Value RAM Roundup: Computing On a Budget
by Wesley Fink on April 11, 2005 4:26 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
OCZ PC3200 Value Series: "Value VX"
OCZ VX emerged as our memory performance leader in our recent memory review, OCZ VX Revisited: DDR Updates on DFI nForce4. Rated at DDR500 speed at 2-2-2 timings, we quickly learned that you needed a lot of memory voltage to get the most from this memory. In fact, VX really requires 3.5V to 3.6V for best performance. This requires one of the new DFI nForce4 motherboards, an add-on OCZ DDR Booster, or a motherboard memory voltage mod to provide the voltages VX demands.The other part of the VX equation was cost. OCZ bins VX and tests at DDR500 2-2-2 speed, and the cost of that selectivity and guaranteed performance is about $270 for a Gigabyte of RAM. As performance RAM goes, this is a bargain price, but we never considered VX a Value RAM until OCZ dropped a surprise on our doorstep.
With the introduction of DDR500 VX, OCZ announced that they would be also producing a "Value VX" rated at DDR400 and lower voltage. Basically, this Value VX would be an unbinned part not tested for high voltages and high overclocks. That "Value VX" is now on the market as OCZ PC3200 Value Series and selling for about $115 for a pair of 512MB DIMMs!
Specifications
OCZ rates Value VX at the very conservative 2.5-3-3-7 at DDR400 at default voltage. The memory does meet these specs, but when you crank up the voltage, these "Value VX" DIMMs turn into a different animal.| OCZ PC3200 Value (DDR400) Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
512 MB 1GB |
| Rated Timings | 2.5-3-3-7 at DDR400 |
| SPD (Auto) Timings | 2.5-3-3-7 |
| Rated Voltage | 2.6V |
There is no mention on the innocent "OCZ PC3200 Value Series" label of what lurks within.
Test Results
| OCZ PC3200 Value (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 | 400 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
570.2 | INT 2940 FLT 2929 |
INT 6096 FLT 6148 |
81 | 120.0 |
| 11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
579.6 | INT 3138 FLT3117 |
INT 6478 FLT 6412 |
80 | 120.9 |
| 10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
593.4 | INT 3242 FLT 3352 |
INT 6746 FLT 6789 |
79 | 122.7 |
| 11x245 (2.7GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance 490 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.3V 1T |
613.6 | INT 3384 FLT 3459 |
INT 7284 FLT 7204 |
72 | 129.1 |
The binned and tested OCZ PC4000 VX reaches a higher speed of DDR530 at 2-2-2. That just proves the value of binning and testing for performance. But how can we complain about a memory that costs 57% less than 4000 VX and still performs with complete stability at DDR490 at 2-2-2 timings? Frankly, we can't.
You bargain hunters who want to play with VX, 2-2-2 timings, and high memory voltage will want to grab a pair of Value VX. They aren't binned, but we suspect that most will reach DDR480 to DDR500 if you supply the voltage - and some may do even better. That translates into a Clock frequency of 240 to 250, which should be more than enough to supply 1:1 2-2-2 to any AMD A64 at stock multiplier. A 2.4GHz 4000+ would be 2.88 to 3.0GHz at 240 to 250, for example - probably more than what the CPU can do with air cooling. At $115, for a Gigabyte of Value VX, there is now no price barrier to providing 2-2-2 1:1 memory for any AMD CPU - provided you can supply the voltage.
Aida 32 is now available as Everest Home Edition, a free download from www.lavalys.com.
| OCZ PC3200 Value (DDR400) 2x512Mb Double-Bank Everest 1.51 |
|||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage |
Everest READ MB/s |
Everest WRITE MB/s |
Everest Latency ns |
| 12x200 | 400 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
5877 | 2033 | 45.8 |
| 11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
6170 | 2056 | 44.6 |
| 10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
6666 | 2207 | 44.2 |
| 11x245 (2.7GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance 490 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.3V 1T |
8310 | 3321 | 35.2 |
Performance patterns are exactly the same as seen in our recent reviews of VX memory. The unbinned $115 DDR400 memory reached DDR490, while the binned $270 DDR500 version reached DDR530 - with 2-2-2 timings all around. If you want assured performance, go for the DDR500 tested part. If you want low price and lots of potential, OCZ PC3200 Value Series has your name on it.
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CanadianDoc - Sunday, April 17, 2005 - link
1 GB (2 x 512 MB) of Crucial Ballistix PC 3200 now lists for $192 U.S. at crucial.com.On any mobo, it runs at 200 MHz (DDR 400) at 2-2-2-6 timings at 2.8 V, outperforming any other RAM in this review.
As shown by AnandTech (www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2386), on a DFI nF4 mobo, it overclocks to 280 MHz (DDR 560) at 2.5-3-3-6 timings at only 2.9 V, where it closely matches the top performance of any RAM available at any price, bar none. IMHO, this is real value.
Adding a Venice 3200+ overclocked to 10 x 280 MHz = 2.80 GHz (www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/athlon64-venice.html), a Thermalright XP-90 heatsink with a SilenX 92mm 14dBA fan, a Seagate 7200.8 SATA NCQ hard drive, and a Gigabyte X800 XL video card with SilentPipe cooling (GV-RX80L256V), in an Antec Performance One (P160) case (www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2346) with an XG Magnum 500W heatpipe PSU (available later this month, according to www.xgbox.com), you have the makings of an ultra-quiet gaming rig with near state-of-the-art performance at a great bang-for-the-buck price.
ozzimark - Thursday, April 14, 2005 - link
you can. i'm a big advocate of crucial ballistixspeaking of that company, why were they missing from the testing too?
BaronVonAwesome - Thursday, April 14, 2005 - link
195 seems a bit steep for value RAM. I'd like to point out that you can get Ballistix from Crucial for less than 210 I believe.Den - Thursday, April 14, 2005 - link
Thanks for pointing out that the part numbers are on page two. As many others have said, it would have been really nice to see the best the different rams would do at 2.9v in addition to what they would do with DFI voltage. Also it would have been nice to see a greater range of memory tested but I understand you are limited by not being able to afford to buy and test what you want. Beggars can't be choosy. Thanks for doing this though, the general concept was good and there was some interesting information.NXIL - Thursday, April 14, 2005 - link
Paying $100 to buy some Corsair Valueram (Newegg--had an $88 special yesterday) would have been the fair and reasonable course of action.Consumer Reports has been testing products fairly for decades--they don't accept advertising, and, they buy the cars, electronics, and other items they test anonymously. Of note is that "Sharper Image" has sued them recently (SI lost) when they tested one of their bogus "air purifiers"--seems to make the air less clean, actually, by releasing ozone.
Anandtech should get some Corsair RAM and test it--and, they should buy samples of the other brands tested, and compare the "off the street" samples with the ones provided by the manufacturers. Unless I am mistaken, video card makers were found to be rigging their drivers to test better with certain benchmarks. It would not be too surprising to find that memory manufacturers had taken some of their special high cost "binned" chips and sent them out with a "value" label on them.
MadAd - Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - link
Oh dear ... I left this review for 2 days till I had time to read it properly, I'm sorry to say I wish I had not bothered.1) Should have been titled value ram from non value companies. Wheres the real value ram?
Since the price began to drop we seem to be up to our ears in stuff ive never heard of purporting to be cas3@3200 - Stupid me for thinking that thats what a value roundup should include, noname oem kit, not some hand selected bunch of good-but-value-priced ram from the majors.
2) Why is the following question being avoided and ignored? Namely why wasnt any corsair memory got from another source and included in the test?
A reader posted some assumptions however further to that it could be i) they use pretty much the same chips all over and dont want to give the game away that the extra $100 doesnt get you much increase and ii) anandtech dont want to bite the hand that feeds so bowed down to the request rather than doing whats right and finding the truth come hell or high water.
Im not usually this negative but I do feel quite let down, sorry.
classy - Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - link
I think a lot of folks are missing it. I think some people need to look at this way. You would have upgrade your cpu 1-2 speed grades to equal the performance increase that using the VX or BH5 memory would bring. Even at stock speeds. Now yes you need more voltage, but DFI I believe produces the best A64 borads as well as the best athlon XP board, Ultra B, which all are capable of supplying the necessary voltage. You can also use the ddr booster on some boards. Its a great alternative to increase system performance without spending a lot of money. And this is memory that you can grow with for at least a couple of years. I believe AMD said it won't go DDR2 until 2007. Great article, good stuff, and nice to see other ways to bring a performance increase. Nice job Wesleyunclebud - Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - link
84 comments in 2 days!!! haven't seen that in a while...thanks for the article! good reading as usual
XRaider - Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - link
The cheap OCZ is faster then the Plat. Rev2 !!! Ain't dat a Bitch!!! >:-(WTF is up with OCZ. shooot.
srstudios - Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - link
Wesley, I hate to be a nag, but now you have both the OCZ PC3200 Gold, and the OCZ PC3200 Premier with the same model number. PC3200 Gold P/NOCZ4001024ELDCGE-Kis correct.
The Premier should be PN- OCZ4001024PDC-K, at least I think that's the correct part. http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/ocz_d...
I have a gig of the 'old' BH-5, Mushkin Black L2 PC3500, do you think they would play nice with this new value BH-5? I don't think I would combine them, just wonder if you guys have any thoughts about it.