Value RAM Roundup: Computing On a Budget
by Wesley Fink on April 11, 2005 4:26 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
OCZ PC3200 Gold: "Value BH5"
When OCZ submitted three different memories for this Value RAM roundup, we first thought it was overkill and an attempt to hijack the roundup. However, as we looked closer at the three memories and the benchmark results with all 3, it is clear that these are memories aimed at 3 different market segments. While all three meet our requirement of costing less than $200 for a Gigabyte, the PC3200 Premier is the more traditional Value RAM that will work on almost any motherboard. The second OCZ memory, PC3200 Gold, will appeal to the enthusiast - particularly those enthusiasts who foam at the mouth over OCZ VX at 3.6V.
Specifications
OCZ PC3200 Gold is the only memory in the Value RAM roundup to be rated at 2-2-2-5 timings.| OCZ PC3200 Gold (DDR400) Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
512 MB 1GB |
| Rated Timings | 2-2-2-5 at DDR400 |
| SPD (Auto) Timings | 2-3-2-5 |
| Rated Voltage | 2.6V |
The SPD is set for "auto" timings to 2-3-2-5. To achieve full 2-2-2 timings, you need to adjust memory timings in BIOS. This is the first opportunity that we have had to test BH5 with high memory voltages. The DFI nForce4 SLI has adjustments to 4.0V in BIOS, so we were able to see for ourselves if the BH5 legends were really true.
Test Results
3.4V is hardly the kind of voltages available on most motherboards - particularly those boards that might use Value RAM. To get this kind of voltage, you need a production DFI nForce4 board - Ultra at about $133 or SLI for $184 to $215. You can also achieve these voltages on many motherboards with an OCZ DDR Booster at about $40. What you can do with voltage and BH5, however, is amazing.| OCZ PC3200 Gold (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 2.6V 1T |
568.9 | INT 2984 FLT 2960 |
INT 6100 FLT 6095 |
81 | 120.0 |
| 11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 2.8V 1T |
580.0 | INT 3053 FLT 3132 |
INT 6486 FLT 6413 |
81 | 122.3 |
| 10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
596.7 | INT 3234 FLT 3241 |
INT 6731 FLT 6769 |
80 | 124.6 |
| 11x255 (2.8GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance 510 DDR |
2-2-2-7 3.4V 1T |
636.5 | INT 3359 FLT 3517 |
INT 7575 FLT 7493 |
69 | 133.5 |
The original BH5 was great up to about DDR450 at decent timings. Above that, it quickly gave out of range - or at least we thought it did in those days. It appears that BH5 with voltage allows 2-2-2 timings to be maintained to levels over DDR500. Frankly, for most users searching for Value RAM, this OCZ PC3200 Gold should be considered as very good and useful to about DDR450 to DDR460, at voltages of 2.9V and lower with very good 2-2-2 to 2.5-3-2 timings. Mad overclockers can consider this an incredible bargain. Feed this value BH5 the voltage and it will deliver at 2-2-2 timings. If you have one of the DFI nForce4 boards, this is one of the memories that can show off what high memory voltage can do.
We have found Aida benchmarks to be very useful in examining read/write performance and memory latency. Aida 32 is now available as Everest Home Edition, a free download from www.lavalys.com.
| OCZ PC3200 Gold (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 2.6V 1T |
5892 | 2027 | 45.8 |
| 11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 2.8V 1T |
6275 | 2135 | 43.4 |
| 10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
6803 | 2323 | 39.5 |
| 11x255 (2.8GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance 510 DDR |
2-2-2-7 3.4V 1T |
7268 | 2460 | 37.0 |
Maintaining a constant CPU Speed of 2.4GHz and constant memory timings of 2-2-2, we measured the impact of increasing the Memory Speed from 200 to 240, a 20% increase. Both Memory Read and Memory Write performance increased by about 15%, while Latency improved by a similar 14%. This translated into improvement in game FPS from 4% to 5% at a constant CPU speed.
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segagenesis - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
Meh, I am lost for the life of me here. I dont see what the big fuss is over Value VX when I still cant find it. To save the comments http://tinyurl.com/46vg6 this doesnt look like the memory reviewed in the article being 3-4-4-8.Seeing how http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?desc... is $87 and I already have some and know it works well... im hard pressed to think I really need to buy "mystery memory".
Illissius - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
Finally, is what I can say. However, if you really mean it when say you want to test real life performance, you should test with stuff from the actual standard benchmark suite - Quake 3 might show impressive gains from higher memory bandwidth, but does the same hold true for Doom 3?xsilver: While I agree that testing with the insane voltages available on DFIs limits the scope of the article somewhat, and results for lower voltages would've been nice to see (or at least mentioned specifically, it seems they're actually there for the BH5, though not the VX), I'm frankly more annoyed with all the other motherboard manufacturers for not allowing higher voltages (Abit in particular), than I am with AT for going ahead and testing with the only one that does. I wouldn't call it advertisement, more like a fair appraisal of capabilities.
Den - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
I thought it was interesting to see in the charts that the Crucial Balistix which are $204 right now ($106 each but 4% off if you buy two and therefore JUST missed the price cutoff for this review) were consistently very good (faster than almost everything in this review) and are the only ones that can be that fast on more normal (non-DFI) voltages.xsilver - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
Im not saying the dfi is bad or expensive.... its just that if you review with features that only the dfi can provide its not really a review / roundup anymore ..... its called an advertisment.... where's the choice?????I expect that dfi shareholders to be laughing really loud right now.... and OCZ too....
bigtoe36 - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
Value VX is $115 if you shop around, how does this count it out of a value roundup?Should AT have only reviewed value ram that performs poorly?
OrSin - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
#40 actually alot people would do just that.The DFI mother is not really that expensive.
Asus and gigabit are the the same price. 6800GT cards are high but if you want the best cards you buy them, to play the games. But how many times have anyone said what type of ram you need to play Doom 3 or HL. No one. If you don't over clock, then $90 ram will slow you system down what 1-2% over $300 ram. I got a A64 3400 and 800XL and kingmax ram. And my system runs alot fat then my friend with with a just 800 and $250 ram.
Sorry but buying high priced ram are mostly for over clockers and most people don't do that. Alot on these tech sites do, but my guess is even most people that buy $200+ ram don't
The review was nice to me.
xsilver - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
another thing I want to clarify is that you make the assumption that you must be a "mad overclocker" if you buy the dfi because it can do 3.4v and all others that dont have the dfi are just posers..... many people would disagree but you seem to not notice???xsilver - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
wesleyI understand what you say about making things consistent but arent then you just promoting the dfi board as no other board supports 3.4v? what about people who are going nforce 3 or intel (god forbid :P)
in trying to maximize the potential of the ram, you are limiting the practical application...
an analogy would be "in testing a ferrari its performance is great when drive it with brand X of fuel and feed it liquid oxygen".... umm... what about the rest of the people that dont use that?... that's why car reviews talk more about the "feel" & handling of the car, things that can be appriecieated by ALL customers....
and by specifying that this review was more for "mad overclockers" that may use the dfi then why even review the cheaper solutions that dont even overclock at all... I mean its not exactly fair when you compare the really cheap ram to some OCZ VX values now is it?
On one hand you try and generalize to the broader market but then on the other you say that you're only catering to the "mad overclockers" that buy the dfi
your original scientific basis / aim is a little unsound
bigtoe36 - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
If your looking for value VX look here.http://www.atacom.com/program/print_html_new.cgi?c...
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc...
Look closely at the part number is has WV which stands for with winbond die, timings are usually 3-4-4-8 or 2.5-3-3-8 buit its all the same stuff.
adg1034 - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
Where exactly can you find the Value VX? Do you have a model number? I was going to buy the Corsair Value RAM, but after reading this, I definitely think I'm going OCZ.