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Performance:::...
Test
System:
ABIT
AI7 Motherboard
Crucial X800 Pro Graphics Card
Western Digital 80GB HDD
Intel Pentium4 2.4C Processor
SiSoft
Sandra 2004:::...
Next
we turn to probably the most used benchmark around, SiSoft's
excellent Sandra 2004. On this occasion we've only run the
basic memory bandwidth module.
Higher
is Better
PCMark04:::...
Needless
to say this comes from Fururemark, who if you don't know
are the guys behind the omnipresent 3DMark benchmark. Only
the memory tests were run on this occasion.
Higher
is Better
ScienceMark
2:::...
Higher
is Better
Lower
is Better
AIDA32:::...
I
stumbled across AIDA32 when I was looking for an alternative
to Sandra for a hard drive review last year some time. It
offers very similar functionality to Sandra but the memory
test allows us to run a separate read and write test
Higher
is Better
RightMark
Memory Analyzer:::...
Higher
is Better
PerformanceTest
V5.0:::...
Higher
is Better
Overclocking:
Some
memory just makes overclocking fun and this stuff joins
the list. Rather than just waffle aimlessly here's how the
overclocking went in potted form:
at
2-5-2-2 it was able to hit 220MHz at 2.8v. Increasing voltage
failed to help.
SiSoft Sandra Scores (Int/Float) 5171/5176
at
2-5-3-3 it was able to hit 230MHz at 2.8v. Increasing voltage
failed to help.
SiSoft Sandra Scores (Int/Float) 5008/4999
at
2.5-8-4-4 it was able to hit 275MHz at 2.8v. Increasing
voltage failed to help.
SiSoft Sandra Scores (Int/Float) 6022/6084
Having
tgaken a real battering with several memory roundups under
its belt, our poor AI7 is starting to waver a little in
its results. Despite pushing our sticks of GeIL Ultra-X
to a lofty 290MHz just four days ago, this time it decided
that nothing was going to pass the 275MHz mark, this despite
an untouched system setup and an almost identical ambient
temperature.
The
fact that both the GeIL and the OCZ made it 275MHz of course
opened up the frustrating possibility that it too had a
290MHz or higher overclock in it but that's only speculation
now.
Still,
275MHz is hardly chicken feed for what is essentially a
low latency DDR400 product.
Late
Update:
Rather
frustratingly it seems that since this review was completed,
Crucial have revised the specifications of their Ballistix
modules. Timings now appear to have been lowered
to 2-3-2-6, which according to industry whispers was
due to poor yields and complaints from disgruntled customers
unable to duplicate the results of the review sites.
I
will try to verify this but it seems a rather odd move from
a company who presumably knew from the outset what kind
of yields they were likely to get. They do manufacture their
own chips after all!
I'd
like to think there's nothing shady behind this move and
that may very well be the case but it does void just about
any review you've read featuring Ballistix modules, including
this one, if the results aren't typical of those you're
likely to get yourself.
Conclusion
The
3DVelocity 'Dual Conclusions Concept' Explained: After discussing
this concept with users as well as companies and vendors
we work with, 3DVelocity have decided that where necessary
we shall aim to introduce our 'Dual Conclusions Concept'
to sum up our thoughts and impressions on the hardware we
review. As the needs of the more experienced users and enthusiasts
have increased, it has become more difficult to factor in
all the aspects that such a user would find important, while
also being fair to products that may lack these high end
"bonus" capabilities but which still represent
a very good buy for the more traditional and more prevalent
mainstream user. The two catergories we've used are:
The
Mainstream User ~ The mainstream user is likely to put
price, stock performance, value for money, reliability and/or
warranty terms ahead of the need for hardware that operates
beyond its design specifications. The mainstream user may
be a PC novice or may be an experienced user, however their
needs are clearly very different to those of the enthusiast,
in that they want to buy products that operate efficiently
and reliably within their advertised parameters.
The
Enthusiast ~ The enthusiast cares about all the things
that the mainstream user cares about but is more likely
to accept a weakness in one or more of these things in exchange
for some measure of performance or functionality beyond
its design brief. For example, a high priced motherboard
may be tolerated in exchange for unusually high levels of
overclocking ability or alternatively an unusually large
heat sink with a very poor fixing mechanism may be considered
acceptable if it offers significantly superior cooling in
return.
The
Mainstream User ~
The
question here is not really whether or not you need this
memory. Unless your overclocking there's an almost infinite
choice of memory that will power your system reliably and
for less money. No, the question here is are you prepared
to pay a little extra for the small but worthwhile boost
you'll see in stock performance over similar quantities
of perfectly adequate "Value RAM"?
This
memory looks exquiste, performs as fast anything on the
market and quantifiably faster than the vast majority of
it, yet it doesn't carry a ridiculously heavy price tag.
It's not cheap but quality rarely is.
If
you're at the start of your PC experience and want memory
that will speed you along under normal conditions yet still
be prepared to come along for the ride when you finally
feel confident enough to try a little overclocking, there's
not a lot else on the market that will oblige quite so readily.
This really is the best of both worlds!
If,
however, you never intend straying beyond your current 200,
166 or 133MHz FSB setting, this could prove a quite expensive
option for what it delivers to you in real terms. Stick
or twist?
The
Enthusiast ~
Faster
than a speeding bullet!
Faster
than greased lightening!
Faster than Santa on
a promise on Christmas eve!
Faster than a Cheetah on amphetamines!
Faster than a 400lb firefighter on a well oiled poll!
Faster than Sadam's bowel movements when the door bell rang!
Did
I mention this stuff is fast?
Seriously
though, if you want cake there are a few memory modules
around that deliver, but if you want the cherry on the top
too the field is considerably smaller. So far only two memory
modules I've tested have been able to consistently hit 275MHz
plus under varying conditions, PC3200 rev.2 from OCZ and
GeIL's
Ultra-X PC3200.
How
do you like your memory? Low latencies or ludicrous overclocks?
Good looks or good price? Guess what, you don't have to
choose because now you can have it all!
We're
always looking for ways to make our reviews fairer. A Right
To Reply gives the manufacturer or supplier of the product
being reviewed a chance to make public comments on what
we've said. They can explain perhaps why they've done the
things we were unhappy with or blow their own trumpet over
the things we loved. It's easy for us to pick a product
apart but sometimes things are done a certain way for very
specific reasons and here the company concerned can explain
the reasoning behind their decisions.
Should
OCZ decide to exercise their "Right To Reply",
we'll publish their comments below:
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