Searching for the Memory Holy Grail - Part 2
by Wesley Fink on August 26, 2003 11:11 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
The Candidates
With what we know now about 875/875 memory configurations, the ideal test of the fastest memory available would be four double-bank modules. However, not all memory manufacturers had DS DDR500 modules available. Therefore, to be fair in our memory comparison, we asked memory vendors, at the very minimum, to supply 2 DS DIMMs or 4 SS modules of their fastest memory for evaluation. Over several weeks, we received PC4000/DDR500 samples from Corsair, Geil, Kingston, OCZ and Adata. OCZ 3700 Gold was also included in the roundup, since it is known to perform at DDR500.
| DDR500 Memory Specifications | ||||||
| Adata PC4000 | Corsair XMS 4000 | Geil Platinum 4000 | Kingston HyperX 4000 | OCZ 4000 Copper | OCZ 3700 Gold | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS | 2 DS | 2 DS | 4 SS | 2 DS | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory | 512 MB 1 GB |
512 MB 1 GB |
512 MB 1 GB |
256 MB 1 GB |
512 MB 1 GB |
256 MB 512 MB |
| Rated Timings | 3-4-4-8 | 3-4-4-8 | 2.5-4-4-7 | 3-4-4-8 | 3-4-4-7 | 2.5-3-3-7 @DDR466 |
| Rated Voltage | ? | 2.75V | 2.6-2.95V | 2.65V | 2.7V | 2.65V @DDR466 |
With each set of DDR500 memory, we tested at the following settings:
1. 800FSB/DDR400 – the highest stock speed supported on 875/865 motherboards.To test overclocked stability, we used a run of the very demanding Gun Metal 2 — Benchmark 2, which pushes systems with its demanding DX9 routines. To be considered stable for test purposes, Gun Metal, our Quake3 benchmark, UT2003 Demo, and Super PI had to complete without incident. Any of these four, and in particular Super PI and Gun Metal, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.
2. 1000FSB/DDR500 – the specified rating of the memory modules that we were testing.
3. Highest Stable Overclock – the highest settings that we could achieve with the memory being tested.
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Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
#12: You are completely wrong. OCZ IS A PAID ADVERTISER. You should follow your own advice and look more carefully at the sponsored links.Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
it has been going downhill for a longtime. fewer updates,less contentAnonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
I totally agree with #14. Anandtech is just going down hill. It's funny how even though you say OCZ isn't any sort of advertiser that it's name is plastered all over the site and you always proclaim it better.You are pleasing the people that your advertisers are pimping. Simple economics. Please the folks that are advertising the product because you are giving it such high ratings.
Only blind people can't see what's going on. Business is business. I bet if you gave Corsair the high honor's then these so called Atacom people would be promoting Corsair.
Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
"We asked major memory manufacturers to supply DDR500 or the fastest memory that they had available for comparison in our High-Speed memory roundup."That is rather disappointing. The incentive for manufacturers to cherry-pick modules for review on a site as influential as Anandtech is simply to great to be ignored.
Otherwise, a very nicely done review.
Icewind - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
Meh, my 3700 Corsair is doing plenty well for me. Rather spend the money on a 5900 Ultra that will make more of a difference in my systemKristopherKubicki - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
#11: OCZ is not a paid advertiser. If you pay attention to those links, you'll see its companies like ATACOM, Newegg, and SVC promoting OCZ memory. If you do not feel comfortable with OCZ, then I would suggest not using those merchants.Kristopher
Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
What do you know... Another of their "PAID ADVERTISER" wins out again! This site has become nothing but pimping their fricken advertisers. Who believes the spew that has come from this site lately? Ever since the OBVIOUS BS review of the GeForce FX 5900. This site lost all credibility.Whoa! What do you know... "Sponsored Links (Get Listed)... And look whose down there. OCZ... Blah! This site is nothing about padding the pockets.
Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
^^^ huh?Anyway, great review Wes, you rock!
Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
oh bleh.. all of a sudden i feel... not coolWesley Fink - Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - link
4 chips per side is single-bank memory. It behaves like single-sided.