1GB DIMMs: FAST 2GB DDR Kits from Corsair, Gigaram, and OCZ
by Wesley Fink on October 11, 2005 2:55 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Corsair CMX1024-3500LL PRO
Corsair is the most widely recognized brand of enthusiast or high-performance memory in the world. Corsair also maintains very visible support in the form of RamGuy, who provides support for Corsair products at www.asktheramguy.com and as a participant in many Forums.
Specifications
The CMX1024-3500LL PRO is rated at CAS 2, an extremely fast rating for a 1GB DIMM.
Test Results
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.
Several things stand out in the performance of this Corsair. We were able to maintain 2-3-2 timings all the way to DDR456. These excellent timings are very close to the best 2-2-2 that we currently see with 512MB DIMMs. The memory was able to accomplish this at very low voltage 2.6 to 2.7 volts. In fact, the Infineon chips that Corsair uses rarely need or like higher voltage. Increasing voltage beyond 2.7V did not allow us to go any higher in overclocking, nor did more relaxed timings allow us to push higher. The limit is DDR492 - very close to DDR500.
Corsair appears to have binned these Infineon chips for fastest performance in the most used DDR400 to DDR480 range. In that range, these 1GB DIMMs perform very competitively with the best 512MB DIMMs.
Corsair is the most widely recognized brand of enthusiast or high-performance memory in the world. Corsair also maintains very visible support in the form of RamGuy, who provides support for Corsair products at www.asktheramguy.com and as a participant in many Forums.
Specifications
The CMX1024-3500LL PRO is rated at CAS 2, an extremely fast rating for a 1GB DIMM.
| Corsair CMX1024-3500LLPRO Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
1GB 2GB |
| Rated Timings | 2-3-2-8 at DDR433 |
| Rated Voltage | Standard (2.6V) Voltage |
Test Results
| Corsair CMX1024-3500LLPRO (DDR433) - 2x1GB 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 | 400DDR | 2-3-2-7 2.5V 1T |
547.4 | INT 2654 FLT 2808 |
INT 5984 FLT 5918 |
80 | 120.8 |
| 11x218 | 436DDR | 2-3-2-7 2.6V 1T |
551.7 | INT 2825 FLT 2990 |
INT 6246 FLT 6178 |
80 | 121.5 |
| 10x240 | 480DDR | 2.5-3-2-7 2.7V 1T |
558.4 | INT 2991 FLT 3142 |
INT 6441 FLT 6360 |
79 | 122.5 |
| 10x246 (2.46GHz) |
Highest MEM Speed 492 DDR |
2.5-3-2-7 2.7V 1T |
570.6 | INT 3060 FLT 3250 |
INT 6570 FLT 6507 |
78 | 125.7 |
Several things stand out in the performance of this Corsair. We were able to maintain 2-3-2 timings all the way to DDR456. These excellent timings are very close to the best 2-2-2 that we currently see with 512MB DIMMs. The memory was able to accomplish this at very low voltage 2.6 to 2.7 volts. In fact, the Infineon chips that Corsair uses rarely need or like higher voltage. Increasing voltage beyond 2.7V did not allow us to go any higher in overclocking, nor did more relaxed timings allow us to push higher. The limit is DDR492 - very close to DDR500.
Corsair appears to have binned these Infineon chips for fastest performance in the most used DDR400 to DDR480 range. In that range, these 1GB DIMMs perform very competitively with the best 512MB DIMMs.
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40 Comments
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woodspire - Thursday, June 29, 2006 - link
What happen if instead of using 4x 512 memory you use 2 x 512 and 2 x 1024. Same speed (PC-3200), same timing, and even same brand.Still acheving dual channel ?
qquizz - Saturday, December 10, 2005 - link
Sounds great and all but a query at Pricewatch brought up a blank.Where can you buy the OCZ PC4000 EB Platinum Edition
Hurricanesan - Friday, November 11, 2005 - link
I'm looking for 2Gb memories for my new computer.I had an hard time choosing between the Corsair 3500LLPro and the OCZ 1024MB EB Platinum.
This morning, I've noticed this test. Since the OCZ was able to go up to 500Mhz and I plan using an A8N32-SLI, the choice looked easy.
But a friend of mine pointed out an old story in which OCZ was giving very good sample to the press and lesser products in the shops. I've looked about that story and now it seems to me that OCZ is really unstable in its production and not very clean ... or used to be.
I would really not like to buy those memories and find that they can't stand their specification.
Since right now it seems that both the Corsair and the OCZ are not available in stores less that 2 hours plane from me, I have a week to make up my mind.
If anyone can help me balance one way or the other, please post.
KriegsMaschine - Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - link
OCZ is the best brand I'd say. I currently have Corsair Twinx C2Pro "2x512 ddr400 Cas 2.5" and it's good... but WAY TOO expensive for it's quality. You pay too much for the brand like you would by getting a cloth from a designer. OCZ have the best performance while having reasonable prices and quality stuff for Value, Mainstream and High-End. Their tech support is very good too, as all their products. My next PSU will be OCZ ModStream 450watts.Nice article. I was thinking these days about going from 2x512 to 4x512 with my Athlon64 since it's less expensive than 2x1Gb and generaly have better timing but after reading that 1T Command was impossible with 4 DIMMS... I changed idea!
What would had been nice for the review would had been some more real game benchmarks. I mean not old stuff like Quake 3 because who care to have +20fps when you already got 550! Some newer stuff such as UT2003, FEAR, BF2, FarCry, HL2 would had been a better choice. To me those SuperPi, SandraMark... means almost nothing. All I want when getting such expensive rams is more FPS in games. Comparing 2x1Gb in 1T Command vs 2x1Gb in 2T Command would had been better too because don't you think 2x512Mb vs 2x1Gb is unfair? 0_o
Shimmishim - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - link
what the heck? no 2x1 crucial ballistix? wow. i have a set that can do 290 mhz 1:1 with 3-3-3-7 timings and only 2.8 volts.leexgx - Saturday, November 5, 2005 - link
do not think it was out then (or it was not sent to anandtech)i just got the Crucial 2GB DDR PC4000 Ballistix from overclockers and its less then £200 for this week only (norm £240) (got the A8N-SLI premium as well)
i good to see that Ballistix stuff can do that
i probley just set me X2 3800+ at 250 so me ram is doing the same (got it at 241 now on the cpu it norm runs at 200 so its an 410mhz oc {4600+ x2})
ricleo2 - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - link
After some recommendations from the forum here, I just got 2 sticks of GSKILL PC4000 at one gig apiece to replace my OCZ 2 sticks at 512 Megs apiece in my MSI K8N SLI PLATINUM. After comparing benchmarking results, before and after, it was not even close. RMA already approved from NEWEGG.phidjit - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - link
It's 1024, with 2-3-2-5 timings and runs at DDR433, it seems like it would have been a better comparison to the Corsair "CMX1024-3500LL PRO" (also 1024, DDR443, but 2-3-2-6 timings).Anyone seen benchmarks for the gigaram mach10000?
It looks like it could be a bargin.
phidjit
qquizz - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - link
These are the type of articles I come to AT to get. Thanks Wes.znir - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - link
Thanks for the information in the review. however, i think it would be good to see result of 4x512MB high performance sticks like the OCZ PC4000 VX.