Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory (CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10)

by Corsair

• 16 GB (2x8 GB) DDR3 SODIMM kit for 2G Intel Core i5 and i7 notebooks
• 1600MHz
• 10-10-10-27 latency
• 1.5 volts
• Auto-overclocking (no bios configuration required)
• Pin Out: 204 Pin

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0076W9Q5A
• Item model number: CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (519 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #6 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Computer Components > Memory
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 3, 2012

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Vengeance laptop memory upgrade kits are designed for getting the most performance from notebook and laptop PCs. Vengeance memory modules are built with DRAM chips specially selected for their high-performance potential.

The SODIMM form factor allows you to bring award-winning Vengeance memory performance to your notebook PC.

High-Performance Vengeance Memory for your Laptop

More memory for more processing power

If you're a serious road warrior or you use your notebook for heavy-duty applications like photo and video editing, your notebook should have as much memory as possible. Adding a 4GB or 8GB laptop memory upgrade kit will allow you to multitask between more programs at once and load and edit larger files without having to wait for data to buffer to the drive.

Compatible with most laptop and notebook PCs

Vengeance laptop memory upgrade kits are designed to work with any PC or notebook which accepts standard DDR3 SODIMMs.

Optimized for Superior Performance on the Latest Laptops and Notebooks

Many laptops — even those sold as performance systems — come equipped with memory that's not capable of running at the maximum speed supported by the processor. If your notebook is equipped with a 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, it will automatically detect the faster speed supported by the Vengeance laptop memory upgrade kit. No BIOS adjustments are necessary to take advantage of the faster memory speed.

A smart performance upgrade for older laptops, too

Vengeance memory is backward compatible with notebooks which use first-generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors. Even if your notebook doesn't use the latest-generation processor, you can still upgrade to 8GB using only two memory slots, and enjoy the confidence of Corsair's renowned service and support.

Serious about PC memory? So are we.

Like the legendary Dominator, enthusiast-grade Vengeance DRAM is designed for stability, and stringently factory-tested.

Designed for Enthusiasts. Backed by Corsair.

World-famous reliability and performance

There's a reason why world-champion overclockers, extreme gaming enthusiasts and high-end system builders all trust Corsair for high-performance memory that they can install with confidence and pride. Whether you're breaking your own records or you're simply building a dream gaming rig, you can count on Corsair memory.

The Corsair Advantage

With a long history of building enthusiast-grade memory and components, we've earned a reputation for quality, compatibility, and performance. Need help? We're available by phone call, email or web forum.

---

Contents and Specifications

Package contents

• Two Vengeance 8GB SODIMM memory modules

Technical Specifications

• 1600MHz
• 10-10-10-27 latency
• 1.5V
• Auto-overclocking (no bios configuration required)

System requirements

• Any PC or notebook which accepts standard DDR3 SODIMMs
• A 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor is required for Vengeance memory to run at its maximum rated speed
• Vengeance laptop memory upgrade kits installed into systems using 1st Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors will operate at the default memory speed

Product Description

CORSAIR high performance Vengeance SODIMM memory kit 16 GB (2x8 GB) 1600MHz 10-10-10-27, 1.5V, allows you to automatically boost performance of your 2G Intel Core i5 and i7 notebooks without bios reconfiguration. Each module is built using carefully selected DRAM to allow excellent stability and backed by Corsair's limited lifetime warranty

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

106 of 111 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Works great with late 2012 Mac mini November 3, 2012

By Steven Tannehill

Amazon Verified Purchase

After confirming the specs on Apple's support website, I ordered this RAM for my late 2012 Mac mini. Installation was a breeze--flip the mini over, and turn the bottom panel counterclockwise an inch, remove the panel to expose the RAM slots. Pop out the old RAM then snap in the new RAM. Replace the bottom cover and twist it clockwise back into place. It couldn't have been easier.

Considering that Apple wants $300 for 16 gigs of RAM (as opposed to nothing extra for 4 gigs), this is a great bargain.

68 of 70 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A possibly useful explanation for 27" iMac buyers January 28, 2013

By Maynard Handley

Amazon Verified Purchase

Some buyers have expressed concern after buying this RAM and installing it in their iMacs (27" Ivy Bridge model, late 2012).
That iMac is specced for DDR3 1600 RAM, and ships with RAM like that, but after you install this Corsair RAM your iMac will show that it is running aRAM at 1333 MHz, not 1600. So:

(a) The reason this is happening is that DRAM is (to simplify things tremendously) described by two parameters. One is bandwidth (essentially how much data it can transfer per second), the other is latency (how long does it take to set things up before that data starts being transferred).

(b) Your APPLE RAM in the iMac has a bandwidth of 1600MHz and a latency (CAS) of 11 cycles.
The Corsair RAM has a bandwidth of 1600MHz and a latency (CAS) of 10 cycles.

(c) Given that the two sets of RAM do not have identical specs, how should the memory controller configure things for optimal performance? The timings have to be identical for both sets of RAM, meaning they have to run with identical bandwidth and identical CAS.

(d) The CORRECT solution in this case would be to run both at 1600MHz and CAS of 11. However the solution chosen by the memory controller (I am guessing this is handled automatically by Ivy Bridge, not by Apple firmware, but I honestly have no idea) is to retain a CAS of 10, and drop the bandwidth to 1333, which is slow enough that the Apple RAM can run at a CAS of 10 rather than 11.
This is not a completely crazy solution. For most purposes, latency is more relevant to performance than bandwidth, so if you are faced with having to choose one over the other, you should choose to drop bandwidth while preserving latency.... It's just unfortunate than in this case the algorithm (which, remember, has to work for the possibility of people plugging in four RAM DIMMs, possibly all from different manufacturers, with different bandwidths and latencies) chooses a solution that is slightly sub-optimal compared to the best possible solution.

(e) Does it actually matter? Short answer: no. Neither Apple nor Corsair have lied to you about their RAM, and as a practical matter the difference in performance between CAS 10 and CAS 11 ram, or between running at 1600 vs 1333 is negligible (like 1%). Yes, you can undoubtedly craft some benchmark which is sensitive to the issue and which magnifies the problem, but for any real app it just doesn't matter.
If you are so obsessive that you cannot stand this, if you buy a second batch of Corsair 16GB RAM and replace the Apple RAM, you will get back to 1600MHz, now at CAS 10 rather than CAS 11. But you honestly won't notice any performance difference.

Bottom lines:
- The extra RAM is nice --- it means paging on my iMac moves from being a rare occurrence to a non-existent occurrence, and allows that much more file system data to be stored in RAM;
- iMac will show the speed of your combined system (if you bought only two sticks, not four) as 1333 MHz, not 1600;
- There is no reason to be upset or worried about this. It does not mean anyone cheated you or that your system is running slower than it otherwise would. Read more ›

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent July 20, 2012

By Trevor

Amazon Verified Purchase

Corsair has always been one of my go-to's for memory, and so far they've never let me down, this product included. I just purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad T430. The machine defaults with 4GB of RAM, and in order to upgrade to 16GB from Lenovo was over $800, which is obviously a huge profit center for them. So I ordered it with the default 4GB of RAM, and then ordered this Corsair kit for $120. It's a great deal. This is full speed 1600mhz DDR3. Mine was a perfectly matched set, the serial numbers were 1 apart so you know they were made at the same time and share the same nuances that will allow them to work well in Dual Channel. I've run multiple memory tests and stress tests on the machine overall and had absolutely zero problems. Having 16GB on my new laptop is really quite astounding, paired with a Core i7 and I'm able to run virtual machines effortlessly with no concern for memory.

One little caveat for ThinkPad users, and this has absolutely nothing to do with the memory but I thought worth mentioning: If you're replacing both modules on a ThinkPad, one of them is under the keyboard, while the other is exposed through a hatch on the underside. It's not difficult to replace but should be done with care, be sure to follow the Lenovo service manual so you know which parts to remove in what order to gain access to the DIMM slot.

Also worth noting is I was able to take the original 4GB DIMM that came with my laptop and place it in another to upgrade that system to 8GB, which would not have been possible if I bought the more expensive upgrade from Lenovo originally.

68 of 77 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for a MacBook Pro 15 Mid 2012 June 19, 2012

By C. Forbes

Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this ram without any apple product reviews. I figure I had benefited from others' reviews so often that it was my turn to go first.

Installation was a breeze, but that is more due to Apple engineering than the ram. It has a speedy timing of 10-10-10-27 which is just a hair faster than the 11-11 4GB ram that came with the Mac.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for RAM to work with your MacBook Pro 2012, this one will do it for you. Enjoy your 16 GB multitasking.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great memory November 5, 2012

By TC

Amazon Verified Purchase

Bought these to go into my Late 2012 Mac Mini. Got them delivered, opened the pack and had them installed and the computer running in about 10 minutes, probably less. Works perfectly, no problems at all.

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Early 2011 Macbook Pro - Works Perfect! (Sandy Bridge) June 16, 2012

By ThoseGuys

Amazon Verified Purchase

Just swapped the stock ram with these modules and machine recognized and utilized on the first try. Included a picture up in the image gallery of "About This Mac" showing 16gb @ 1600mhz... Very happy...

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 2012 Macbook Pro 15 Non-Retina June 20, 2012

By Michael Reilly

Amazon Verified Purchase

Although Apple only rates the Macbook Pro to 8GB, it has been established that 16GB will work. Because the new machines require 12800 or better speed RAM, I picked these. They installed perfectly and booted up as 16GB. Very pleased!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ordered for Late 2012 Mac Mini January 18, 2013

By Carl

Amazon Verified Purchase

I tried a different manufacturer ram first with same specs and it failed on the mac mini.

Returned it and ordered the Corsair Vengeance.

As always Amazon shipped out right away with excellent service.

RAM installed easy and worked with zero issues for about a week now.

This is my first Mac and I'm learning that they seem to be very particular about their RAM.

Under $100 to my door compared to $300 from apple makes it worth the chance, worst case I figured was it might have to go back.

Thankfully this product is flawless and at a good price. I probably don't need this much RAM but at this cost per gig why wouldn't you?

System: late 2012 Mac Mini had 4 GIG factory Ram, 2.3GHz Intel i7, 1TB Fusion Drive.

Update: Almost 3 months and no issues. System is rock solid and RAM passes the Apple Hardware Test with zero faults. Transcoding video, Editing images with PhotoShop, all work perfectly. Based on my experience I can recommend this for the Mac Mini.