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
Final Words
Many seem confused as to whether it is best to use the fast 512MB DDR DIMMs or the rapidly appearing 1GB DIMMs in their Athlon 64 system. Until recently, we advised buyers to go for the fast 512MB DIMMs, since those 2-2-2 timings on the low-latency A64 on-CPU memory controller usually more than made up for the 2T performance hit of the 4 DIMMs required for 2GB of memory. These three fast 1GB DIMMs are changing the rules.
All three 2GB kits sporting a pair of 1GB DIMMs performed very well and with complete stability at fast 2-3-2 DDR400 timings. If your needs are fast performance at DDR400 to DDR480, then the Corsair, Gigaram, or OCZ will each do a great job for you. You can make the selection based on price. This should not come as a surprise to anyone since all three 1GB memories are based on Infineon memory chips.
Beyond DDR480 to 500, the choices narrow to the Gigaram and OCZ, and while performance is similar, the system requirements are not. If you can provide up to about 3.1V for memory on your board, then choose between the OCZ and Gigaram based on price and the value to you of the Customer service you might appreciate or need. Either will do the job well, and the performance difference is small.
If you want a wide range of overclocking to DDR550, fast performance at DDR400, and voltages that never need to be higher than 2.7V, then the OCZ PC4000 1024MB EB Platinum is your best choice of the three memories that we tested. It provides fast 2-3-2 performance to around DDR440, which is not quite as good as the Corsair going to DDR456 at 2-3-2 timings. However, the Corsair tops out at DDR492 while the OCZ is still performing strong all the way to DDR550 at only 2.7V.
While we were happy with the performance of all three 1GB DIMMs, we would strongly recommend that those who plan high overclocks with 1GB DIMMs use a CPU with a recent Rev. E or better memory controller. 1 GB DIMMs are demanding and the more recent on-chip controllers handle the demands of 1GB memory modules better than older Clawhammer controllers.
Last, we will try to answer the question again about whether two 1GB or four 512MB DIMMs are the better choice for Athlon 64 DDR memory. If you plan to install 4GB of memory or upgrade to 4GB in the near future, then 1GB DIMMs are your only choice and we recommend the faster DIMMs like the 3 tested here - they cost about the same as slower 1GB DIMMs. If your choice in memory is flexible, there's no doubt that fast 1GB DIMMs like the three tested here remove the complaint that 1GB DIMMs are slower and will compromise performance compared to fast 512MB DIMMs. The 1GB DIMMs are, however, a bit more costly - though the prices have been dropping rapidly. If the 2GB kits fit your budget, then by all means, go for one of the fast 2GB kits like these from Corsair, Gigaram, and OCZ. If the price is a big concern, then carefully compare prices of some of four fast 512MB modules to two 1GB DIMMs and buy what fits your budget.
Many seem confused as to whether it is best to use the fast 512MB DDR DIMMs or the rapidly appearing 1GB DIMMs in their Athlon 64 system. Until recently, we advised buyers to go for the fast 512MB DIMMs, since those 2-2-2 timings on the low-latency A64 on-CPU memory controller usually more than made up for the 2T performance hit of the 4 DIMMs required for 2GB of memory. These three fast 1GB DIMMs are changing the rules.
All three 2GB kits sporting a pair of 1GB DIMMs performed very well and with complete stability at fast 2-3-2 DDR400 timings. If your needs are fast performance at DDR400 to DDR480, then the Corsair, Gigaram, or OCZ will each do a great job for you. You can make the selection based on price. This should not come as a surprise to anyone since all three 1GB memories are based on Infineon memory chips.
Beyond DDR480 to 500, the choices narrow to the Gigaram and OCZ, and while performance is similar, the system requirements are not. If you can provide up to about 3.1V for memory on your board, then choose between the OCZ and Gigaram based on price and the value to you of the Customer service you might appreciate or need. Either will do the job well, and the performance difference is small.
If you want a wide range of overclocking to DDR550, fast performance at DDR400, and voltages that never need to be higher than 2.7V, then the OCZ PC4000 1024MB EB Platinum is your best choice of the three memories that we tested. It provides fast 2-3-2 performance to around DDR440, which is not quite as good as the Corsair going to DDR456 at 2-3-2 timings. However, the Corsair tops out at DDR492 while the OCZ is still performing strong all the way to DDR550 at only 2.7V.
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The three 2GB kits that we tested are all winners, but the OCZ PC4000 EB Platinum Edition stood out from the crowd. The OCZ performed at fast 2-3-2 memory timings at DDR400 to 3-3-2 at DDR550 and never required more than 2.7V to maintain complete stability in our memory testing. It is rare to find a memory with this wide range of performance that is perfectly happy with voltages available on most any motherboard that you can buy. In fact, the OCZ 1 GB modules do not seem to really like voltages beyond about 2.8V. |
While we were happy with the performance of all three 1GB DIMMs, we would strongly recommend that those who plan high overclocks with 1GB DIMMs use a CPU with a recent Rev. E or better memory controller. 1 GB DIMMs are demanding and the more recent on-chip controllers handle the demands of 1GB memory modules better than older Clawhammer controllers.
Last, we will try to answer the question again about whether two 1GB or four 512MB DIMMs are the better choice for Athlon 64 DDR memory. If you plan to install 4GB of memory or upgrade to 4GB in the near future, then 1GB DIMMs are your only choice and we recommend the faster DIMMs like the 3 tested here - they cost about the same as slower 1GB DIMMs. If your choice in memory is flexible, there's no doubt that fast 1GB DIMMs like the three tested here remove the complaint that 1GB DIMMs are slower and will compromise performance compared to fast 512MB DIMMs. The 1GB DIMMs are, however, a bit more costly - though the prices have been dropping rapidly. If the 2GB kits fit your budget, then by all means, go for one of the fast 2GB kits like these from Corsair, Gigaram, and OCZ. If the price is a big concern, then carefully compare prices of some of four fast 512MB modules to two 1GB DIMMs and buy what fits your budget.
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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.