The time has come once again to see who has the best and fastest memory on the block! Corsair is laying it all on the line with their new XMS PC4400 memory. For those of you mathematically challenged, like I am without a calculator at my fingertips, PC4400 means that this memory is certified to run at an incredible bus speed of 275MHz, or 550MHz DDR. That is a screaming bus speed, and only a few manufactures even make a motherboard that can actually run stable at that speed. As for the CPU, only the P4 can guarantee you success, but only with the lower end P4 "C" such as the 2.4C and 2.6C. Unfortunately, Intel has already discontinued the 2.4C and it's only a matter of time before they work their way up the ladder as they release faster CPUs. This means the days of extreme bus speed overclocking is limited. Therefore, with only a select few motherboards able to handle extreme overclocking along with processors that are nearly extinct, PC4400 memory is going to be short lived at best. There is also no standard for such memory, so in order for a company like Corsair to put their reputable label on it, it has to be hand tested to ensure that it can handle such speeds. This means only the best of the best memory is selected, and then only a small percentage will every carry the PC4400 label. Sound like an expensive process? You bet it is, so expect PC4400 to carry a hefty price tag. With that said, let's take a look at this "premium" memory and see if it lives up to our expectations.

     The memory kit we received directly from Corsair is a perfectly matched pair of 512mb TWINX PC4400 memory modules. Here are the official specs:

• Tested at DDR550 (275MHz) on an Asus P4C800-E motherboard

• Tested at JEDEC-standard latency settings (3-4-4-8) for optimal memory bus speed

• Optimum Canterwood performance achieved at high bus speed and relaxed latency

• Test voltage: 2.75V