Kingston Memory

Why 1600?

The next generation of DDR3 has arrived. New chipsets and processors from AMD® and Intel® now support memory operating at 1600MT/s (aka 1600MHz). DDR3-1600 memory has a module classification of PC3-12800, which effectively means the peak data rate of the module is 12.8GB/sec (see table). That’s about a 17% improvement on memory bandwidth over DDR3-1333.

Keep In Mind
  • In servers, the processor model number affects how fast the memory can operate. Higher model numbers support 1600MT/s, but may be limited by the number of DIMMs per Channel that are installed.
  • Some entry-level mobile and desktop processors, such as the Intel Core i3, may not support 1600MT/s memory.
Technology MHz Speed
(Data Rate) 		 Module Classification  Module Peak Bandwidth
DDR3 (1.5V)
DDR3L (1.35V)




 800 (DDR3-800)  PC3-6400  6400 MB/sec. or
6.4 GB/sec.
1066 (DDR3-1066)  PC3-8500
PCL-8500 		 8500 MB/sec. or
8.5 GB/sec.
1333 (DDR3-1333)  PC3-10600
PC3L-10600 		 10600 MB/sec. or
10.6 GB/sec.
1600 (DDR3-1600)  PC3-12800  12800 MB/sec. or
12.8 GB/sec.
1866 (DDR3-1866)  PC3-14900  14900 MB/sec. or
14.9 GB/sec.

Step 1

Know Your System

Only the latest generation of chipsets and processors support DDR3-1600 memory.

  • Quad Channel Memory Architecture
    – Intel® Core™ i7 Extreme Processor on a 7-Series motherboard
    – X79

  • Dual Channel Memory Architecture
    – 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ Family Processors on 7-Series motherboards – Z77, H77, B75
    – AMD® AM3+ A-Series / FX™ Series APUs on 9-Series motherboards
    – 990X , 990FX, 980G, 970
    – AMD® A10-M, A8-M, and A6-M series mobile APUs on 9-Series motherboards

  • Available capacities at 1600MT/s are:
    – 2GB, 4GB, 8GB SODIMMs (Mobile)
    – 2GB, 4GB, 8GB Unbuffered non-ECC DIMMs (Desktop)
    – 2GB, 4GB, 8GB ECC DIMMs (Workstation)
    – 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB Registered ECC DIMMs (Server)

Step 2

Maximize Memory Performance
  • New Xeon E5 and AMD Opteron 6200 servers support up to 2 DIMMs per Channel (See table)
Xeon E5 / AMD Opteron 6200* 1.5V
Module Type Module Ranks
SR/DR=Single/Dual 		 1 DIMM per Channel
1 DPC 		 2 DIMMs per Channel
2 DPC
Registered DIMM
(RDIMM) 		 SR/DR  1600 1600

*Due to architecture limitations, some systems with 3 Sockets per Channel may limit 1600MT/s performance to 1 DIMM per Channel populated. Additional DIMMs will force the memory to clock down to 1333MT/s

Step 3

Determine the Memory Bandwidth You Require For Your Applications
  • DDR3-1600 effectively increases bandwidth over DDR3-1333 by about 17%
  • Quad Channel architecture such as those supported on Xeon E5 and Opteron 6200 platforms increases memory bandwidth by up to 35% over previous Triple Channel architecture.
  • Some applications may require the maximum memory bandwidth available, such as 3D applications, CG, CAD and mechanical/industrial design, technical and scientific computing, digital content creation, video games, and many more.
About Kingston Memory

Kingston also offers an experienced pre-sales technical support staff to help you determine which configuration is ideal for your environment. Find the memory you need or Contact a Kingston expert for help.