OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC: Low Latency PLUS DDR2-1100

Final Words

A few readers will understand the significance of the performance of the new OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC memory right now. Generally they will be readers who have tested and understand the limitations of current DDR2 memory. Others will not likely realize how good this OCZ memory, based on the new Micron chips, really is until the market moves to AM2 and Conroe. To be perfectly clear this new OCZ memory is better than the legendary Micron fat-body D chips from the past in every way.

The OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC performs at the fastest timings possible on current DDR2 platforms at both DDR2-400 and the 1:1 ratio DDR2-533. It also reaches higher than any DDR2 memory we have ever tested, reaching an ultimate DDR2-1100 speed. At all of these higher memory speeds, memory timings and latencies are the lowest we have ever seen with DDR2 memory. It will be very interesting to retest this memory when AM2 and Conroe arrive, simply because current NetBurst technology more than likely obscures the real performance advantages of this new OCZ memory based on the latest Micron chips.

It is clear in our performance charts that 1:1 is not absolutely necessary for the best performance with this fast memory. The sweet spot is a combination of memory speed, possible timings, and the degree of overclock. With these considerations, OCZ has done a masterful marketing job in rating this memory at DDR2-1000. At this speed the overclock to 300 combined with the still aggressive 4-3-4 timings yields impressive performance. Anyone who runs this 2 GB kit at DDR2-1000 to DDR2-1060 with 4-3-4 timings will think they have died and gone to heaven. The performance is that stable and that impressive. It is all the more remarkable when you consider that this is the preferred 2GB kit (2x1GB) instead of the 1GB kit (2x512MB) that normally has an easier time reaching high overclocks.

Some readers will immediately notice that the performance advantage over the excellent Mushkin Elpida and the older Micron chips is not really that much. That is certainly true, but we are comparing some of the best DDR2 memories of today and the past to the new OCZ memory and the OCZ wins almost every comparison. We fully expect the AM2 on-processor memory controller and the Conroe shallower pipes to better demonstrate the advantages of low-latency DDR2. Frankly, much of the potential is lost on NetBurst, but this new memory still tops the charts in performance.

One note of precaution: as pointed out in past memory reviews, huge increases in memory bandwidth usually translate into much smaller gains in real-world gaming performance and other real-world test results. Memory is just one part of the total performance equation. Other components, in particular the video card, have a dramatic impact on final performance of most real-world tasks. You can also expect a bigger difference in performance between this super fast OCZ DDR2 and regular slower DDR2 on the upcoming AM2 and Conroe architectures.

The OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC seems to perform best at a CAS setting of 4 or 3. We often found we could stabilize performance just by moving down from CAS 5 to CAS 4 in our testing. DDR2-1100 required CAS 5, but we reached near that speed at DDR2-1080 with CAS 4. Voltage is also an important consideration. Anything up to 2.2V appeared to work fine with no cooling issues, but once you venture over 2.2V heat goes up fast. Above 2.2V we would recommend that you run an auxiliary fan with this OCZ memory.

Our advice? If you are buying for a DDR2 system this is the fastest and lowest latency DDR2 memory we have ever tested. It will work well with your current Intel system, and move very well to an even better performing AM2 or Conroe DDR2 system. If you are like most of our readers, you are using an AMD Athlon64 system waiting to see what develops in AM2 and Conroe. You will not have any current use for this terrific DDR2 memory, but it should be the first DDR2 memory to add to your shopping list for the future. There will likely be other DDR2 memory to consider, as we already know Corsair and other enthusiast memory manufacturers are also preparing to ship products based on these new Micron memory chips. Time will tell if the competitors do as well as OCZ at binning and tweaking these new chips.

OCZ EL PC2-8000 is the best performing DDR2 memory ever tested at AnandTech. We expect to receive memory from competitors based on the new Micron chips in the near future. It may be similarly impressive, but OCZ is the first to bring these new Micron DDR2 chips to market. We are pleased to award OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC our Gold Editor's Choice for the best performing DDR2 memory you can currently buy. This memory provides the lowest DDR2 memory timings possible to DDR2-533. The memory is rated at DDR2-1000 and provides exceptional performance all the way to DDR2-1100 at the fastest timings and lowest latencies seen in any DDR2 memory. OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC is a very welcome addition to the Memory Market.

The introduction of this impressive new OCZ DDR2 memory provides us with a real tool to exploit the low-latency potential of the upcoming AM2 and Conroe platforms. The timing is just a little early, but it won't be long until this becomes one of the most sought after memories in the world.