the fact that the DDR3-2400 DDR3-2400 G.Skill TridentX F3-2400C10D-16GTX memory is an overclocker kit and can operate at the same frequency with lower timings. While the DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 kit is aimed at a mass audience and costs much less.

Overclocking

However, if the memory is not positioned as overclocking, this does not mean that it is not such. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

The DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 set was easily accelerated from 1866 to 2400 MHz, which corresponds to an increase of 28.6% compared to the nominal frequency. At the same time, the supply voltage on the modules was increased to 1.65 V, and the timings had to be increased to 12-13-13-36 to ensure stable operation of the PC.

Such manipulations with memory parameters affected the system performance as follows:

Test package		In nominal mode (DDR3-1866 10-11-10-30)	After overclocking (DDR3-2400 12-13-13-36)	Difference, %
7Zip, Speed, KB/s
WinRAR, Speed, KB/s
AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark
Aliens vs. Predator DX11 Benchmark, Maximum Quality, AA4x/AF16x, fps	1280x800, NO AA/AF
	1920x1200, NO AA/AF
Far Cry 2, DirectX 10, Ultra Quality, AA4x/AF16x, fps	1280x800,AA4x/AF16x
	1920x1200,AA4x/AF16x
World in Conflict, Maximum Quality, fps	1280x800, NO AA/AF
	1920x1200, NO AA/AF
Average productivity increase, %

The average performance increase was 4.67%, which is a good result for RAM. Of course, in everyday programs or games (on a PC with a discrete video card), such an increase will not be noticeable to the eye, but in “heavy” professional applications (CAD, systems for complex mathematical calculations, etc.) it may have a more significant impact on them performance.

As for overclocking disciplines, here too the difference in performance is more than significant.

Frequency 1866 MHz, delays - 10-11-10-30

Frequency - 2400 MHz, delays - 12-13-13-36

Above are the results of the SuperPi (32M) benchmark, taken before and after overclocking the RAM. As you can see, the difference in the test completion time was slightly more than 7 seconds.

An equally important factor is the temperature of memory modules after optimizing their parameters. During the experiment, they heated up to 40.5°C, that is, the temperature increased by only 1.5°C compared to the nominal operating mode. Thus, we are once again convinced of the excellent efficiency of the cooling system installed here.

conclusions

New line of RAM Kingston HyperX FURY turned out to be quite interesting. In our opinion, in the near future it has every chance of gaining great popularity in budget segment. The flagship 16 GB set clearly demonstrates how this can be achieved.

First of all, the nominal characteristics attract attention: the operating speed is 1866 MHz at a voltage of 1.5 V, which provides a good basis for overclocking these modules. And the use of high-quality memory chips from SK Hynix allows you to fully implement it. For example, we were able to overclock the DDR3-1866 Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 kit from the nominal 1866 MHz to 2400 MHz without any problems.

One more important point is the presence of a sufficiently efficient cooling system. It can be useful if you are building a compact PC or using a case with poor air circulation.

We should not forget about the support for PnP technology, which will automatically select the speed indicators of memory modules to achieve the optimal level of performance in any system. That is, the user only needs to connect them to the motherboard, and the system will configure their optimal operation independently.

And finally, Kingston promises us a very attractive price, which, taking into account all of the above, can be achieved by the Kingston HyperX FURY HX318C10FBK2/16 DDR3-1866 memory kit best buy from the point of view of the price/features indicator.

In recent months, we have witnessed a serious decline in prices for computer memory. Globally, this process was influenced by quite ordinary market factors: weak demand and excess supply. However, if you pay attention to the cost of individual types of memory, you can see another trend: new DDR4 SDRAM loses price much faster than old DDR3 SDRAM. In fact, today DDR4 SDRAM modules can be purchased cheaper than similar-sized DDR3 modules cost a year ago (we are, of course, talking about dollar prices). And this is not surprising: DDR4 SDRAM technology is gradually gaining popularity, and as the demand for such memory grows, manufacturers are increasing its production volumes, beginning to compete more actively with each other and, as a result, reducing the premium “for novelty”.

Next year, this trend will remain in force and DDR4 will become increasingly cheaper, gradually approaching the cost of DDR3 SDRAM. It is predicted that the cost of these two types of memory should be equal by the fourth quarter of 2016, and there are all the prerequisites for this. Memory chip manufacturers are gradually increasing 20nm production volumes, and platforms with DDR4 support (today LGA2011-v3 and LGA1151) are becoming more widespread. In addition, the release of the promising AMD AM4 platform is also planned for next year, which is likely to spur additional demand for DDR4 SDRAM modules.

In other words, DDR4 is gradually ceasing to be something completely new and rare and becoming completely mass memory. According to estimates, the turning point should occur in the second quarter of next year, when DDR4 will finally become the dominant type of SDRAM in the personal computer market.

Module manufacturers are also reacting to changes in the structure of the RAM market. First of all, this is expressed in the fact that leading suppliers of memory sticks have begun to pay increased attention to more mass-produced DDR4 SDRAM kits, which are clearly becoming more popular than expensive overclocking modules with record-breaking characteristics and a high price. Moreover, on store shelves today you can even find “nameless” DDR4 modules, the appearance of which indicates that the market for such memory has already outlived childhood and has reached a certain maturity.

However, the acquisition for a modern personal computer The cheapest DDR4 SDRAM modules can hardly be considered a reasonable solution: as a rule, such a choice results in worse performance, low overclocking potential and low reliability. Inexpensive branded DDR4 SDRAM kits look much more interesting today. Yes, this option is a little more expensive, but with such memory you certainly don’t have to worry about problems, and, in addition, entry-level memory kits from manufacturers such as G.Skill, Corsair, Kingston, etc., are often able to conquer operating modes that are noticeably beyond beyond the boundaries defined by specifications. And this is in fact far from accidental, but is the result of unification, within which even inexpensive memory sticks from leading manufacturers often use the same chips as in flagship overclocking kits.

We are going to see all this with our own eyes as part of this review. Kingston provided us with its HyperX DDR4 SDRAM kit from the Fury series, which is at the lowest level in the model range of this company. However, this does not prevent the manufacturer from classifying these modules as full-fledged solutions for enthusiasts and promising “high speed work with Intel 100 and X99 chipsets.”

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 HX426C15FBK2/16: detailed introduction

The main character of today's review is a set of Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 memory modules with article number HX426C15FBK2/16. This is a fairly inexpensive dual-channel set of a pair of DDR4-2666 SDRAM modules with a total capacity of 16 GB.

It should be noted right away that this is not the first time we have encountered Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 memory. About six months ago, we already had the opportunity to test a couple of kits from this series, intended for use as part of the LGA2011-v3 platform. And then the HyperX Fury DDR4 series modules left a very favorable impression with their thoughtful combination of characteristics and available overclocking potential. However, a lot of time has passed since then, during which Skylake processors and a second platform capable of working with DDR4 SDRAM, LGA1151, appeared on the market. In this regard, Kingston decided to update and supplement the HyperX Fury DDR4 memory series, and the kit that we received for testing now is just one of the second generation products.

The key property of the new DDR4 sets in the Fury series is that they now consist not of four, but of a pair of modules that are optimized for systems based on Intel chipset Z170. That is, this update is clearly tied to the release of sixth generation Intel Core processors. Otherwise, no fundamental changes have occurred - the new HyperX Fury DDR4 kits, like their predecessors, are positioned as an inexpensive offer for users who would like to have a headroom for memory overclocking, but are not involved in overclocking professionally. Therefore, the nominal frequencies of the products in this series are unlikely to impress sophisticated enthusiasts: they are limited to 2666 MHz, which is quite modest by modern standards.

The HX426C15FBK2/16 kit we are considering in this review is the senior offering in the second generation HyperX Fury DDR4 series. Nevertheless, it is completely incapable of intimidating with price: compared to DDR4-2133 kits of similar capacity, the HX426C15FBK2/16 kit is only 10-15 percent more expensive.

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 modules designed for LGA1151 systems have retained their main and unique property - ease of configuration. They use proprietary Kingston Plug and Play (PnP) technology, thanks to which the use of memory sticks in their passport mode does not require any adjustment of parameters in the motherboard BIOS: the required frequencies and timings should be activated completely automatically.

However, you should not think that HyperX Fury DDR4 is an option for ordinary users, which is not able to interest enthusiasts. The modules are covered with rather complex-shaped black aluminum radiators, which give them a rather aggressive appearance. The surface of the radiators is generously decorated with small bulges and slits, plus on the front side there is the name FURY written in white paint and a convex, shiny, sweeping HyperX logo. All this as a whole gives the kit in question the appearance of a high-quality and expensive product, which there is no shame in installing in a system in the upper price range.

Along with the attractive aesthetic component of the radiators installed on the HyperX Fury DDR4, one more positive feature should be noted. They add only 3 mm to the standard module height, and in the end it does not exceed 34 mm. This is very important for those cases when the system plans to use a massive processor cooler in the “two-section tower” format. Modules with large radiators make it difficult to install such supercoolers, but with HyperX Fury DDR4 there will most likely be no such collisions.

As mentioned above, the set consists of two 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM sticks, oriented at a frequency of 2666 MHz. The declared timing formula at this frequency is 15-17-17-35. Moreover, according to the specifications, operation of the modules in DDR4-2666 mode does not require increasing the supply voltage above the standardized value for DDR4 of 1.2 V, which gives hope for significant untapped overclocking potential. To simplify memory configuration in normal mode, the kit supports XMP 2.0 profiles, the contents of which are presented in the following screenshot.

However, when assembling the system, you don’t have to use XMP 2.0 profiles. As mentioned above, all HyperX Fury DDR4 memory supports Kingston PnP technology, which allows you to get a correctly configured memory subsystem right out of the box, without the need to change anything in BIOS Setup. This works thanks to carefully thought out filling out the SPD. Typically, motherboards by default select parameters for memory taken from SPD, and to activate overclocking modes you need to either set the frequency and timings manually, or enable a suitable XMP profile (if available). However, in HyperX Fury DDR4, the frequency and delays of the passport overclocker mode are not only recorded in XMP, but also duplicated in SPD. Therefore, if the parameters of the memory subsystem in the motherboard BIOS are set to Auto, as is usually the case by default, then the required frequency and delays are activated by themselves.

It should be added here that the SPD contains not only the DDR4-2666 mode indicated in the specifications, but also two slower modes DDR4-2400 and DDR4-2133. This was done so that the HX426C15FBK2/16 modules can work correctly in systems where there are restrictions on the maximum memory speed, for example, in LGA1151 boards with low-end 100 series chipsets.

The element base of the kit in question is not original. The modules included in it are based on a matte black printed circuit board and sixteen 4-gigabit SK Hynix H5AN4G8NMFR-TFC chips. Formally, these chips belong to the DDR4-2133 CL15 class, but they run great: this is one of the most popular options for overclocking DDR4 memory. For example, they are also used in Kingston kits of the more advanced Savage and Predator series. And this is another reason why you can expect good overclocking potential from HyperX Fury DDR4 memory. Although, of course, the manufacturer probably sorts the chips before installation, and it may well turn out that simpler memory modules end up with slightly worse chips.

Another interesting feature of the modules from the HX426C15FBK2/16 kit is that they support temperature monitoring and their thermal conditions can be monitored using popular diagnostic utilities directly from the OS. This became possible due to the fact that the 4-kilobit STTS2004 chip, which is equipped with a built-in thermal sensor, is used as an SPD EEPROM in the HyperX Fury DDR4 modules. However, this opportunity It is unlikely to have much practical value: DDR4, especially operating at a voltage of 1.2 V, is a very economical thing.

All that remains to be said is that, like overclocking memory in the upper price category, Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 kits undergo multi-level testing before going on sale and are provided with a lifetime warranty (in Russia, due to the peculiarities of the legislation, the warranty period is 10 years). Along the way, the manufacturer also talks about the proven compatibility of its kit with an extensive list of Intel Z170-based motherboards manufactured by ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte and MSI, a full list of which can be found on the manufacturer’s website.