Mushkin Redline XP4000: Winbond with Voltage Be Damned

Test Results: Mushkin Redline XP4000

The top row of Performance results at 2.6V is included as a performance baseline. Like OCZ VX, Mushkin Redline cannot achieve 2-2-2 timings at stock voltage at DDR400. However, it can easily reach 2-2-2 performance levels at DDR400 with more voltage.

Mushkin Redline XP4000 (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 Voltage)	2-3-2-6 2.6V 1T (Stock Voltage)	565.4	INT 2719 FLT 2866	INT 6111 FLT 6056	81	119.9
12x200	400 DDR	2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T	572.5	INT 2745 FLT 2899	INT 6127 FLT 6071	81	119.8
11x218	436 DDR	2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T	578.0	INT 2912 FLT 3079	INT 6512 FLT 6435	80	120.2
10x240	480 DDR	2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T	591.7	INT 3037 FLT 3293	INT 6775 FLT 6700	79	122.7
9x267	533 DDR	2-2-2-6 3.4V 1T	599.1	INT 3308 FLT 3521	INT 7125 FLT 7032	78	124.0
9x272 (2.45GHz)	Highest Mem Speed 538 DDR	2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T	612.3	INT 3410 FLT 3592	INT 7260 FLT 7183	77	127.2
10x272 (2.72GHz)	Highest CPU/Mem Performance	2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T	656.5	INT 3493 FLT 3697	INT 7701 FLT 7605	71	139.0

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, and in particular Super PI, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.

We reached an extremely stable DDR400 2-2-2-6 at 3.0V with Mushkin Redline XP4000. We then maintained 2-2-2-6 timings all the way to DDR546, which required 3.5V for complete stability. The voltage requirements from 3.0 to 3.6 volts were very linear to Memory Speed. DDR544 is the highest speed that we have ever reached with 2-2-2 timings, but it is only slightly more than the DDR538 2-2-2 achieved in our tests of the OCZ VX. Since both memories use the same memory chips, it appears that Mushkin and OCZ are both doing a similarly excellent job in binning the Winbond chips for their DDR500 2-2-2 products.

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. Since the Mushkin Redline also maintained constant 2-2-2-6 timings across the performance tests, the performance improvements are completely a result of memory speed only. It is not a huge difference in real-world benchmarks, compared to the huge increase in synthetic benchmarks like Sandra, but the increase is real nonetheless.

When you compare results of Mushkin Redline or OCZ VX, you will also see that all 2-2-2 is not created equal. Winbond and the revived BH5 are just a bit faster than other 2-2-2 memory at the same memory speed. Again, the difference is not huge, but where a computer enthusiast is aiming for top competitive scores, every advantage carries weight.