Patriot Viper LED DDR4-3600 16GB RAM Review

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Nauman Siddique

At Tech4Gamers, I take on the role of Hardware Reviewer with pride. My responsibilities involve a thorough examination of essential hardware components like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, and CPU coolers, among others, focusing on their complexities and functionalities.

 

 

 

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Patriot Memory has sent us the Patriot Viper Ram for Review. Today, we will be taking a look at their LED series 16GB kit of DDR4. Viper LED series DDR4 is available in two LED colors on the heat shields; Red, and White. The kit we are reviewing has a white LED. This series has 2400MHz, 3200MHz, and 3600MHz frequency presets only and is available in the capacity of 16GB kits only.

Key Takeaways

• The Patriot Viper White LED 16GB is perfect for anyone looking for a capable DDR5 RAM module with decent overclocking capabilities and tight timings.
• The Patriot Viper White LED is not for anyone interested in an RGB RAM kit.
• The Patriot Viper White LED provides excellent performance, great compatibility, and solid value.

Here are the complete specifications.

Packaging And Unboxing

Unboxing the Patriot Viper LED White DDR4 16GB. 

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Closer Look

Let’s take a closer look at the Patriot Viper White LED 16GB.

The Viper LED 16GB DDR4 is a dual module kit i.e 2x8GB. As the name indicates there is a LED diffusor on the top and it is in white LED. Here is what Viper has to say about their Elite series kits, “Patriot Viper LED series memory modules are designed with true performance in mind.

The Viper LED series delivers top-notch performance and stability for gaming PCs. Featuring a stylish aluminum heatshield with red or white LEDs, it ensures superior heat dissipation for reliable performance in demanding applications.  Our kit has two modules with the capacity of each being 8GB.

The base timings of the kit are 15-15-15-36 with a base frequency of PC4-17000(2133MHz) at 1.20V. The rated timings are 16-18-18-36 with the frequency of PC4 28800 (3600MHz) at 1.35V. It is a Non-ECC, Unbuffered DIMM with a 288-pin layout (DDR4).

The Patriot Viper RAM kit features a sleek design with a black aluminum heat spreader and LED diffusor on top. Tested for reliability and compatibility on both Intel and AMD platforms, it boasts XMP 2.0 readiness. The black PCB hosts the heat spreader, securely attached with adhesive tape. Measuring 45mm in height, the module strikes a balance between High Profile and Low Profile kits.

The 135mm length and 0.7mm depth, coupled with the ribbed Viper logo in the center and textured gray sides, create a visually striking appearance. The unique design includes angled cutouts on both ends and a symmetrical arrangement of seven cutouts on the top, aligning seamlessly with the LED diffusor. This attention to detail not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures a stunning and pleasing overall look.

The heat spreaders on the Patriot Viper RAM kit have subtly curved ends towards the RAM’s pins, a detail not immediately noticeable. Unlike the Elite series DDR4 kit we previously reviewed, these spreaders are not superimposed; instead, they face each other point to point. The other side of the kit has a white color sticker pasted on the right side facing the RAM.

The part no of the RAM is printed on its top left side. It goes like PVLW416G360C6K. If I were to decode this part no, it would be like Patriot Viper LED White DDR4 16GB 3600MHz C16 and Black. By now, I believe this is self-explanatory information. There is Patriot’s P logo in the blue color on the top right side of this sticker. The warranty on the kit would be void if this sticker is removed.

The Patriot Viper RAM kit exudes a premium look and feel, showcasing top-notch finishing and impeccable build quality. A white LED diffusor on the top, positioned between the heat spreaders, houses white LEDs that further enhance its aesthetic appeal. I am not sure how many LEDs are there in it. The Viper brand name is printed in black on the flat surface side of the diffuser.

The cutout design on half of the diffuser gives this kit a bold and aggressive look. Once the kit lights up we can see that though the lighting is consistent across the length there are shadows in brown/black colors at various points of the diffuser.

Testing

We have tested this patriot viper ram review drive on the X99 platform. The test bench setup is as follow:

• Intel i7 6850k
• Asus Rampage V Edition 10
• Noctua NH-U14S
• Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD
• Seagate 2TB Barracuda
• Colorful iGame GTX 1050Ti
• Corsair AX1200i

CPU-Z

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We have used the AIDA64 Extreme and SiSoftware Sandra suite to test the performance of the kit. We have tested the kit at JDEC’s default specification of 2133MHz, with XMP and then with the overclocking. The CPU Strap and BCLK were set to 100 for the 2133MHz and XMP testing. The other kits in the testing are the Corsair Vengeance 1x8GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz and Viper Elite 8GB DDR4 @ 2400MHz. Let’s take a look at the results.

Results

We ran the AIDA64 and SiSoftware Sandra on all above-described frequencies which are 2133MHz, rated 3600MHz, and overclocked 3735MHz.

Results

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Overclocking

For overclocking, the kit was pushed with a BCLK of 125 and CPU Strap set to 125, aligning with XMP specifications for DRAM timings and voltages. Despite attempts, the Asus motherboard’s platform limitation restricted overclocking beyond 3735MHz, just 135MHz over the rated 3600MHz frequency.

Efforts to overclock with a 167 BCLK and high voltages proved futile, emphasizing the platform’s constraints rather than the memory’s limitations. The RAM, already highly overclocked out of the factory, reached 3735MHz with a 1.450V DRAM voltage. Fine-tuning timings on the 3600MHz setting and further experimentation were hampered due to the item’s pending return after the review.

With overclocking the read speed was 46132MB/s which is a 1.41% performance gain over the rated frequency. 44100MB/s was the Copy speed with overclocking, representing a 4.68% performance gain over the rated frequency. 37780MB/s was the write speed with overclocking representing the 3.56% performance gain. The latency, on the other hand, was reduced to 54.3 ns with overclocking, a 3.89% improvement.

Next, we ran the SiSoftware Sandra suite to check the memory bandwidth using the Multi-Threading and Single-Threading options. With overclocking, there was 19.76GB/s aggregate memory performance which is a 7.04% improvement on single-threaded performance. Aggregate Memory performance was 38.43GB/s under Multi-Threaded mode with overclocking which is a 3.22% performance gain. Latency was reduced to 21.3ns with overclocked memory.

Lighting

The lighting is not overly done and they are bright enough to give a pleasant look. Please, note that there is no software control should you want to control the brightness and there is no color effect either. It will light up in the static white color or red color depending on the type of the kit.

LED showcase

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Should You Buy It?

I’ve listed a few points to help you with your buying decision.

Buy It If:

✅You want a reasonably priced DDR4 kit: The Patriot Viper LED RAM is perfect for anyone looking for a budget-friendly DDR4 RAM module that does not compromise on performance and compatibility.

✅You want a solid out-of-the-box experience: Its rated frequency of 3600 MHz combined with its low CAS latency will grant you an excellent out-of-the-box experience.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌You prefer RGB: The Patriot Viper module only comes with white LED, which might not be in line with everyone’s system appearance.

Conclusion

The Viper LED 16GB DDR4 is a dual module kit i.e. 2x8GB. As the name indicates there is a LED diffusor on the top and it is in white LED. Our kit has two modules with the capacity of each being 8GB. Measuring 135mm in length and 0.7mm in depth, the black aluminum-based heat spreaders on both sides feature a ribbed Viper brand logo at the center. 

Gray-textured accents on the left and right sides of the logo contribute to a unique and visually striking design, making the kit stand out with a stunning appearance. Overall look and feel of the kit is premium and finishing on it top notch with build quality speaks for itself. At the top, a white LED diffusor separates the heat spreaders, with white LEDs underneath.

In my opinion, the bold and aggressive look is amplified by the cutout design on half of the diffuser, adding to the kit’s distinctive aesthetic. Adding on to that, the lighting is not overly done and they are bright enough to give a pleasant look. Please note that there is no software control available for adjusting brightness, and color effects are also not supported. At the same time, our kit has performed very well on the test bench. Unfortunately, we got stuck in overclocking this Patriot Viper RAM kit on our X99 platform.

We are thankful to Patriot Memory for giving us the opportunity to review their Viper LED 16GB DDR4 kit.

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Nauman Siddique

[Hardware Reviewer & Editor]

Meet Nauman Siddique, a highly experienced computer science graduate with more than 15 years of knowledge in technology. Nauman is an expert in the field known for his deep understanding of computer hardware.

As a tech tester, insightful reviewer, and skilled hardware editor, Nauman carefully breaks down important parts like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, CPU coolers, and more.

• 15+ years of PC Building Experience
• 10+ years of first-hand knowledge of technology
• 7+ years of doing in-depth testing of PC Hardware
• A motivated individual with a keen interest in tech testing from multiple angles.
• I majored in Computer Science with a Masters in Marketing
• Previously worked at eXputer, EnosTech, and Appuals.
• Completed Course in Computer Systems Specialization From Illinois Tech

Get In Touch: nauman@tech4gamers.com