A-Data Vitesta MIQWE1A16

Verdict: Very fast, but not as well priced as its competitors.

This is the one of the few PC2-8000 kits in the Labs test, and it's rated to run at a speed of 1,000MHz, which is slightly slower than more commonplace 1,066MHz PC2-8500 memory. However, having had an A-Data PC2-8000 overclocking kit on our Elite List for almost a year, we predicted that this kit would be capable of running in excess of 1,000MHz.

As with most kits in this Labs test, the Vitesta is compatible with EPP technology, and has a modest £127 price tag.

The Vitesta has mediocre 5-5-5-15 timings, and requires a hefty 2.3V - which is a lot of voltage for DDR2 memory - to get the most out of it. High-frequency RAM such as this is clearly intended to be housed in an overclocked Core 2 rig, in which high memory speeds are more important than tight latencies.

With 2.4V running through it, the Vitesta remained stable at a blistering 1,212MHz at its stock timings of 5-5-5-15, which is a great achievement. Predictably, though, slackening the timings further didn't offer any more headroom.

The Vitesta kit, as in last year's Labs test, is among the fastest RAM available, and its modest price means that it's cheaper than many higher-rated kits. Even so, the fiercely competitive pricing of OCZ and Crucial means that the Vitesta just misses out on an award. However, it certainly deserves a place on your shortlist if the prices of RAM have changed by the time you come around to upgrading.