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Review: G.Skill Trident Z 32GB DDR4-3200 (F4-3200C14Q-32GTZ)

by Parm Mann on 6 June 2016, 16:30

Tags: G.SKILL

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Conclusion

Speeds stretch right the way up to 4,266MHz, but the ideal candidate for most users, we feel, is a 3,200MHz pack with tight 14-14-14-34-2T timings.

G.Skill has cemented its position as a go-to-provider of high-end DDR4 by expanding its flagship range of Trident Z memory through the introduction of numerous kits available in a choice of colour options.

Speeds stretch right the way up to 4,266MHz, but the ideal candidate for most users, we feel, is a 3,200MHz pack with tight 14-14-14-34-2T timings. Our reviewed 32GB kit, model number F4-3200C14Q-32GTZ, demonstrates G.Skill's ability to put forth a balanced specification in a package that's stylish, well-built and backed by a lifetime warranty.

Performance from the quad-channel kit is bang in line with expectations, and though the benefit of 32GB is rendered moot in most scenarios by the CPU's onboard cache, there's no harm in a little extra future proofing should funds allow. On the lookout for a 4x8GB kit that ticks all the right boxes and looks the business? G.Skill's Trident Z should be high on your list.

The Good
 
The Bad
Available in a choice of colours
Stylish heatsink design
Solid build quality
Good mix of speed and low latency
Backed by a lifetime warranty
 
32GB has limited real-world benefit



G.Skill Trident Z 32GB DDR4-3200
(F4-3200C14Q-32GTZ)

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The G.Skill Trident Z 32GB DDR4-3200 memory kit is available to purchase from Amazon UK.

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HEXUS Forums :: 8 Comments

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Call me dense, but why is the limited benefit of 32GB-capacity being conflated with the CPU-cache masking memory latency?

If you have a 20GB of data in use the CPU-cache is not going to mask the advantage of having 32GB over 16GB - the 16GB system is going to have to page out to the SSD or HDD dramatically lowering performance.

The larger CPU-cache does mean there is often less impact from lower latency or higher bandwidth sets - but capacity, depending on the workload, can have a dramatic impact.

It's absolutely fair to say 32GB may be of limited benefit on most consumer workloads compared to 16GB, but it has nothing to do with the size of the CPU's cache.

Your own testing showed that the Photoshop test absolutely benefitted from the additional memory capacity, but there was little difference between ddr4-2666 and ddr4-3200 in that or the other real-world tests.
“Eyeing up a Core i7-6950X and a GTX 1080? Then you'll want some potent DDR4”

You keep saying things like this in the leaders, but then your test results consistently show that higher speed DDR4 offers almost no measurable benefit. Is there a known restructuring of OSs on the horizon that's going to make a difference for high-spec DDR4, or is this the end of the story?
Otherhand
“Eyeing up a Core i7-6950X and a GTX 1080? Then you'll want some potent DDR4”

You keep saying things like this in the leaders, but then your test results consistently show that higher speed DDR4 offers almost no measurably benefit. Is there a known restructuring of OSs on the horizon that's going to make a difference for high-spec DDR4, or is this the end of the story?

IMO that's the message they're sending. “If you're already looking at ridiculously over-the-top components just because, this memory is for you” kinda thing. People that just want the best of the best, regardless of how it affects real-world applications.
“32GB has limited real-world benefit” they said that about 4gb
The ‘Law of diminishing returns’ definately seems to apply to memory from the speed point of view.
It would seem more logical to have more memory rather than faster memory particularly if you have a niche area that exploits that.
The law of diminshing returns applies less to amount than it does to speed, overall.