G.Skill Trident Z 3400MHz CL16 16GB DDR4 Review

1. Introduction & Closer Look2. System Configuration3. Tests: Memory Metrics4. Tests: Memory Performance5. Overclocking: Frequencies & Performance6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

G.Skill's Trident Z 3400MHz CL16 memory kit gives a promising impression of what the company's flagship series is all about. Out-of-the-box functionality with the Asus Maximus VIII Hero motherboard was as easy as hitting the XMP button, and overclocking headroom for our kit was in the region of an extra 200MHz.

Running at 3400MHz, but keeping the timings somewhat in-check with a CAS Latency of 16, G.Skill's memory delivered good performance in our set of tests. Handbrake video conversion and the 7-Zip archival test showed chart-topping performance, while GTA V's minimum frame rates received a slight boost from the high memory frequency.

Overclocking performance was a positive. We did not expect to be able to push the kit much past its already-high 3400MHz rated frequency, especially given that G.Skill is likely to have binned the more overclockable chips for the faster kits. However, we were able to boost the memory speed up to 3600MHz while also maintaining stock timings and voltage.

G.Skill's styling for the Trident Z modules is likely to please many potential buyers. The tall, finned heatspreaders are eye-catching, as is their red and metallic grey/black colour combination. With that said, the red strip may clash with some colour-coordinated systems. It can be pulled off the heatspreader, but the process isn't particularly easily.

On the topic of heatspreaders, the 44mm-tall aluminium strips add considerable weight to the modules and may cause interference with large CPU coolers. But if interference isn't a concern in your system, the sizable units are more than capable of keeping the 8GB dual-sided DIMMs well cooled.

Available for £158.54 from Amazon, the pricing is high for a 16GB set of DDR4 memory. But taking the high-speed and decent timings into account, G.Skill's Trident Z 3400MHz CL16 16GB DDR4 kit is actually a fair price compared to similarly fast options from competing vendors.

If your usage requirements point you in the direction of a high-speed DDR4 kit, and adding a little aesthetic flair to your build is desirable, G.Skill's Trident Z 3400MHz CL16 16GB memory kit is a compelling option. Just be prepared to pay a considerable price premium over 3000MHz and 3200MHz alternatives.

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Pros:

• Extremely fast options available, with a variety of latency configurations for certain frequencies.
• Eye-catching design and colour scheme.
• Large aluminium heatspreaders may be useful to overclockers when pushing the DRAM voltage.
• Solid timings for the 3400MHz frequency.
• Decent overclocking headroom, based on our single kit's capability.

Cons:

• Tall heatspreaders could interfere with large CPU coolers.
• Red strip may clash with other colour schemes (although it is possible to remove it).
• Sizeable price premium over 3000MHz and 3200MHz kits.

KitGuru says: High memory speed, good overclocking headroom, and a well-designed heatspreader make G.Skill's Trident Z memory a solid choice for your high-performance Skylake system. But expect to pay a sizeable premium for speeds past the 3200MHz barrier.

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