Super Talent Project X DDR4-3000 16GB Review

Benchmark Results & Final Analysis

We begin today’s test by seeing just how low each module set can go without losing stability. The Project X DDR4-3000 reached DDR4-3200 at rated 15-16-16 timings and a reduced 32-cycle tRAS (down from 35 cycles). The T-Force Dark ROG started out at DDR4-3000 CAS 16-18-18-38, but was coaxed down to 16-17-17-34 cycles while simultaneously being overclocked to DDR4-3200. At the bottom we can see that looser timings were needed to stabilize a second set of Project X DDR4-3000 when overclocked to DDR4-3200.

It may support tighter timings than its T-Force Dark ROG rival, but Super Talent’s Project X DDR4-3000 couldn’t overclock as far as its rival. Perhaps that’s because it has tighter secondary timings? Finding a perfect set of secondary timings to enhance an overclock without sacrificing performance is a tricky task usually best left to expert tuners with a great deal of time and patience.

The Sandra Memory Bandwidth chart tells us most of what we need to know. Enhanced timings help the dual-rank Project X DDR4-3000 outpace the dual-rank Dark ROG DDR4-3000 at all settings. Both dual-rank kits outperform the single-rank T-Force Xtreem DDR4-3600, despite that set’s higher data rate and even tighter timings. Boasting eight ranks total, the second set of Project X dual-rank DDR4-3000 boosts bandwidth beyond that of a single pair, but not by nearly as much as the single-rank to dual-rank transition.

Lower is better when it comes to latency. Starting out with a good score for a single pair, adding a second set of dual-rank Project X DDR4-3000 pushes performance notably downward in Sandra Memory Latency. Those four DIMM still match the Dark ROG set at a couple settings, but overall, the single-rank T-Force Xtreem has the lowest latency.

F1 2015 gets a noticeable performance boost from nearly any dual-channel kit of dual-rank DIMMs. Adding second set of dual-rank DIMMs to make eight total ranks knocks the Super Talent modules from first to third place.

Metro Last Light Redux has a slight preference for the Project X DDR4-3000’s improved bandwidth, but a single pair (top of chart) still outranks two pair (bottom of chart).

Like Metro LL Redux, Blender minimizes differences in memory performance. It’s important to remember that most applications do this, though some performance difference can often be seen when much larger memory performance losses occur.

Once again, remember that lower is better in timed applications. A single pair of Super Talent’s Project X dual-ranked DIMMs provide the best overall performance in 7-Zip file compression.

Though Super Talent’s Project X has the best overall performance, the main reason for its value win is a quoted price that’s $11 cheaper than the T-Force Dark ROG modules. If they’re priced equally, that advantage drops to around 2%. Furthermore, if you had to buy the modules individually on the open market at $75 each rather than factory-direct at $129 per pair, the $140 T-Force Dark ROG would become the value leader.

The second set of Super Talent Project X doubles both its capacity and price. Multiplying the above price-to-performance chart by capacity (percentage) shows that the second set is often, but not always, of equal value to those who would like more than two DIMMs.

Our recent T-Force Dark ROG memory review showed that builders of LGA 1151 systems will want at least four banks of memory, and it matters naught if those four banks came from two dual-rank or four single-rank DIMMs. Today’s test added a second set of dual-rank DIMMs, and showed that four banks (ranks) is still best. Thanks to its improved timings, Super Talent’s Project X DDR4-3000 has been the best 16GB dual channel kit of dual-rank DIMMs that we’ve tested.

Having slightly beaten its rival Teamgroup, one might think that the Project X kit would receive a higher award. Yet we realize that many readers won’t order their modules directly from Super Talent, and the company has yet to bring any of its new dual-channel kits to market through online retailers. While two single DIMMs can also be purchased, the added cost of buying them that way spoils the comparison with Teamgroup. Because value is still in question and performance supremacy ever-so-slight, today we’re giving the Super Talent Project X F3000UX16G 16GB DDR4-3000 dual-channel kit the same award level as that of its nearest rival.

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