Memory Test Configuration
The comparison of Kingston DDR3 to earlier DDR3 and DDR2 used exactly the same components in the same test bed wherever possible. For the fairest comparison to both other DDR3 and the best DDR2, the Asus P5K and P5K3 motherboards were both powered by an Intel X6800 processor running at an 8x1333 FSB (333 quad pumped). All that was required to do this was up the base CPU bus to 333, and lowering the default multiplier to 8 (from 11). We did not need to make any changes to CPU voltage and left it at default settings. Due to issues with memory ratios on the P965 we were forced to use 10x266 timings for comparison on that chipset. The P965 was not designed for 1333 FSB speed, so when 1333 is set the available memory ratios do not allow comparison at standard memory speeds. 10x266 or 2.66GHz is the same speed as 8x333 and the same X6800 CPU was used in all three test beds.
The 1333 processor bus does improve performance in some benchmarks compared to 1066. The recent Intel P35 Memory Performance: A Closer Look examined the components of increased performance on the 1333 bus and found that the performance impact of the increased bus speed on gaming was minimal.
To fairly compare this new low-latency Kingston DDR3 to existing DDR2 memory, one of the best DDR2 memories tested so far, Corsair Dominator, was also run at the fastest timings available at DDR2-800 3-3-3-9 and DDR-1066 at 4-4-3-11. The Dominator DDR2-1111 cannot run at DDR2-1333, so it was not possible to compare standard speeds above 1066. The same DDR2 memory was also tested on a P965 motherboard at the same fast memory timings of 800 3-3-3-9 and 1066 4-4-3-11. This allows comparison of performance of the current P965 with the fastest DDR2 memory to the new P35 chipset with both the fastest DDR2 memory and the low-latency DDR3 being reviewed.
Every 1066 FSB Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad CPU we had in the lab ran fine at 1333 processor bus at default voltage. The only exception was the top line X6800 at the default 11x multiplier, which did require a modest voltage boost for stable 3.66GHz operation. Of course 1333 is the FSB frequency Intel will be introducing on their soon-to-be-announced processor upgrades.
The comparison of Kingston DDR3 to earlier DDR3 and DDR2 used exactly the same components in the same test bed wherever possible. For the fairest comparison to both other DDR3 and the best DDR2, the Asus P5K and P5K3 motherboards were both powered by an Intel X6800 processor running at an 8x1333 FSB (333 quad pumped). All that was required to do this was up the base CPU bus to 333, and lowering the default multiplier to 8 (from 11). We did not need to make any changes to CPU voltage and left it at default settings. Due to issues with memory ratios on the P965 we were forced to use 10x266 timings for comparison on that chipset. The P965 was not designed for 1333 FSB speed, so when 1333 is set the available memory ratios do not allow comparison at standard memory speeds. 10x266 or 2.66GHz is the same speed as 8x333 and the same X6800 CPU was used in all three test beds.
The 1333 processor bus does improve performance in some benchmarks compared to 1066. The recent Intel P35 Memory Performance: A Closer Look examined the components of increased performance on the 1333 bus and found that the performance impact of the increased bus speed on gaming was minimal.
| Memory Performance Test Configuration | |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo X6800 (x2, 2.93GHz unlocked, 4MB Unified Cache) 10x266 - 2.66 GHz 8x333 - 2.66GHz |
| RAM | Kingston KHX11000D3LLK2 (2GB kit - 2x1GB, DDR3-1333 7-7-7) Corsair CM3X1024-1066C7 (2GB Kit - 2x1GB- DDR3-1066 7-7-7) Corsair Dominator CM2X1024-8888C4 (2GB Kit - 2x1GB - DDR2-1250 5-5-5) |
| Hard Drive | Samsung 250GB SATA2 enabled (8MB Buffer) |
| System Platform Drivers | Intel - 8.3.0.1013 |
| Video Card | Leadtek WinFast 7950GT 256MB |
| Video Drivers | NVIDIA 93.71 |
| CPU Cooling | Intel Retail HSF |
| Power Supply | Corsair HX620W |
| Motherboards | Asus P5K3 Deluxe (Intel P35 DDR3) Asus P5K Deluxe (Intel P35 DDR2) Asus P5B Deluxe (Intel P965 DDR2) |
| Operating System(s) | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
To fairly compare this new low-latency Kingston DDR3 to existing DDR2 memory, one of the best DDR2 memories tested so far, Corsair Dominator, was also run at the fastest timings available at DDR2-800 3-3-3-9 and DDR-1066 at 4-4-3-11. The Dominator DDR2-1111 cannot run at DDR2-1333, so it was not possible to compare standard speeds above 1066. The same DDR2 memory was also tested on a P965 motherboard at the same fast memory timings of 800 3-3-3-9 and 1066 4-4-3-11. This allows comparison of performance of the current P965 with the fastest DDR2 memory to the new P35 chipset with both the fastest DDR2 memory and the low-latency DDR3 being reviewed.
Every 1066 FSB Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad CPU we had in the lab ran fine at 1333 processor bus at default voltage. The only exception was the top line X6800 at the default 11x multiplier, which did require a modest voltage boost for stable 3.66GHz operation. Of course 1333 is the FSB frequency Intel will be introducing on their soon-to-be-announced processor upgrades.
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goinginstyle - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
How did you arrive at the 1520 DDR3 memory speed? FSB increase from 8x333 or a memory ratio change. Do you have any overclocked DDR2 memory scores on the P965? It would be interesting to compare overclocked DDR2 to DDR3.Wesley Fink - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
You can look back at the Corsair Dominator memory review where we ran benchmarks at the highest overclock we could achieve. THe review is at http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=291...">http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=291.... THere are also overclocked test scores that can be compared in any of our more recent DDR2 reviewsWesley Fink - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
From the 1333 memory setting we overclocked to 380x8, or 3.04GHz. At that OC, with a base 1333 memory setting, the memory speed is 1520.One reader pointed out that 7x380 is also 2.66, which is our test frequency at other speeds. That is correct and it is an intriguing idea to also run all benchmarks at the 380x7 speed. We'll consider for a comparison in an upcoming review.
goinginstyle - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
So it is very possible that the improvements in scores came from the increase in cpu speed and not the memory or it is a combination of both? How close can you get to 1333 memory speed at 8x380 so we know how much improvement there is in cpu speed over the increase in memory speed.
That is what has been confusing to me. Why not run at 7x380 to keep the CPU at the same speed so we can see how much performance is gained in running the memory higher. The one flaw is the increase in FSB speed would alter the scores if the app responds to cpu throughput improvements. I would suppose that would be minimal in the game testing but it would throw off the sandra scores. Does high memory speeds at high latencies beat stock memory speeds at low latencies?
The article yesterday mentioned 1t command rates. Did you try 1t to see what happened with the Kingston memory? You used to report Everest scores and I was wondering if those scores are available or maybe Memtest if you use it. I think it would be interesting to see latency numbers in the article.
Wesley Fink - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
Our standard procedure has been to test to the highest available memory setting, in this case 1333, and then overclock as far as we can go using this base memory setting. It is just a fortunate accident that 1520 was top OC here (and it still wasn;t the fastest results - 1500 7-7-7 was faster)which is also 7x333 or the same 2.66 used in the other memory speed tests. It would not likely hit that exact number again in future DDR3 reviews.yuchai - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
the 1520 speed is probably achieved by a 380 x 7 = 2660 configuration, so processor speed remains constant while the RAM runs at 1520 speeds.That said I'm surprised at the big improvement from 1333 to 1520, especially compared to the relatively small difference between 1333 and 1066.
goinginstyle - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
If that is the case then how do we know how much the FSB increased the score or how much the memory affected the results. I still think it is important to show overclocked DDR2 if they are going to show overclocked DDR3.
Chunga29 - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
I wish that you were correct, but looking at the tables at least on says "8x380" - page 4. So it's not apples to apples. The text never talks about how fast the 1520 RAM speed is, likely because that's partly due to a 14% CPU overclock.While we're at it, where are the numbers for P965 with 1333 FSB? We've seen overclocking results on P965 with bus speeds as high as 2000+, so don't give us any excuses about it not being possible. Using ratios, you can come somewhat close to DDR2-800 and DDR2-1066, and if you're throwing in overclocked DDR3 scores anyway.... At least let us see what DDR2 can achieve on P965 with a decent effort. Sure, it's out of official spec, but then DDR2-800 with 3-3-3 timings isn't JEDEC spec either.
Wesley Fink - Friday, May 25, 2007 - link
The 7x380 and 8x380 results are in a comment below and will be added to the OC section in a table.As for the P965, it was not designed to run 1333 processors or DDR3 memory, so there is no 1333 CPU raio available or any memory ratio above 1066. While it is true you can run a 25% overclock at 1333 FSB, the memory is also overclocked 25% from whatever ratio you selected. Even if you OC and select to get close to 1333 you will be running different memory straps on the P35 and P65 which definitely impacts results. It is very difficult to fairly compare P965 to P35 at speeds above 1066.
At 1333 FSB the DDR2 memory is OC'ed from the 1066 base to 1333, and we don't have a single stick of DDR2 that is stable at 1333. An 800 speed base on P965 at 1333 would be DDR2-1000, which should be compared to what on the P35? Try to select OC vlues on your P965 board to see what we are talking about here.
You are correct that it is is not impossible to come up with something somewhat close in a P965 test, it is just everything on the P965 would be overclocked while P35 would be running in spec. We can always compare an overclcoked P965 to a spec part, but is that more like justification for a P965 purchase than a revealing comparison.
We will likely run some more P965 tests just to answer questions here, but we will only be including overlap speeds, where comparisons can be fairly made, in future reviews. There are also a multitude of P965 OC results in reviews out there for those that are interested.
Zaitsev - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - link
I noticed this as well. It just seems odd because the jump from 1066->1333 is 267MHz, while 1333->1520 is 187MHz. In Far Cry and Quake 4 that translated into 10.91 and 8 more frames per sec. respectively. Did I miss something in the article or can someone explain why a smaller increase in MHz yielded a larger improvement?Oh, I see now that the processor is overclocked.