OCZ VX Revisited: DDR Updates on DFI nForce4
by Wesley Fink on March 30, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Test Results: OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2
To be considered stable for test purposes, Quake3 benchmark, UT2003 Demo, Super PI, Aquamark 3, and RTCW had to complete without incident. Any of these, and in particular Super PI and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.| OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2 (DDR400) - 2 x 512Mb Double-Bank | |||||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage |
Quake3 fps |
Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered | Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
Wolfenstein - Radar - Enemy Territory fps |
| 12x200 | 400DDR | 2-2-2-6 2.6V 1T |
549.5 | INT 2850 FLT 3045 |
INT 6066 FLT 6034 |
80 | 114.9 |
| 11x218 | 436DDR | 2-3-2-6 2.8V 1T |
546.3 | INT 2893 FLT 3065 |
INT 6452 FLT 6385 |
81 | 114.3 |
| 10x240 | 480DDR | 2.5-3-3-6 2.8V 1T |
550.2 | INT 3016 FLT 3231 |
INT 6709 FLT 6631 |
80 | 115.1 |
| 9x267 | 533DDR | 2.5-4-3-6 2.9V 1T |
554.6 | INT 3101 FLT 3331 |
INT 7026 FLT 6940 |
80 | 116.0 |
| 9x318 (2.86 GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance | 2.5-4-3-7 2.9V 1T |
649.0 | INT 3562 FLT 3752 |
INT 7828 FLT 7739 |
72 | 136.4 |
The OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2 was the only memory to achieve its best performance at a 9 ratio - reaching DDR636 in our DFI test bed. This was achieved at the more desirable 1T Command Rate. This level of performance is outstanding, but it is definitely worth noting that OCZ TCCD at DDR636 2.5-4-3-7 performance is roughly equivalent to OCZ VX Gold at 10x267 2-2-2-6. This is particularly interesting, since the CPU speed at 318x9 is 2.86GHz compared to 2.67GHz at 267x10.
OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev.2 performs very well as the representative of fast TCCD memory. We checked results with G. Skill TCCD and achieved close to the same performance as OCZ with stable performance at DDR630 (315). This represents the kinds of normal variations that you will find in top-performing memory at the highest performance levels.
As impressive as DDR636 sounds, fast memory timings and a fast memory chip can offset both a higher memory speed and a slightly higher CPU speed. The best TCCD can perform just as well as VX, but it required DDR636 and a 119 MHz faster speed to match OCZ VX at 2-2-2-6 timings.
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adg1034 - Tuesday, April 19, 2005 - link
Wesley- could you do a follow-up with the "Value VX"? I'd love to see how that does.Gogar - Friday, April 15, 2005 - link
I'm wondering how a 3000+ would perform in the used setup with the OCZ Plat rev2. Assuming it can reach the MHZ, would it really be the same as a 4000+?JoKeRr - Sunday, April 3, 2005 - link
#50, pretty sure A8N SLI gives Vdimm upto 3V.ISS - Saturday, April 2, 2005 - link
No doubt OCZ VX memory is cool. However, there is 1 major point to consider which I don't think anandtech did mention.Whats the long term effects of pushing running 3.5V on A64. I have read from forums that some users ended up with dead CPUs after pushing high memory voltages. I am not sure but I guess they have a dead memory controller. Can A64's on-die memory controller handle 3.5V Vdimm for prolong periods? Such as 3-6 months or even longer?
AMD did mention before that running high Vdimm may damage the CPU and void the warranty though. Also, you would have notice that literally all board manufacturers other than DFI limits the Vdimm to just 2.85V.
cryptonomicon - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
man, i wish they included a sweet pair of BH-5 in all of their mem tests (one of the 280+ mhz pairs 2225 ~3.3-3.4v) just so i would have a point of reference to all this NEW ram.NotoriousGIB - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
Ohh...last comment was for poster 26.NotoriousGIB - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
Thx for the comment, but I was already aware of that. Wesley, plz post your DRAM & Genie BIOS settings used in this comparison. If there are any other OCZ VX users that have busted 250MHz, please post your settings.Zebo - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
"zebo, i have no idea what you tried to just say "Don't worry about it just get the cheapest ram like Buffalo B-line /corsiar value and you'll be just fine. All this stuff is overated, overpriced and for competitive benchmarkers only.
ozzimark - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
#39-i've been through 4 sticks of ballistix. all of them can make it to 245mhz at 2.5-2-2-5, which is the limit of my memory controller. i think inconsistancy is a thing of the past now.
i would try to prove you wrong on your second point, but i'd need a new cpu for that :(
Teetu - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
is there anyway I get anand's complete settings for the ballistix ram?i know with the older bios DFI recommended bank interleave off, but has that changed with the 3/10 bios?