Post-Laser Performance

The lasering process includes the removal of a small amount of surface from the Samsung chips, and OCZ remarking the chips.




The OCZ remark indicates a performance rating of 4.3ns, which is quite an improvement from the original Samsung rating.




We have already seen the Samsung chips perform well beyond their rated performance and timings, so what effect does the Laser process have on performance and timings? Is the claimed 4.3ns rating after laser treatment justified?

To offer a better comparison to the finished product, we looked at the HIGHEST overclock at SPD timings, the required voltage at OCZ 3700 GOLD rating of 2.5-7-3-3 and DDR466, and the lowest voltage required for SPD 3-8-4-4 rating at DDR466.


OCZ Lasered Samsung DS Performance
Intel 875 Chipset, Dual-Channel, Maximum Overclock
DDR Memory Speed Memory Timings Memory Voltage
(vDIMM)
UNBuffered
Sandra 2003 Memory Test
(MB/Second)
466 3-8-4-4 Minimum SPD voltage
2.5V
2877 INT
2923 FLT
466 2.5-7-3-3 Minimum GOLD-Spec Voltage
2.65V
3003 INT
3102 FLT
500 Maximum SPD
3-8-4-4
2.8V 3064 INT
3158 FLT


As OCZ claims, the laser process seems to have a significant effect on performance in two areas. First, it allows the memory chips to achieve a higher overclock. In our tests, the maximum overclock went from 476 to DDR500 – just with the laser process. Second, and more important, lasering appears to allow the use of lower voltages at the same memory speeds. In our test at DDR466 and 2.5-7-3-3, the laser process reduced the required memory voltage (vDIMM) for stable performance from 2.8V to 2.65V. This is a significant improvement in specifications.

Pre-Laser Performance Retail Performance
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  • Anonymous User - Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - link

    #63, you clearly don't read AT's reviews very closely. Take a look at AT's recent KT600 reviews and you'll see that they continually suggeset purchasing nForce2 U400 motherboards instead. They don't go all out and bash the KT600 motherboard because there IS NO REASON TO. KT600 boards are SLIGHTLY slower, SLIGHTLY poorer overclockers, and come with the same features for a lower price. Sure, enthusiasts will always go with nForce2 U400, but that doesn't make KT600 motherboards terrible, and therefore deserving of a bad review.

    Yikes, get a clue.
  • Anonymous User - Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - link

    Well, Mushkin is here and pleaes post your questions....Let me know what you need and we will try to assist.

    You can also post your questions at
    http://forums.mushkin.com/phpbb2/

    Duonger
  • Anonymous User - Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - link

    Well, Mushkin is here and pleaes post your questions....Let me know what you need and we will try to assist.

    You can also post your questions at
    http://forums.mushkin.com/phpbb2/

    Duonger
  • Anonymous User - Monday, August 18, 2003 - link

    What it all boils down to isn't how the memory is made, it is the quality of product.

    OCZ has a quality product. One OCZ rep in particular, Sean Sinah, has stayed up until 3 AM to personally answer my question. Let's see Corsair or Mushkin do that.

    I personally believe that Mushkin, Corsair and OCZ all make good product. Beyond product, OCZ has the customer service.
  • Anonymous User - Sunday, August 17, 2003 - link

    to post #63, so your saying AT can't review anything to do with an Intel or AMD CPU since I see AMD and Intel advertised here, which means they can't use it in any reviews at all, gee you sure are a smart one.
  • Anonymous User - Saturday, August 16, 2003 - link

    It doesn't take a genius to search the sites of AT and see that the advertisers products that do get reviewed never get bad ratings. Why is this? Or better yet, why review an advertisers product? Don't you think people won't think something is fishy behind that?
  • Anonymous User - Thursday, August 14, 2003 - link

    To clarify that last post, all OCZ advertisements on the website are co-brand advertisements, meaning they do not come from OCZ. For example, the ATACOM banner with OCZ on it is ATACOM promoting their OCZ products.
  • Anonymous User - Thursday, August 14, 2003 - link

    #49

    We do not get paid by OCZ nor will we anytime soon. Unlike other hardware sites (whom OCZ can probably vouche for), we just dont do those kinds of things
  • Anonymous User - Thursday, August 14, 2003 - link

    #49

    We do not get paid by OCZ nor will we anytime soon. Unlike other hardware sites (whom OCZ can probably vouche for), we just dont do those kinds of things
  • Anonymous User - Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - link

    56, WHO CARES?!!!! Does it run good? Buy it, use it, and be happy for crying our loud! I've never seen so many whiners in all my life...is this what AT is reduced to? :(

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