Upgrading memory is a cost-effective way to improve a laptop’s or mini-PC’s performance. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of great options in the market and the number of systems supporting So-DIMMs is growing quickly. Thanks to creative designs by PC builders like Lenovo P360, HP Z2 Mini and Intel NUCs, these DRAM modules are gaining in popularity outside of the traditional mobile systems realm. In this review, we look at Sabrent’s DDR4-3200 So-DIMM offerings, which come in up to 32GB modules.
Upgrading memory is a cost-effective way to improve a laptop’s or mini-PC’s performance. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of great options in the market and the number of systems supporting So-DIMMs is growing quickly. Thanks to creative designs by PC builders like Lenovo P360, HP Z2 Mini and Intel NUCs, these DRAM modules are gaining in popularity outside of the traditional mobile systems realm. In this review, we look at Sabrent’s DDR4-3200 So-DIMM offerings, which come in up to 32GB modules.
Sabrent DDR4-3200 So-DIMM Specifications
DDR4 has been the memory standard for most PCs since 2015. Late 2021 saw the debut of DDR5 with Intel’s Alder Lake processors, but even many of those systems often use DDR4 memory to keep cost down; Intel’s NUC 12 Extreme Kit mini-PC is an example.
We’re looking at DDR4-3200 So-DIMMs by Sabrent. These 260-pin modules are for laptops and mini-PCs. The 8GB module is $44.99 (Amazon), 16GB is $74.99 (Amazon), and 32GB is $165.99 (Amazon). The pricing is slightly higher than Corsair or G.Skill, but not unreasonably so, and sales can tip the balance in Sabrent’s favor.
These Sabrent So-DIMMs support JEDEC timings for maximum compatibility. They operate at the standard 1.2V and the fastest official DDR4 frequency of 3,200MHz. The CAS latency of 22 seems high next to desktop DDR4-3200, which is typically CL16, but is standard fare for So-DIMMs.
Visually, Sabrent goes the extra mile with copper-lined heatspreaders and a black PCB. It’s also convenient that they list the module type, speed, and capacity along the top edge. A one-year warranty is standard but you can get five years for free by registering it with Sabrent. Five years should be long enough to bring any system to the end of its useful lifecycle.
Installing the Sabrent DDR4 So-DIMMs is like any other; the module only fits in the slot one way and is held in by retaining clips.
The full specifications of this Sabrent DD4-3200 memory are as follows.
| SKU | SB-DDR8 (8GB), SB-DDR16 (16GB), SB-DDR32 (32GB) |
| Details | 260-pin So-DIMM, 1.2V |
| Speed | DDR4-3200 |
| Latency | CL22 |
| Dimensions (HWL) | 0.016 by 1.2 by 2.7 inches |
| Weight | 0.4 oz |
| Package Content |
|
| Warranty | 1 year standard, 5 years with registration |
Sabrent DDR4-3200 So-DIMM Performance
We tested a pair of Sabrent DDR4-3200 16GB So-DIMM modules (32GB total) in the Intel NUC 12 Extreme Kit mini-PC. For comparison, we’re using the pair of 16GB Micron DDR4-3200 So-DIMMs which have the same timings (22-22-22-24).
SiSoftware Sandra 2021
Our first test is the popular SiSoftware Sandra 2021. Higher numbers are better in all subtests.
| Sabrent DDR4-3200 So-DIMM | Micron DDR4-3200 So-DIMM | |
| Memory Bandwidth | 32.262GB/s | 39.481GB/s |
| Cache & Memory Latency | 32.1ns | 32.8ns |
| Cache & Memory Bandwidth | 408.438GB/s | 398.745GB/s |
| Overall Memory Score | 2.00kPT | 1.98kPT |
The Sabrent DDR4 trailed in the memory bandwidth subtest, but technically came out ahead based on the overall score. We’ll call this one a draw.
7-Zip Compression Benchmark
For our last test, the excellent 7-Zip file archive tool has a handy built-in compression benchmark. We ran 10 passes using a 128MB dictionary size and all 24 CPU threads of our Core i9-12900; higher numbers are better.
| Sabrent DDR4-3200 So-DIMM | Micron DDR4-3200 So-DIMM | |
| Compressing | ||
| Current CPU Usage | 1991% | 1979% |
| Current Rating/Usage | 3.274 GIPS | 2.953 GIPS |
| Current Rating | 65.191 GIPS | 58.434 GIPS |
| Resulting CPU Usage | 1985% | 1975% |
| Resulting Rating/Usage | 3.256 GIPS | 2.970 GIPS |
| Resulting Rating | 64.631 GIPS | 58.633 GIPS |
| Decompressing | ||
| Current CPU Usage | 2344% | 2330% |
| Current Rating/Usage | 4.087 GIPS | 4.117 GIPS |
| Current Rating | 95.816 GIPS | 95.932 GIPS |
| Resulting CPU Usage | 2318% | 2352% |
| Resulting Rating/Usage | 4.101 GIPS | 4.062 GIPS |
| Resulting Rating | 95.056 GIPS | 95.542 GIPS |
| Total Ratings | ||
| Total CPU Usage | 2151% | 2163% |
| Total Rating/Usage | 3.678 GIPS | 3.516 GIPS |
| Total Rating | 79.843 GIPS | 77.088 GIPS |
The compression sub-scores show the most important differences, where the Sabrent DDR4 came out well ahead of its Micron rival; its resulting 64.631 GIPS rating was over 10% higher. That difference carried through the Total Ratings, where the Sabrent remained comfortably ahead, with a Total Rating of 79.843 GIPS.
Conclusion
The Sabrent DDR4-3200 So-DIMM units are an excellent upgrade path for laptops and mini-PCs. We saw reliable performance from the two 16GB modules we tested. They are attractively designed, with a black PCB and heatspreaders, and offer a good warranty with registration. Overall, this memory is a solid choice for upgrades.
Engage with StorageReview
Newsletter | YouTube | Podcast iTunes/Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | TikTok | RSS Feed
