Corsair Dominator DDR2-1111: Dual-Path Cooling Pushes Performance
by Wesley Fink on January 1, 2007 5:15 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Stock Memory Performance
Most of today's motherboards that support DDR2 provide a wide range of memory ratios that match available DDR2 memory. End-users can select the memory ratio that matches their DDR2 memory speed. Our memory testing uses the same approach. We first test all of the stock ratios at the fastest stable timings we can achieve at the given ratio. With ratios, CPU speed remains the same at 2.93GHz in our memory test bed, and memory speed is varied by selecting different ratios.
The memory controller for Intel Socket T (Socket 775) motherboards is in the chipset, instead of part of the processor as in AM2 systems. Therefore, there is the potential for some ratio variations in memory performance. There is theoretically a small performance penalty for speeds other than a 1:1 ratio (DDR2-533 in this case) on boards designed for Intel processors. However, the actual performance penalty has been found to be very small with minimal impact on test results. As a result memory scales well through the various speed options.
DDR2 memory is then pushed from the highest stock ratio that could be achieved in testing - normally 1067 - to the highest FSB speed at the stock multiplier. Unfortunately, the Corsair Dominator did not like the memory strap imposed by the ASUS P5W-DH board at DDR2-1067. The highest result we can reach at the 1067 strap was DDR2-1090. However, by lowering the base strap to DDR2-889 and increasing the clock speed we were able to reach specified timings on the ASUS 975X board at DDR2-1113 at 4-4-4-12 timings. Relaxing timings to 5-5-5 allowed a top speed of DDR2-1130 to be reached, but the bandwidth and performance was a bit lower than the more aggressive 4-4-4- timings so we did not complete testing at that speed.
It was time to see where this memory could go on the new NVIDIA nForce 680i chipset - a chipset that had exhibited some stellar overclocks in our initial chipset launch review and with a recent review of OCZ Flex XLC. Overclocking on the NVIDIA 680i was even more satisfying, as the Corsair Dominator set new speed records in several areas
On the nForce 680i the OCZ Flex XLC took DDR2 memory performance to a new gold standard. On air cooling, Corsair Dominator reached DDR2-1315 which is the highest speed we have ever reached with any DDR2 memory. This was only slightly higher than the DDR2-1300 reached by OCZ Flex XLC, but anything faster than the best tested to now is an impressive achievement. Even more important was the fact that the Corsair Dominator reached DDR2-1233 using a linked memory speed configuration at the rated 4-4-4-12 timings. Performance of other DDR2 at DDR2-1100 4-4-4 has been impressive, but the Dominator reached 133MHz more to DDR2-1233. For overclockers looking for the highest speed at the fastest timings, the Corsair Dominator is a superb choice.
Most of today's motherboards that support DDR2 provide a wide range of memory ratios that match available DDR2 memory. End-users can select the memory ratio that matches their DDR2 memory speed. Our memory testing uses the same approach. We first test all of the stock ratios at the fastest stable timings we can achieve at the given ratio. With ratios, CPU speed remains the same at 2.93GHz in our memory test bed, and memory speed is varied by selecting different ratios.
The memory controller for Intel Socket T (Socket 775) motherboards is in the chipset, instead of part of the processor as in AM2 systems. Therefore, there is the potential for some ratio variations in memory performance. There is theoretically a small performance penalty for speeds other than a 1:1 ratio (DDR2-533 in this case) on boards designed for Intel processors. However, the actual performance penalty has been found to be very small with minimal impact on test results. As a result memory scales well through the various speed options.
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| Click to enlarge |
DDR2 memory is then pushed from the highest stock ratio that could be achieved in testing - normally 1067 - to the highest FSB speed at the stock multiplier. Unfortunately, the Corsair Dominator did not like the memory strap imposed by the ASUS P5W-DH board at DDR2-1067. The highest result we can reach at the 1067 strap was DDR2-1090. However, by lowering the base strap to DDR2-889 and increasing the clock speed we were able to reach specified timings on the ASUS 975X board at DDR2-1113 at 4-4-4-12 timings. Relaxing timings to 5-5-5 allowed a top speed of DDR2-1130 to be reached, but the bandwidth and performance was a bit lower than the more aggressive 4-4-4- timings so we did not complete testing at that speed.
It was time to see where this memory could go on the new NVIDIA nForce 680i chipset - a chipset that had exhibited some stellar overclocks in our initial chipset launch review and with a recent review of OCZ Flex XLC. Overclocking on the NVIDIA 680i was even more satisfying, as the Corsair Dominator set new speed records in several areas
 |
| Click to enlarge |
On the nForce 680i the OCZ Flex XLC took DDR2 memory performance to a new gold standard. On air cooling, Corsair Dominator reached DDR2-1315 which is the highest speed we have ever reached with any DDR2 memory. This was only slightly higher than the DDR2-1300 reached by OCZ Flex XLC, but anything faster than the best tested to now is an impressive achievement. Even more important was the fact that the Corsair Dominator reached DDR2-1233 using a linked memory speed configuration at the rated 4-4-4-12 timings. Performance of other DDR2 at DDR2-1100 4-4-4 has been impressive, but the Dominator reached 133MHz more to DDR2-1233. For overclockers looking for the highest speed at the fastest timings, the Corsair Dominator is a superb choice.
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anandtech02148 - Tuesday, January 2, 2007 - link
let say a dual ddr2 800mhz occupied 2 slotand the other 2 slot is occupied by 533mhz ddr2
although they operate at different voltage, will it work?
what am i to do with older memory modules when all these new
1111mhz and newer models come out
Wesley Fink - Wednesday, January 3, 2007 - link
Different grades of memory can be on the board, but the channels can not be individually set. Therefore the memory has to be run at the speed of the slowest modules. However, some 533 can run DDR2-800 and most run at least 667.anandtech02148 - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
Cheers to Anandtech for using a 520psu. hooorayy.. finally we're testing something at a sane level.
600buxs for memory, one of the reason why Intel got out of memory business to focus on Cpu
in 1980s.
2.4v to operate, are we reaching 12v soon for running memory modules?
in the meantime i'm still dreaming for that 2gig at 100buxs range. and i was a fan of Rambus RAm until this ddr cartels took over.
daos - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
I recently purchased some Dominator PC6400C4D to replace my old OCZ PC6400 Platinum. I can honestly say that the heatsinks make a huge difference in overall temps of the DIMMS. Either the OCZ ran extremely hot at default voltage or the Dominators are insanely efficent at keeping the memory cool.I run these at 2.4v 3-3-4-9 DDR2800Mhz and they are cool to the touch. I still cannot believe how cool these heatsinks keep the memory. At first I was hesitant to raise the voltage to 2.4v but after seeing how cool they run I wish my P5WDH board allowed for higher memory voltages!
Guys/Gals, the heatsinks really do work and I am a living example of it. I have always been the one to instantly rip the spreaders off of memory in the past but these really work.
MadAd - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
Not so long ago ram worked perfectly fine without heatspreaders at all, calculations at the time showed that ram was no-where near needing them now its hard to get anything but value ram without them. For a few coinsworth of metal they have engineered lots of pretty colors and shapes to dazzle us with but do we really need it?IMO instead of a pro-forma memory review, you have an opportunity to spice it up a bit with the angle of either supporting this new fad, or cut through the spin, with some measured data. Simply take the ugly things off and benchmark it again. See if it still hits the same highs and still retains its timings with no heatspreader.
Wesley Fink - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
A very good idea. The only problem is the inner heatsinks are heat merged to the PCB, and the outer heatsinks use a thermal epoxy for mounting to the memory chips. Unlike the old days, removing a heatspreader is now often fatal to memory. The surface mount memory chips are easily pulled off, even if you use extreme care, in trying to remove the outer heatspreaders. Removing the inner ones could destroy the PCB.We could test this if the memory makers would supply the memory without heatsinks. The question then is why would they want to?
I can tell you from past testing that fan cooling the memory definitely extends overclocking to higher levels. However, removing heatsinks made no difference at all in OC on DDR with simpler sinks. This setup by Corsair is quite a bit more sophisticated than the colored metal covers and it may make some real difference in performance.
MadAd - Thursday, January 11, 2007 - link
Ok point accepted that it may be hard to render them testable if epoxy is used but dont you love a challenge? :lol:Honestly, its starting to get serious now with these http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5662">http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5662
As you know yourself fan cooling is something applied whatever the form they come in, ok so you could analyse how efficient each method is but the big question is still whether its all just hype or not. I think hype.
cmdrdredd - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
Team Extreme memory never comes with heatspreaders, and they make memory that can go to DDR2-1200 with the right setup. What does this tell you?customcoms - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
Wes, I am sorry, but if I'm reading the same benchmarks as you are, of the three games you tested, the OCZ is still the fastest memory (granted, Quake 4 is within margin of error) period, around 1-2 fps faster than the corsair. Why you say the corsair is faster when the benchmarks speak otherwise (the tighter timings+higher speed and the higher raw speed of the corsair is the only thing I see better than the OCZ).
Basically, in real world applications (i.e games, which are what 95+% of the market buying these kits are doing with their machines), the OCZ is faster, according to YOUR OWN benchmarks. You also give it the edge on the 975X platform. Hence, I would say it is the better ram (plus it has the option for water cooling). Doesn't really matter, as I won't be spending that kind of money on ram EVER-better to buy an 8800GTX etc.
Wesley Fink - Monday, January 1, 2007 - link
When you also include results on the nVidia 680i the Corsair Dominator is faster overall. On the 975x, which is the only thing included in the graph results, the OCZ Flex XLC is faster. Individual timings are also slightly faster at DDR2 1067 and DDR2 667 on the Corsair.OCZ Flex XLC and Corsair Dominator PC@-8888 are both at the top of our benchmarking and either would be a great enthusiast choice. The Corsair pushes the 680i slightly faster and therefore is the fastest memory we have tested to date.