Verdict: Not as impressive as last year's identically named Labs test winner.

Rather confusingly, we've reviewed and raved about a set of Patriot PDC22G6400LLK memory previously, and it occupied the CPC Elite for nearly a year since its original review.

However, memory manufacturers occasionally have to change the DRAM chips used in a particular set of modules. This is most often caused by the supply of the original DRAMs drying up, or a batch not working at the same settings as its predecessor.

Whatever the reason, however, the set of PDC22G6400LLK in this Labs test uses different DRAMs from those of the set we tested in Issue 38, since they have different voltage requirements. While the previous kit required 2.1V to work correctly, and wouldn't POST when more than 2.25V was applied, later production kits require 2.2V to work, although it also wouldn't POST when overvolted too much.

For a PC2-6400 kit rated to run at up to 800MHz, the PDC22G6400LLK has relatively low latency timings of 4-4-4-12. However, these aren't different enough from the other kits in this Labs test to cause it to perform noticeably better. With its input voltage increased to 2.3V, it would only overclock to 910MHz, so there's very little overclocking headroom.

The PDC22G6400LLK requires more voltage to operate and isn't as good an overclocker as its identically named predecessor, making it hard to recommend, despite its low price.

• Cases - 21st November 2008
• Motherboards - 24th October 2008
• Gaming Headsets - 26th September 2008
• Dream PCs - 24th September 2008
• Headphones - 12th September 2008
• Media PC components - 22nd August 2008
• PSUs - 14th July 2008

• Intel DG45FC - Motherboards
• Intel X25-M Mainstream SATA SSD - Hard disks / storage
• OCZ Core Series 30GB - Hard disks / storage
• Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB - Hard disks / storage
• Asus EAH4870 TOP - Graphics cards
• Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro - Sound cards
• Multiwinia - Games