Memory by stefan @ 2012-07-16
The 16GB EVO CORSA 2400MHz is another high-end quad-channel kit from GeIL, which features quite tall heatspreaders with a special design and passed Die-Hard Burn-in tests for increased reliability. These modules are not cheap, the kit being available online for about 185 Euros.
At first I would like to thank GeIL and Freaks 4U for offering a sample of their EVO CORSA PC3-19200 2400MHz 16GB Memory Kit for testing and reviewing.
"GeIL – Golden Emperor Int'l Ltd. – one of the worlds' leading IT (memory module & CE) manufacturers that concentrates in designing the most innovative product for consumers in a wide range of market segments.
Our business model is based on a lifelong commitment to customer satisfaction. GeIL is determined to produce the most advanced product with absolutely the lowest rate of return for every GeIL customer to receive the quality, performance and dependability they deserve.
Established in 1993, GeIL has soon become one of the most professional memory module manufactures in the industry. Since then GeIL has been concentrating in memory module design and manufacturing. As of today, our manufacturing facilities employ over 200 people and produce a wide variety of modules with distribution in over 50 countries worldwide. GeIL’s Global Headquarter resides in the heart of computer technology – Taipei with branches spreading over in Hong Kong, China and U.S.A.
GeIL understand in order to succeed in the DRAM industry, IC testing and sorting is one of the keys. 100% designed and made by GeIL's strategic R&D for production technology, the EVO III Fully Automatic IC Tester was born in 2006 to maximize the quality and performance of each IC used for GeIL memory module. GeILs' effort in further enhancing the reliability of memory products was realized with the Die-hard Burn-in Technology (DBT) introduced in 2008. The dynamic and efficient testing nature of the DBT Chamber is allowing such burn-in technology to be used on every GeIL memory module to ensure the highest possible reliability for user of all levels. This is just the beginning."
Corsa, the Italian word for “race”, hence the name for the 3rd generation of GeIL’s DDR3 Gaming Series Memory - EVO CORSA, which symbolize extreme speed as a race car on the track. The Metallic-Amazon-Green finish of the EVO CORSA heatspreader is derived from the famous German race track - the Nurburgring a.k.a. “the Green Hell”.
The CORSA Heat-spreader is designed with MTCD - Maximum Thermal Conduction & Dissipation for superior cooling performance.Ranging from DDR3 1866MHz and up, the EVO CORSA is designed for the latest Intel & AMD chipsets for maximum performance and compatibility.
EVO CORSA is the new DDR3 performance benchmark.
- Available in 8GB(2GBx4) & 16GB(4GBx4) &32GB(8GBx4) Quad Channel Package
- Available CAS/Model number sku: 9-11-10-28: GOC38GB2400C9QC | GOC316GB2400C9QC 10-11-11-30: GOC38GB2400C10QC | GOC316GB2400C10QC | GOC332GB2400C10QC 10-12-12-30: GOC316GB2400C10AQC | GOC332GB2400C10AQC 11-11-11-30: GOC38GB2400C11QC | GOC316GB2400C11QC 11-12-12-30: GOC316GB2400C11AQC | GOC332GB2400C11AQC
- Working Voltage : 1.65V
- Heat-spreader: CORSA edition heat-sink system with MTCD Technology in Metallic Green finish
- Technology: DBT Enhanced, Die-hard Burn-in Technology
- Lifetime Warranty
The burn-in process is realized frequently in electronic components as a form of reliability engineering. This operation stresses the components at high temperatures and sometimes higher voltage too. The intention is to detect and eliminate components that could fail early, for improving the overall product quality and user satisfaction. In the DRAM industry, the burn-in process has been used so far in the most expenside server DIMMs or memory with military specifications.
The reviewed modules feature GeILs’ Die-hard Burn-in Technology, which is conducted in proprietary burn-in chamber named DBT-1.
Inside the device, 1000 pieces of modules are slotted onto the own-designed module interface and DRAM controller boards. Afterwards, the modules are dynamically tested by own-designed software simultaneously.
DBT-1 can up the testing temperature to 100 degrees Celsius, with a burn-in period of as long as 24 hours. This process is meant to eliminate early-failure memory and provides users with the highest quality memory products.
The Quad Channel EVO CORSA memory kit from Golden Emperor International Ltd. comes packed inside a small cardboard box, with a small window so we can see the heatspreader design; here we also find out that the kit has passed the Die-Hard Burn-in tests:
The back side of the box features two additional openings through which we can see the module stickers with the specifications, along with the full name of the manufacturer, address and telephone numbers:
The modules are packed two-by-two, in separate transparent plastic enclosures:
On a closer inspection, we will discover a sticker, telling us that this memory kit was specifically tested on Intel’s X79 platform:
A small leaflet is also present, which gives us extra info regarding the modules’ SPD and used voltages:
The heatspreaders feature MTCD Technology and have a Metallic-Amazon-Green finish, derived from the famous German race track, the Nurburgring a.k.a. “the Green Hell”:
On the back we’ll find the sticker with the module specifications, code name and some extra serial numbers:
The heatspreaders touch the memory chips with individual thermal pads; the height of the spreaders might cause some clearance problems, depending on the CPU cooler used:
CPU : Intel I7 3770K Retail
CPU Cooler: CoolIT Vantage ALC
Motherboard : ASRock P77 Fatal1ty Professional
RAM : GeIL EVO CORSA 16GB 2400MHz C11
Video : Sparkle X580 Calibre
Power Supply : Cooler Master 850W
HDD : Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200.11
Case: Thermaltake Armor+ LCS
During the tests, the CPU speed was left at stock speeds. Testing the memory at the stock settings occurred without problems but when trying to tighten the timings a little more, we were greeted with errors in HCI Memtest:
CPU-Z Validation
The pre-programmed timings and frequencies can be also found by using AIDA64:
The 2400MHz 16GB EVO CORSA Quad Channel Kit from GeIL runs great at the stock settings succeeding to bring quite a few extra MB of bandwidth to the table; unfortunately, we could see only a few applications that use it and the performance increases are negligible when comparing to 2133MHz rated RAM.
Unlike the Black Dragon kit we looked upon some time ago, these feature a quite tall heatsink, which may lead to clearance problems when we have larger CPU coolers installed.
To ensure reliability, the GeIL EVO CORSA memory modules have been through the DBT procedure, which eliminates the memory which would fail early because of various manufacturing imperfections.
The tested memory kit can be found online for about 185 Euros, which is not very cheap, but if we favor speed to capacity, this is a kit we could take into account.
I would like to thank again to GeIL and Freaks 4U for making this review possible!