Mushkin Blackline PC4-2400 Ridgeback Memory Review

In this review I looked at the Mushkin Blackline DDR4 2400 Dual Channel memory kit.  These are performance memory modules designed for the Intel Z170 Skylake platform and feature the new Ridgeback heatspreader design.  The Blackline DDR4 series comes in a variety of different speeds starting at the default 2133Mhz and stretching up to 2800Mhz with timings between CL12 and CL16 depending on the kit and frequency. 

As our benchmarks showed the Mushkin Blackline modules were not the fastest modules at the default XMP profiles and the differences in performance were nominal given how close they were in speed.  On LGA115x memory frequency is the key to unlocking free performance and even 100Mhz can make a big difference. 

This brings up a point of efficiency and compatibility.  I mentioned that when buying a memory module you should strike a balance between your budget and making sure you pick modules that match your platform.  That isn’t to say you should buy the cheapest module in the store but if you cannot afford what you want picking a module that is slightly slower isn’t always a bad thing.

While out of box performance didn’t set any records the amount of overclocking headroom was the real surprise and they responded extremely well to normal system tuning.  In some memory reviews I note that getting 100Mhz over stock is a big deal however with these Mushkin Blackline modules I was able to get 800Mhz over stock and 1Ghz over stock in some situations (3466Mhz).  This equates to buying a much more expensive memory kit at half the cost with virtually identical performance.  Of course to attain this I had to lower the memory timings to CAS 18 and increase the memory voltage but those are things your XMP profile does by default so the risk is negligible.

High Speed Modules
Great Looking Heatspreader Design
Available in speeds up to 2800Mhz
Black goes with Everything
Excellent Overclocking Potential
Also Available in Redline Series

Single XMP profile
Rated speed of 2400Mhz is easy to ignore