Kingmax Hardcore Memory: Tiny BGA Reaches For Top Speed
by Wesley Fink on March 9, 2004 11:12 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Test Results: Kingmax DDR500 and Kingmax DDR466
To test overclocked stability, we used the very demanding Gun Metal 2 - - Benchmark 2, which pushes systems with its DX9 routines. To be considered stable for test purposes, Gun Metal, our Quake3 benchmark, UT2003 Demo, Super PI, Halo, and Comanche 4 had to complete without incident. Any of these, and in particular, Super PI and Gun Metal, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.| Kingmax DDR500 Hardcore Series - 2 x 512Mb Double-Bank | |||||
| Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage | Quake3 fps | Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered | Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
| 400DDR 800FSB |
2-2-2-5 2.5V |
329.2 | INT 2892 FLT 2930 |
INT 4526 FLT 4524 |
129 |
| 433DDR 866FSB |
2-2-3-6 2.5V |
351.2 | INT 3014 FLT 3071 |
INT 4853 FLT 4847 |
120 |
| 533DDR 1066FSB |
2.5-4-4-7 2.75V |
411.9 | INT 3345 FLT 3362 |
INT 5842 FLT 5819 |
102 |
| 466DDR 933FSB |
2.5-2-3-7 2.5V |
376.1 | INT 3257 FLT 3277 |
INT 5164 FLT 5164 |
112 |
| 500DDR 1000FSB |
2.5-3-3-7 2.5V |
396.4 | INT 3341 FLT 3389 |
INT 5527 FLT 5528 |
106 |
| 528DDR 1056FSB |
3-3-4-8 2.85V |
416.3 | INT 3477 FLT 3524 |
INT 5860 FLT 5866 |
99 |
It is amazing that the Kingmax BGA modules managed to run form DDR400 to DDR500 at the default 2.5V. This is the first DDR500 memory that we have tested actually to run at default voltage over such a wide range of memory speeds. The absolute ceiling for the Kingmax DDR500 modules was DDR528, and we were able to achieve this speed at voltages from 2.65V to 2.85V. Increasing the voltage at DDR528 just allowed tighter timings. At 2.65V, we could run stable 3-4-4-8 timings; at 2.75V, 3-3-4-8; and at 2.85V, the 3-3-3-8 timings as reported in the chart. While we were able to complete our benchmark tests at 2.5V at most Memory speeds, top stability was achieved at a 2.55V or 2.65V setting on the Asus P4C800-E motherboard.
| Kingmax DDR466 Hardcore Series - 2 x 512Mb Double-Bank | |||||
| Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage | Quake3 fps | Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered | Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
| 400DDR 800FSB |
2-2-3-5 2.5V |
323.8 | INT 2783 FLT 2833 |
INT 4459 FLT 4447 |
130 |
| 433DDR 866FSB |
2.5-2-3-6 2.5V |
349.0 | INT 3002 FLT 3019 |
INT 4840 FLT 4837 |
121 |
| 466DDR 933FSB |
2.5-3-3-7 2.5V |
372.4 | INT 3179 FLT 3201 |
INT 5154 FLT 5146 |
114 |
| 500DDR 1000FSB |
3-4-4-8 2.85V |
388.8 | INT 3446 FLT 3518 |
INT 5429 FLT 5398 |
108 |
We really expected Kingmax DDR466 Hardcore Series to perform about the same as their DDR500 at lower speeds, but in fact, the DDR500 is also a better performer at the DDR400 end of the range as well. That is not to say DDR466 is not a good performer, since you would never call 2-2-3-5 at 2.5V a bad DDR400 performance. It is not as extraordinary as the DDR500 modules matching the fastest timings that we have ever seen at DDR400. DDR466 performance was very competitive with the best modules that we have tested across its operating range, with the memory topping out at DDR500. We could not achieve 1 MHz higher than DDR500, but performance was stable with higher voltage at that memory speed.
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bldkc - Friday, March 12, 2004 - link
By the way could you guys please start highlighting the item being tested in the graphs with a different colored bar or even different color text for the name (or both)? It makes it very difficult to find the product you are testing if I have to read every name on the graph just to find one of them.bldkc - Friday, March 12, 2004 - link
Wow, don't buy the DDR466! On page 6 it took 1114 seconds to complete! Okay, it's a typo, but still.#10-If you wear a thinner coat outside you won't stay as warm as if you wear a thick one. The same thing with chips.
Wesley Fink - Thursday, March 11, 2004 - link
#11 - Corrected.#10 - BGA chips are both much smaller and thinner than TSOP chips. The electrical connections are also much shorter, generating less heat to start with than TSOP chips. I have seen data supporting 80 to 85% heat dissipation with BGA chips.
Shalmanese - Thursday, March 11, 2004 - link
I sure hope Kingmax didn't provide you with 512K chips of RAM ;). (top of pg3)ViRGE - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - link
What is it exactly about BGA chips that make them run cooler than TSOP chips? There's the size difference of course, but that doesn't account for the temp difference, does it?Jeff7181 - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - link
It's good to see this from Kingmax... I've been wondering for quite some time now why video cards have had DDR500 memory for a few years, and it hasn't made it's way into system RAM. Now we have RAM on video cards capable of DDR1000... why can't we get similar results with system RAM?Inferno - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - link
Something everyone may want to note, if you decrease voltage on the Kingmax sometimes that yeilds better O/Cs then raising it. I have owned alot of Kingmax TinyBGA and it usually responds negativly to more voltage. They also do benifit from heat spreaders when pushed hard and kept at default voltage.Pumpkinierre - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - link
Good article but still more of the same. It seems like 18month old Winbond BH5 and now these BGA chips are the fastest at DDR400-433. However, are there any hints of a DDR466-500 at low latencies (CAS2) out there? I mean graphics cards have got 256Mb of <3ns DDR (dont know the latencies) so why arent the memory manufacturers using that?Xtreme DDR have got some PC3700+ at 2-3-3-6 using picked 5ns Samsung chips (http://www.xtremeddr.com/products/x_pc3700+.shtml)... They quote 2T command rate and some i875 mobo compatibility, which is counter to the Mushkin website advice that intel dual bank chipsets force 1T timings, and memory rated above 1T could be unstable. Perhaps you might get a coupla sticks of that and put them through your test procedure?
KristopherKubicki - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - link
Evan,We have achieved ludicris speed, overshot the winnebago, and gone to plaid.
Kristopher
KristopherKubicki - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - link
BGA is the new standard on DDR2. I welcome the change.Kristopher