OCZ VX Memory + DFI nForce4 = DDR533 at 2-2-2
by Wesley Fink on March 4, 2005 6:45 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Test Results: OCZ EL PC4000 VX Gold
To be considered stable for test purposes, Quake3 benchmark, UT2003 Demo, Super PI, Aquamark 3, and Comanche 4 had to complete without incident. Any of these, especially Super PI, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.| 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 | 400 DDR (Stock V) |
2-3-2-6 2.6V 1T (Stock V) |
567.4 | INT 2856 FLT 2998 |
INT 6130 FLT 6082 |
81 | 119.3 |
| 12x200 | 400 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
572.6 | INT 2920 FLT 3065 |
INT 6150 FLT 6098 |
80 | 120.3 |
| 11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
580.6 | INT 3077 FLT 3253 |
INT 6538 FLT 6467 |
80 | 121.4 |
| 10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
600.5 | INT 3234 FLT 3404 |
INT 6804 FLT 6727 |
78 | 123.4 |
| 9x267 | 533 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
601.5 | INT 3477 FLT 3679 |
INT 7143 FLT 7056 |
77 | 124.9 |
| 9x269 (2.42GHz) |
Highest 1T Mem Speed 538 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.6V 1T |
602.3 | INT 3477 FLT 3683 |
INT 7169 FLT 7106 |
77 | 125.2 |
| 10x250 (2.5Ghz) |
Rated Speed 500 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
612.2 | INT 3364 FLT 3557 |
INT 7093 FLT 7009 |
75 | 128.4 |
| 10x267 (2.67GHz) |
Highest CPU/MEM Performance | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
645.0 | INT 3470 FLT 3629 |
INT 7554 FLT 7461 |
71 | 135.8 |
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 easily be coaxed 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 1 to 6, where CPU speed is kept at 2.4GHZ and only the Memory Speed is varied. The performance differences that you see in that range are a result of Memory Speed only. In the case of VX, where memory timings also remain constant, the true impact of just memory speed can be 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 that all 2-2-2 is not created equal, as VX is faster at every speed than the competition at 2-2-2.
| OCZ EL PC4000 VX Gold (DDR500) 2x512Mb Double-Bank |
||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage |
Everest 1.51 READ |
Everest 1.51 WRITE |
| 12x200 | 400 DDR (Stock V) |
2-3-2-6 2.6V 1T (Stock V) |
5941 | 2639 |
| 12x200 | 400 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
5996 | 2661 |
| 11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
6338 | 2756 |
| 10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
6977 | 2894 |
| 9x267 | 533 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
7455 | 3043 |
| 9x269 (2.42GHz) |
Highest 1T Mem Speed 538 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.6V 1T |
7466 | 3055 |
| 10x250 (2.5GHz) |
Rated Speed 500 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
7236 | 3018 |
| 10x267 (2.67GHz) |
Highest CPU/MEM Performance | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
7603 | 3160 |
We have looked at Aida 32 results in the past, and found them very useful in examining read/write performance and memory latency. Aida 32 is now available as Everest Home Edition and can be downloaded for free from www.lavalys.com. It is very interesting to look at the real impact of memory speed on write performance compared to memory read performance. As we raise the memory speed from 200 to 267 (DDR400 to DDR533), keeping the CPU speed constant, memory Read increases over 25% while memory Write over the same range shows just a 14% increase. That means that while all operations benefit from memory speed increases, operations more dependent on memory Read will benefit much more from memory speed boosts than those that are memory Write dependent.
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Wesley Fink - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
#26 - You need to take a close look at DDR400 2-2-2 VX vs. DDR400 2-2-2 with any other ram we have tested. The biggest news with VX is how fast the chips are at the same speed and timings compared to other chips, which we talked about in the article. There IS a difference in performance from DDR400 2-2-2 to DDR533 2-2-2 at the same clock speed but it is smaller than many imagine as I pointed out in the review. We have set up our AMD tests to really measure the impact of memory - removing as many other variables as possible.Beenthere - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
Sorry but I don't see any justification for over-voltage RAM as the system performance increase is marginal at best. The cost doesn't justify the minimal gains. In addition more voltage = more heat, any way you slice it. This is more marketing hype and no measurable system performance increase as we've seen before from OCZ. Between OCZ and "DFI's gullible PC enthusiast product line", I'm sure they are laughing all the way to the bank. PT Barnum was correct...ChiefNutz - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
The Article said that fourm rumors said the chips were built by winbond. I Though winbond left the memory market? anyone know any different??Wesley Fink - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
Obviously the RTCW-ET results with VX at 2-3-2 are 116.7 with 61.77 vs. 119.3 with 71.80. This compares to our previous fastest 2-2-2 DDR400 at 110.8. We really do need the ability to correct in the comments section :-)Wesley Fink - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
#15 - I did test with 61.77 to make sure the results were not too skewed by the newer 71.80 driver. Q3 and RTCW are slower with 61.77 but this is offset by the memroy bandwidth scores being higher. I just quickly ran 61.77 at 2-3-2-6 and 2,.6v since that was your greatest interest. Q3-554.1 (vs. 567.4), RTCW-ET-116.7 (vs.199.3), Sandra UNbuffered-2949 (vs.2927). The 61.77 results at 2-3-2 are still significantly higher than any 2-2-2 results at 400.#17 - In our launch review we clearly showed the MSI Neo2 to be the same performance as nF4. We have also shown in the past that AGP and PCIe using the same card are the same performance. Since the MSI does not support these extreme voltages we had to make some changes to test VX - which we detailed in the review.
I realize many of you do not want to believe that a memory running 2-3-2 can outperform another memory running 2-2-2 at the same speed, but this is not unique to VX. It is just that VX is an extreme example of a chip being faster at the same speed. Go back to benchmarks that included BH5 and you will see it is faster than TCCD at the same speed and timings.
LX - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
Another typo: "OCZ LANParty nForce4"Hey, Anand, let Wesley have some sleep between reviews!
chr6 - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
typo on last page, its enhanced bandwidth not extended, if i remember correctly.chr6 - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
EddNog - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
"Pwned."No, really...
"Pwned."
Rocket321 - Friday, March 4, 2005 - link
Now that you wont need all that extra ocz platinum r2, feel free to send some my way ;)