G.Skill Ripjaws 4 DDR4-2666 Memory Review – Exceptional Overclocking Performance

G.Skill has created quite a reputation for itself over the years among gamers, overclockers and enthusiasts alike, for creating exceptional memory kits, which are highly capable of overclocking for  very competitive prices. So, it is no surprise that their latest in their flagship Ripjaws line, the Ripjaws 4 has been used to set the world record for DDR4 overclocking at an earth-shattering 4,255MHz!  So, naturally, when G.Skill offered to send us a kit for review, we were thrilled and very excited to test this record-breaking memory.

All that being said, we are pleased to bring you our review of the G.Skill Ripjaws 4 DDR4-2666 16GB memory kit.

PACKAGING, PRICING & SPECIFICATIONS

This memory kit, like most, comes in a clear plastic casing, which showcases the memory modules in their entirety. The packaging is simple, but as we’ve stated in past reviews, that is to keep down shipping costs of large quantities.

The kit we received is a quad-channel, 16GB (4GB x 4), which is rated for 2666MHz with a CAS Latency of 15 (15-15-15-35) at the standard 1.20v (voltage).  You can find it under the part number F4-2666C15Q-16GRR, and it is priced at $281.99 and also comes in 32GB kits for $526.92.

The rear of the box also showcases the remaining two memory modules, only this time it displays the reverse side, which allows us to see the G.Skill certification, displaying the part number and other specifications.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

The RAM sticks feature a fairly high-profile design, featuring a tall heat-spreader that has ‘teeth’ which extend past the memory modules, themselves. This unique ‘tooth-like’ design is what gives the Ripjaws their name. Of course, G.Skill includes these heat-spreaders to do more than just look good. They’re supposed to provide better heat dissipation allowing for additional overclocking performance and longer lifespans.

The kit we received is red, but just like past Ripjaws iterations they are available in multiple colors, including black (more of a grey), blue and the aforementioned red. That should give users a fairly decent amount of options for matching their RAM to the rest of their components.

WHAT IS DDR4?

If you’ve read along this far, you might be wondering what is DDR4 and how is it different from what was available before? – Well, to put it simply DDR4 is the next-generation in DDR (double data rate) SDRAM (synchronous dynamic random-access memory). It is as the name states, the fourth-generation and successor to DDR3.

Its advancements over previous generations include higher module density, lower voltage requirements and higher data rate transfer speeds. This means that you can not only theoretically have more RAM in your system than ever before, but that it will use less power and perform faster as well. Of course, how much these improvements effect actual usage depends the application. Server and Enterprise users will see the most benefit from adopting DDR4 than pretty much any other market.

As it stands, the only consumer platform that currently supports DDR4 memory is Intel’s X99, which you can find out more about in our reviews for both the Intel Core i7 5960x CPU, as well as the ASRock X99 OC Formula motherboard.