OCZ Releases Intel XMP Notebook Modules

I doubt anyone would discredit the usefulness of a notebook PC, but they do certainly have their downfalls. Performance, for one thing, never competes with the desktop, and it’s for obvious reasons. One particular area that has bugged me about this is with notebook memory. When we see DDR2-800 kits on the desktop with sweet 4-4-4-12 timings, it’s hard to look at the same frequenices with 6-6-6-12 timings on a notebook.

OCZ is working to improve the situation though, and is doing so with the release of what I believe to be the first Intel XMP-based SODIMM modules. XMP is a technology that enables slightly improved settings on a given memory set on an Intel platform. We delved into this in an interview conducted with Intel’s memory guru Chris Cox a few years ago, so we recommend you check that out if you want to know more.

Although pricing is unknown, the latest SODIMM kit from OCZ is likely to be the fastest available, thanks to the equipped DDR3-1066 speeds and 6-6-6-16 timings. By comparison, the rest of the competition is running 7-7-7-20 timings – a rather sizable difference given the frequency. This is of course available as a 4GB kit, so it sounds like they could be the perfect addition to your portable workstation! No word on availability, but it shouldn’t be too long before they hit the store shelves.

Designed to significantly increase performance levels of the entire notebook, these new modules feature Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP), an exclusive set of SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings that act as an integrated “plug and play” overclocking tool for enhanced memory performance. With a long history of providing the most innovative products to the enthusiast community, OCZ is excited to be among the first to take advantage of Intel’s interest and development of overclocking platforms extending beyond desktops to mobile gamers, enthusiasts, and professionals.