Mushkin PC4000 High Performance: DDR500 PLUS

Final Words

Mushkin’s latest PC4000 High performance is the second DDR500 memory that we have evaluated, which performs competitively at its rated DDR500 speed, and also is fast enough at DDR400 to compete with the fastest DDR400 memory available. We called this Universal High-Speed memory in our earlier Corsair review, and we are glad to see this trend developing in the latest memory offerings. Actually, as readers have pointed out, the first of this group was OCZ3700 Gold, if we look at its actual performance numbers. It will do DDR500 very well, overclocks to about the same level, and is quite fast at DDR400. Since it is not officially rated at DDR500, we did not mention this excellent PC3700 memory in our last memory update, but in fact, it still competes very well with these newer “extended range” DDR modules.

The Mushkin PC4000 High Performance we tested is among the top performers in virtually every test we ran at DDR500 and at the highest Overclock of DDR535. Like the Corsair XMS4000 PRO, the Mushkin still does not quite match the overclocks that we could achieve with OCZ DDR500 or Geil Platinum4000. Based on DDR500 performance alone, we would have a hard time choosing among Mushkin, OCZ, Corsair, and Geil.

At DDR400 — the memory spec for Intel 875/865 boards — Mushkin PC4000 High Performance is only the second DDR500 that can actually run at a fast CAS2 memory timing. At 2-3-3-5 timings it is, in fact, as fast as many top DDR400 modules that certainly will never come close to running at DDR535.

It is clear that the latest revision of Hynix memory chips were designed to behave quite differently than the first revision seen in early DDR500 memory. Hynix gave up some performance at the high-end (DDR533+) in exchange for CAS 2 performance at DDR400 speed. We think it is a good compromise in that it makes the decision to buy DDR500 memory an easier one for computer hobbyists. The dilemma before was whether to get the fast DDR400 modules and run them at 5:4 asynchronous ratio, or get the fastest memory you could find to run at synchronous 1:1 timings. With the latest Hynix, it appears you can get both — great DDR400 timings for 5:4 and DDR500 performance near the maximum that can be achieved with current technology. The latest revision of Hynix memory chips is currently used in both Mushkin PC4000 High Performance and Corsair XMS4000 PRO. It is also likely you will see the new Hynix chips in memory from other Performance Memory Manufacturers very soon.

As we stated in our review of Corsair XMS4000 PRO, if your goal is the highest 1:1 overclock you can achieve, then OCZ PC4000 or Geil 4000Platinum should be your choice. If you want the fastest DDR400 memory performance you can get and a reasonable overclock, then Mushkin 3500 Level2 or OCZ 3700 GOLD are still the fastest choices for DDR400.

However, if you want great timings at DDR400, top performance at DDR500, and a reasonable compromise on the top overclock that you can achieve above DDR500, then Mushkin PC4000 High Performance or Corsair TwinX1024-4000PRO should be your choice. The performance is very similar, but the Corsair has the unique memory LEDs to show activity.

Mushkin PC4000 High Performance is very competitive with the best DDR500 available. It is our second Universal High-Speed DDR500 memory that gives you the real choice to run 5:4 synchronous at DDR400 with CAS2 timings or 1:1 synchronous at a FSB up to 1070 (265) — doing both with the same memory.