Motherboard platforms change frequently, especially when a new chipset is unleashed. The big change coming from Intel recently is the high-end X79 chipset, taking over from the crusty old X58 chipset. The new socket boasting a scarcely credible 2011 pins to allow the new Sandy Bridge-E processor has more memory channels. The newly released X79 platform is known for the astonishing OC capability. Designed for serious overclockers, ASRock is excited to introduce several high-performance motherboards based on Intel X79 chipset.

"The motherboard is the basis of your rig, and will dictate how well the rest of your PC's components perform." Commenting on the new release, James Lee, V.P of ASRock Sales and Marketing, is with confidence. "ASRock X79 Overclock KING Motherboard Series offer the Digi Power (the most stable CPU voltage), Premium Gold Caps (top-tier capacitors), X-FAN (the smart cooling design) and Game Blaster (a Sound & LAN 2-in-1 card exclusively offered from ASRock), everything essential for overclocking. Our exciting X79 mobos could boost the performance of any kind of PC!" He stated.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced several new quad channel DDR3 memory kits optimized for motherboards using the Intel Core i7 processor family for Socket LGA-2011.

After announcing the world's first high-performance quad channel 32GB memory kit in October, Corsair is following up with the addition of three new quad channel memory kits. Like all Dominator memory kits, the new kits are assembled with tightly screened DRAM and include Corsair's DHX+ heatsink patented technology. All Dominator quad channel kits support Intel's latest XMP 1.3 profiles for easy performance tuning.

G.Skill has announced the development of its brand new RipjawsZ series quad-channel memory modules, designed specifically for Intel LGA2011 Sandy Bridge-E processors and X79 systems.

A World First in Super-Sized & Super-Speed, the new RipjawsZ builds on a history of Ripjaws world first performance boundaries and award-winning quality, by including extreme performance kits such as, DDR3 2,500MHz 16GB (4GBx4) 1.65V kit, and super size kits including DDR3 64GB (8GBx8) 2133MHz at only 1.5V, and the fastest ever 8GB DIMMs in the DDR3 2,400MHz 32GB(8GBx4) kit. The following screens show two RipjawsZ 2,400MHz 32GB(8GBx4) kits running together at 2400MHz 64GB and booting at breath-taking 2600MHz 64GB with ASUS Rampage IV Extreme motherboard.

Motherboard vendors aren't the only ones getting ready for the big launch of Intel's new high-end desktop (HEDT) platform - Sandy Bridge-E, the ecosystem also consists of memory and cooling products vendors - more importantly, memory. Intel Sandy Bridge-E processors pack an integrated memory controller with a massive 256-bit bus width. To put it into perspective, if a motherboard is populated with four DDR3-1333 MHz modules, the system memory bandwidth would be a staggering 42,600 MB/s. Like everyone, G.Skill is expected to have memory kits with four DDR3 memory modules. It is likely that these kits consisting of four matched modules will be referred to as "quad-channel". Around this time, the company will have a new lineup, RipjawsZ.

RipjawsZ will make use of a new, slightly taller than standard heatspreader design, and will be available in at least two color options - black and red. Some of the kits will consist of just modules, while some will also pack Turbulence II air-coolers that use two fans. In all there are two basic types of modules: ZL, ZH; among these ZH provides the best timings for the frequencies it offers. These modules will be available in a variety of speeds: DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600, DDR3-1866, DDR3-2133, and DDR3-2400. Modules with speeds of up to DDR3-1866 make do with 1.5V DRAM voltage, DDR3-2133 needs 1.60V, while some higher speed modules need up to 1.65V. These kits are available in a variety of capacities - 8 GB (4 x 2 GB), 16 GB (4 x 4 GB), 32 GB (4 x 8 GB), and 64 GB (probably 8 x 8 GB). These modules will be Intel eXtreme Memory Profile (XMP) revision 1.3 compliant.

At first glance, one would have discarded the news as some company's attempt to use the AMD brand to sell memory modules, but it is indeed AMD selling memory. AMD is selling Radeon-branded DDR3 memory modules to the consumer market, not just OEMs, which were spotted in stores in Japan. AMD is selling certified DDR3 memory in three segments: Entertainment, UltraPro Gaming, and Enterprise. Entertainment deals with DDR3-1333 MHz modules that are best suited for home and business client PCs, UltraPro Gaming deals with DDR3-1600 MHz modules suited for gaming PCs of all shapes and sizes, while Enterprise deals with registered un-buffered DDR3 memory for use in AMD Opteron-driven servers and workstations.

While baffling, the move to sell its own-branded memory makes some sense. High performance DDR3 memory kits sold in the market today that operate at DDR3-1600 rely on Intel eXtreme Memory Profiles (XMP), a proprietary SPD extension by Intel to let users set the marketed speeds easily. AMD platform motherboards don't support XMP, leaving it at an obvious disadvantage. Radeon-branded memory use JEDEC profiles for 1600 MHz, along with certified timings and voltages to run stable and perform optimally. It might also be using AMD's own SPD extension called "Black Edition profiles", but CPU-Z doesn't seem to be able to spot that. Pictured below is the Entertainment 2 GB module, which uses AMD-branded memory chips. In Japan, the 2 GB module is priced at the equivalent of US $20. Other pricing information is unknown for the moment.UPDATE (11/8): We contacted AMD to talk a little bit about these new memory products that surfaced literally out of nowhere. AMD told us that these are channel products, and as such they don't plan to sell it in a big way on the retail market:

AMD does not manufacture memory and does not plan to sell system memory directly to our customers. AMD is currently determining if the sale of AMD Radeon-branded memory through channel partners is a viable opportunity and as such it has appeared in some regions for purchase through retail.

GeIL (Golden Emperor Industries Ltd.) rolled out two new lines of DDR3 desktop memory targering the gamer-enthusiast segment, the Enhance Corsa and Evo Corsa. Interestingly, these lines don't include triple-channel kits, but quad-channel ones consisting of four modules, aside from the usual dual-channel kits. Gearing up for the Sandy Bridge-E market early, I see. Among the two lines, the Enhance Corsa consists of bang-for-buck kits with DDR3-1333 MHz and DDR3-1600 MHz.

The USP here is that the 1333 MHz kits will pack an Intel XMP profile that runs the modules at 1500 MHz with CL9 timings, and DRAM voltage of 1.5V; while the DDR3-1600 MHz ones will pack a XMP profile that runs them at 1700 MHz with CL9 timings and 1.5V. Evo Corsa comes in dual and quad-channel kits, consisting of 2 GB or 4 GB modules, making up 4 GB or 8 GB dual-channel; and 8 GB or 16 GB quad-channel kits on offer.

With the launch of Intel's new generation high performance Sandy Bridge platform, Team Group Inc. announces its two exquisitely designed over-clocking masterpieces, Xtreem LV DDR3 2133 9-11-9-27 and Xtreem LV DDR3 1600 6-8-8-24, targeting at overclockers who look for high performance. Designed with focus on their compatibilities with the Sandy Bridge platform, both Xtreem LV DDR3 2133 9-11-9-27 and Xtreem LV DDR3 1600 6-8-8-24 use specially selected original particles manufactured under new production process, and pass 24 hours of strict burn-in testing to bring to consumers an exceptional usage experience. In addition, Team Group's Xtreem series memory modules are all completely compatible with the Intel XMP technology, and superior in high-performance and low-timing to fully release the potential of every computer.

German memory maker Exceleram released five new Rippler series dual-channel DDR3 memory kits brandishing optimal support for Intel's Sandy Bridge architecture processors. The fleet consists of 2x 2 GB and 2x 4 GB pairs, carrying SPD/XMP profiles of 1333 MHz or 1600 MHz. It starts with ERS300A, which is a 2x 2 GB kit that does 1333 MHz with 9-9-9-24 timings, strictly adhering to the JEDEC PC3-10700H specification. Next is the ERS301A, which is a 2x 4 GB kit that also sticks to the JEDEC specification, doing 1333 MHz @ 9-9-9-24.

Things become faster with ERS302A, which is a 2x 2 GB kit carrying XMP-1600 profile, doing 1600 MHz at 9-9-9-24. The ERS303A is a 2x 4 GB version of the same. Lastly, there's ERS304A, which carries an XMP profile that runs the modules at 1333 MHz, albeit with 7-10-10-24, with CAS taking a kit on every other vital latency parameter. All kits carry module voltages specified in the profiles at 1.50 volts. All modules feature black PCBs and the Rippler heatspreader the company used in several models, in the past. Exceleram did not give out pricing information.