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 EL PC4000 VX Gold
| OCZ EL PC4000 VX Gold (DDR500) - 2x512Mb 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 (Stock V) |
2-3-2-6 2.6V 1T (Stock V) |
567.4 | INT 2852 FLT 3000 |
INT 6128 FLT 6082 |
81 | 119.2 |
| 12x200 | 400DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
572.8 | INT 2918 FLT 3070 |
INT 6154 FLT 6100 |
80 | 120.2 |
| 11x218 | 436DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
580.2 | INT 3075 FLT 3250 |
INT 6538 FLT 6465 |
80 | 121.4 |
| 10x240 | 480DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
600.1 | INT 3230 FLT 3402 |
INT 6804 FLT 6726 |
78 | 123.5 |
| 9x267 | 533DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
601.5 | INT 3479 FLT 3670 |
INT 7140 FLT 7054 |
77 | 124.8 |
| 10x250 | Rated Speed 500DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
612.2 | INT 3364 FLT 3557 |
INT 7093 FLT 7009 |
75 | 128.4 |
| 10x267 (2.67 GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
645.0 | INT 3465 FLT 3630 |
INT 7552 FLT 7460 |
71 | 135.7 |
The top row of Performance results at 2.6V is included as a performance baseline. While VX cannot achieve 2-2-2 timings at stock voltage at DDR400, it can be coaxed easily into 2-2-2 performance at DDR400 with more voltage. With these modules, we reached an extremely stable DDR400 2-2-2-6 at 3.0V. We then maintained 2-2-2-6 timings all the way to DDR538, which required 3.6V for complete stability. The voltage requirements from 3.0 to 3.6 volts were very linear to Memory Speed.
The important results here are rows 2 to 6, where CPU speed is kept at 2.4GHZ and only the Memory Speed is varied. The performance differences you see in that range are a result of Memory Speed and timings only. In the case of VX, where memory timings also remain constant, the true impact of just memory speed can be clearly seen. It is not a huge difference in real-world benchmarks, but the increase is real nonetheless.
However, speed from 400 to 533 is not the only thing that is important with OCZ VX. Please take a look at VX performance in our later performance comparisons. Look at each of these speeds comparing VX to the best AMD TCCD and other memory that we have tested and you will see something very interesting. VX is faster at every speed than competing memory that we have tested. This means all 2-2-2 is not created equal, as VX is faster at every speed than the competition at 2-2-2.
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renzokuken - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
Wesley, you've made my day. Thankyou for this follow-up review. The only thing I didn't like is the following statement "The Corsair did not do as well at the highest speeds on the DFI as it has done on other platforms, but that can likely be fixed with a BIOS revision". I'd love to know if/when this BIOS revision will be released and how much it will affect the Corsairs results.Btw, if anyone can tell me how to change the password required to post a comment I would be eternally grateful
arswihart - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
zebo, i have no idea what you tried to just sayJoKeRr - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
look at corsair and mushkin tccd (3200s) that doesn't use BP pcb, they almost never break 260 eitherJoKeRr - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
but I don't ballsitix uses BP pcb, if it does, it will prob. kill tccd.Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
Consistancy. It's not there. Just browse various forums.. some like us report kick arse performance some can't even get 220Mhz out of it w low timings.When you buy TCCD any moron can get at least 275Mhz out of it which is very appealing until you look past sisuck numbers. Also, in general, TCCD is more flexible because of that. Can run 2-2-2 @ 200 just like Ballistix but can also run up around 300Mhz and everything in between. I've never seen ballistix posting at anything above 275 w/1T.
Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
"anandtech is the biggest dfi propaganda site on the web"They use the best mobo in mem guides this is nothing new where you been? Back in NF3 days it's was MSI NEO2..Back w intel tests it was Asus..actually this is the first time I ever seen them using DFI which stand to raseon since it's the NF4 winnar.
ozzimark - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
#35-one thing i never understood. ballistix (more the micron -5b chips than ballistix itself) has an amazing performance/ocing to cost ratio. plus, it oc's at tight timings fairly well without much voltage. how come it was never very popular like BH-5/UTT and TCCD?
Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
Joker, Ballistix is essentially EB..so it likes up to 3.1 too but runs hot...need to cool it activly and have a mobo which staggers mem like DFI's.. i.e geographically in slots: Mem--Blank--Mem--Blank to allow air flow.I personally run 245Mhz 2.5-2-2 1T @ 2.8
But screwing around w/ volts I get 261 2.5-2-2 w/o error But since I'm a silence freak it's not for me.
Still this winbond UTT mem is better overall if you plan to send high volts to mem anywayz
Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
"TCCD isn't the holy grail of RAM anymore."It never was. It's loose arse timings always got whooped by Ballistix, and especially "old" BH-5 in the benchmarks running async with tight timings and moderate BW. This new ram is from co that brought you BH-5 and it's prolly better except it can't run 1.5 CAS.
arswihart - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
anandtech decides to focus on dfi and ocz as a magical combination, no matter what qualifications they make in the article they are still selling these specific products to readers. Its reflected in the forums and probably in sales. I don't like how anandtech's articles are beginning to constantly offer suggestions and declarations about the best this and that (often just based on what they have reviewed to date, not all that is available).