Mushkin XP2-9200

Verdict: Capable of running at a very high frequency, but expensive and not very overclockable.

As most manufacturers are now beginning to manufacture DDR3 RAM, PC2-9200 is about as fast as DDR2 will get.

As it's PC2-9200 RAM, the Mushkin kit is guaranteed to run at up to 1,150MHz and provide a whopping 9.2GB/sec of memory bandwidth. To put these numbers into context, the highest-frequency, JEDEC-approved DDR2 RAM runs at just 800MHz. Unlike most high-frequency kits, however, the Mushkin XP2-9200 doesn't have slothful 5-5 - 5 -15 latency timings, opting for a tighter set of 5-5-4-12 timings instead. However, such a tiny difference has barely any effect on performance, particularly in a Core 2 system. The Mushkin XP2-9200 requires a hefty 2.3V to get it out of bed in the morning, so it's important to make sure that your motherboard can provide this much voltage before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Despite its high-frequency credentials, we tried to overclock the Mushkin XP2-9200. By increasing its voltage to 2.4V, we succeeded in making it run stably at 1.18GHz, a mere 30MHz improvement over its stock frequency. By dropping its latency timings to 6-6-6-18, it ran at 1.19GHz, although this is easily exceeded by many other kits.

Like all the Mushkin kits in this Labs test, the XP2-9200 is very expensive. Yes, it's capable of running at a very high frequency, looks great, and supports EPP, but so do many other far cheaper kits.