Corsair TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF Dominator

Verdict: Low latencies + high bandwidth = ridiculous price.

Corsair refers to this kit as the 'Crazy 88s', which is also the name of the katana-wielding martial arts team that attacks The Bride in 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1', so it's fitting that, like O-Ren Ishii's bodyguards, the 'Crazy 88s' RAM didn't fair well.

Traditionally, you decide whether to go for low latency timings or high bandwidth when choosing RAM - the Corsair PC2-8888-rated Dominator attempts to offer both. Corsair is the only company that sells a PC2-8888 kit, which equates to a stock speed of 1,111MHz, 45MHz faster than PC2-8500. This isn't impressive in itself, though, as Mushkin, CellShock and Patriot sent us higher-rated PC2-9200 kits, which run at 1,150MHz. What is impressive, however, is that the Corsair kit is guaranteed to run at this high frequency with tight latency timings of 4-4-4-12.

The memory has its own bank of three 40mm fans, which clips over the top of the DIMMs. With this in mind, we raised the RAM voltage to 2.4V. The RAM remained stable with its 4-4-4-12 timings up to 1,180MHz. However, slackening the timings to 6-6-6-18 didn't allow it to run any faster.

The tight latency timings provide little benefit to Core 2 systems, and even if you do own an Athlon 64 system, it's still impossible to justify the PC2-8888 Dominator's ludicrous £408 price tag.