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Introduction

Which components would you put in an ultimate PC? Ask 50 enthusiasts the same question and you'll probably receive 50 different answers because there are so many permutations available.

Most, though, would start with an Intel Core i7 processor, and if rumours are correct, it could well be the 975 Extreme Edition, promising sky-high overclocks. Then you'd want an X58 motherboard, and the choice, again, is bewildering.

Tied to this platform is the need to use DDR3 memory, but the vagaries of the triple-channel controller on Core i7s, which isn't partial to huge voltage, mean that compliant packs need to scale frequency without going over 1.65V.

Officially supporting DDR3-1,066 memory, Core i7's memory-controller speed can be jolted up, via the motherboard's BIOS, to support higher frequencies, and that's why we see an abundance of DDR3-1,333+ memory available.

At the very high-end of the scale sits DDR3-2,000, for ultimate performance, and Corsair has now launched modules on its online site.

We were fortunate enough to snag a 6GB pack of DOMINATOR GT 2GHz, which represents the vanguard of things to come by providing extreme speeds and (relatively) low latencies to boot.

Optimised for Core i7, clearly, and making a case for inclusion in the ultimate PC, let's see just how much speed it offers.

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