A-Data XPG Plus 1866+

A-Data XPG Plus 1866+ review

How much is cooling a factor for high performance memory? Expert opinion, you might say, is divided. Still, we're sure about one thing. If anything is holding back the A-Data XPG Plus 1866+ triple-channel memory kit, it ain't cooling.We know this because the XPG Plus has perhaps the most elaborate heat dissipation arrangement we've seen on any memory stick. Each DIMM is clamped by a pair of anodised alloy plates from which springs a pair of heat pipes that in turn feed into an array of cooling fins. It's quite a sight, and has the added advantage of being passive.Notably, however, there are no fans. That should make for an interesting comparison with Corsair's optionally fan-cooled Dominator GT kit. On the upside, fans tend to provide more effective cooling. On the downside, they also tend to collect dusty, become whiney and generally suffer mechanical failure.Beyond peace of mind, the real benefits of the A-Data XPG Plus's complex cooling solution are hard to quantify. We can at least confirm the heat pipes and cooling fins do an effective job of keeping temperatures under control. Even at high clocks and under full load, the DIMMs themselves are only slightly warm to the touch.Lower temperatures are always a good thing when it comes to component longevity, of course.