14 DAY TRIAL // Even though normal DIMM still can't reach 16 GB capacity, and won't until 2015, there are other sorts of random access memory modules that can. That doesn't mean that customers can't be prepared for when that time comes, though.
Kingmax has just unveiled a range of DDR4 memory, which lacks fancy coolers but should still work well in gaming systems, or any sort of computer desktop.
Indeed, Kingmax actually thought ahead and designed the RAM in the form factors intended for desktops and laptops: DIMM and SO-DIMM.
Specifically, Kingmax has launched unbuffered DIMM, SO-DIMM, registered DIMM, ECC unbuffered DIMM and VLP registered DIMM modules.
The Kingmax DDR4 memory module range
The series is not called a series because of some broad capacity support. In fact, according to the company's press release, all the modules have the same capacity: 4 GB.
In the future, Kingmax intends to launch 8 GB and 16 GB modules as well, but for now, it's satisfied providing this as a starting point. It is the outfit's belief that the market will truly take off only in 2015.
So what makes this a range of products instead of a simple set of three? Clock speed, basically. The unbuffered DIMM, SO-DIMM, registered DIMM, ECC unbuffered DIMM and VLP registered DIMM modules are available in four speed specifications.
You get 1,866 MHz, 2,133 MHz, 2,400 MHz and 3,200 MHz, leading to bandwidths of between 14.9GB/s and 25.6GB/s.
At the moment, only Intel's Haswell-E central processing units from the Core i7-5000 series support DDR4 RAM, so your options aren't many. At least there are plenty of motherboards out there.
It's strange, though, that Kingmax actually made 1,866 MHz DDR4, when 2,133 MHz is supposed to be the basic minimum for the technology.
Pricing and availability
Kingmax didn't actually specify the prices, but it did publish a basic spec chart, where it says that there will be lone modules and also dual-channel kits available for sale. No mention of quad-channel, strangely enough. Latencies range from CL13 to CL24. Finally, the voltage is of 1.2V across the board.
All in all, Kingmax has put together a larger and more powerful range of memory products than others involved in this market. On the flip side, since the market for consumer-grade high-end DDR4 RAM is still tiny, it will not see them sell as much as, say, the very low profile DDR4 RAM launched by Virtium. Possibly.
