Crucial is a name most often associated with high quality memory.  Pity that they are so conservative, releasing memory only when a standard has been established, because Crucial memory would be much more popular if they released more highly rated sticks, following the lead of Corsair et all.  With no official standard set for speeds greater than PC3200 operation, this Crucial memory comes rated for PC2700 with the Crucial trademark conservative timings.

Module Size: 256MB

Package: 184-pin DIMM

Feature: DDR PC2700

Configuration: 32Meg x 64

DIMM Type: Unbuffered

Error Checking: Non-parity

Speed: 6ns

Voltage: 2.5V

SDRAM Timings: CL=2.5

There is nothing really special about this memory stick.  It comes with standard six nanosecond chips, rated for basic PC2700 operation, sporting an arrangement of 32M x 64 chips.  Since this is a double sided stick make sure your motherboard has a sufficient amount of free banks (a double sided stick uses two banks). 

Overclocking Crucial memory will void your warrantee, just be aware of that now.  I was quite surprised how well the memory scaled, especially for one that only guaranteed PC2700 operation with such conservative timings.  With the fastest timings (2/2/2/5), it was able to reach 179 MHz.  With slightly reduced timings (2.5/2/2/6), the memory yielded an extra performance boost, reaching 190 MHz.  With further reduced timings (2.5/2/2/7), 204 MHz was possible.  The maximum overclock (2.5/3/3/7) was at healthy 219 MHz, albeit with 2.7V.      

Intel Pentium 4 2.26GHz

Albatron PX845PE Pro II

Crucial 256MB DDR333

Leadtek WinFast A250 Ti4400 

SoundBlaster Audigy

Western Digital 800JB

Pioneer 16x Slot DVDROM

Turbolink 420W Power Supply

Since both you can I have seen millions of these reviews already, I’ll spare you the millions of benchmarks and just include a few.  Doing memory tests are especially hard on a Pentium 4 platform because there is no way to keep the processor speed level.  Any increase in memory speed means an increase in processor speed. 

Looking at the results, they are right where they are supposed to be.  The score increases ramp up nice from the now outdated DDR266 speed to an overclocked speed of DDR438.  Remember, each stick of memory is different: your mileage will vary.  Your memory might overclock better or much worse.  Luck plays an extremely large role.     

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Crucial PC2700

A common mistake for the first time PC builder is buying cheap memory.  It’s easy to jump onto Pricewatch, and order 512MB of the least expensive DDR memory around, commonly called House Brand (whatever the hell that means), then spend months trying troubleshoot random lockups and crashes.

The new TwinX Matched Memory Module Pair is a high-end solution for the system builders looking for that little edge for maximum performance and stability.  I recall in the past people would actually hand pick their memory modules to ensure two sticks from the same batch, and at a premium cost, I might add.  Corsair has taken the trouble out of the matched pair scenario, and offers the TwinX Memory, featuring two hand-picked memory modules that have been tested to run stable as a pair.  While this may seem like an unneccessary expense, the introduction of newer dual-channel DDR motherboards (nForce2, Intel Granite Bay), brings with it higher demands of our memory.  Installing a pair of modules designed to work together at a given speed and timing will yield a much more stable system, and provide better performance.  The entire press release about these new TwinX its is available here, should you want to read it over at the Corsair website.

To quote the press release:

“TWINX memory kits take the guesswork out of dual channel motherboards,” stated John Beekley, Vice President of Marketing at Corsair. “By using modules that have been 100 tested, as a pair, in this environment, the user can be confident in the performance and stability of his or her dual channel system.”

The TwinX kit contains two low-latency memory modules, that have been tested as a pair in an Asus A7N8X. After successfully passing the tests the memory is packaged as a pair, and sold as a TwinX Matched Memory Pair.  The TwinX kits come in a variety of sizes and speeds, as seen in this table below:

• TWINX512-2700LL:  512MB, 333MHz, low latency


• TWINX512-3200LL: 512MB, 400MHz, low latency


• TWINX1024-2700LL: 1GB, 333MHz, low latency


• TWINX1024-3200LL: 1GB, 400MHz, low latency

The memory modules used in the TWINX kits are part of the Corair XMS line of memory.  The 333MHz kits utilize the CMX256A-2700LL modules, while the 400MHz kits features the CMX256A-3200LL part.  The XMS memory is screened specifically for high performance gaming applications and ultra-low 2-2-2-6 T1 latency settings.  Corsair’s XMS modules are configured by the SPD program to automatically boot with the these low latency settings, taking the trial-and-error out of the memory performance game.

Our review is based on the TWINX512-3200LL kit, running at 400MHz.  The kit arrived in a small box, containing the matched memory modules.  The plastic memory containers were taped together, then the part number label was applied over the tape, identifying the pair as a TWINX512 kit.  Flat black heat spreaders were installed on the modules, along with a holographic sticker with part nunbers and timing information.  As per the spec sheet, this memory was rated at 2-2-2-6-T1, 400MHz.

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Corsair TWINX Matched DDR

The need for fast memory has arisen as overclockers push their machines to the limit. Some new faces have emerged including GeIL, now offering memory sticks in speeds greater than DDR466. Today, we have one of their early memory sticks, partly due to my immensely busy schedule, which is rated for the standard DDR400 speed.

5ns GEIL GL2000 Chips (as of now)
Pure Copper Heat Spreader
Lifetime Warranty
6 Layer Ultra Low Noise Shilded PCB
Available in up to 512MB Module
184 Pin
32×8 Low Denisty, Unbuffered
CAS 2.5 6-3-3 2T
2.6V-2.9V

The GeIL memory is wrapped in copper heat spreaders with an almost permanent clipping mechanism. Embedded on one of the heat spreaders is an early Sony-esque looking logo and on the other is a sticker detailing the specifications of the memory. There has been some infamy surrounding these early memory sticks because they were using seven nanosecond chips, rated for only DDR266 operation. This stick is in fact using these chips.

GeIL has been moving from the seven nanosecond chips to the five that is currently listed on their website. The newer memory sticks have been getting much better performance. If you want the better ones, look for a date that is past 5-2002. But sticks with a date of 6-2002 or 7-2002 seem to be using six nanosecond chips from what I can glean.

Since Intel has introduced its long awaited Granite Bay chipset supporting dual channel DDR and with competitors releasing their own soon, overclocking the Pentium 4 is not as necessary. Dual channel memory bandwidth will match the front side bus bandwidth to the processor.

Intel Pentium 4 2.26GHz
Albatron PX845PE Pro II
GeIL 256MB DDR400
Leadtek WinFast A250 Ti4400
SoundBlaster Audigy
Western Digital 800JB
Pioneer 16x Slot DVDROM
Turbolink 420W Power Supply

At the fastest speeds the memory was able to hit 190MHz. At its rated speeds, it was able to hit 205MHz. Since both you and I have seen millions of these memory reviews already, I’ll spare you the millions of benchmark results and just include a few. You will also notice that GeIL states that their memory needs some extra voltage in order to work at the specified frequencies. My stick did not need the extra voltage and oddly enough, extra voltage did not give me a higher overclock.

For DDR266/333/380 the memory timings are the fastest possible timings (2-2-2) while DDR400/410 could only be run with more relaxed timings (2.5-3-3). The Sandra results are right around where they should be for such a highly overclocked stick of memory.

The 3DMark 2001SE results shows the effect of greater bandwidth in a 3D application. The scores ramp up nicely from the old standard DDR266 to the memory’s maximum overclock of DDR410. (UPDATE 1/3/02 10:13PM PST): the 3DMark scores are looking kinda odd now that I look at them again. Running the benchmark again and will update. (UPDATE 1/3/02 10:48PM PST): ran DDR266 again, but it came out with the same result though it seems low.

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GeIL DDR400

Memory tricks

Most people are familiar with CPU coolers, and even video card heatsinks, but memory cooling is a somewhat new item on the overclocking and performance menu.  The subject of our affection this week is the Thermaltake Memory Cooling Kit, an inexpensive way to improve memory cooling, and dress up your system at the same time.   Video card manufacturers have been cooling memory for some time now, so it comes as no surprise that cooling the system memory could aid in overall system stability and possibly a better overclock.

The Thermaltake kit includes two blue SDRAM/DDR heat spreaders, two video memory heatsinks, double sided tape, a sweet Thermaltake case badge, and mounting clips.  The heatsinks are done up in blue, and just happen to match our latest system build, as you will see later in the review.

The heatsinks can optionally be used on a single sided stick of SDRAM with the heat spreader, but remember the space requirements should you choose this route.  Installation is nearly fool-proof.  I say nearly, because I guarantee there is a moron somewhere in the world that could screw it up, and odds are I work with a few of them.  The heat spreaders are attached with double sided tape, and held firmly in place with the clips.  Once installed in a motherboard, the heat spreaders are not going anywhere, which is a good thing for LAN boxes.  The video memory heatsinks also include double sided thermal tape for installation.  I opted for thermal adhesive, which provides a permanent bond and a better heat transfer.  The kit includes enough parts to dress up one stick of memory, although you may require additional video heatsinks, since some cards have memory on the front and back (like this Hercules 3D Prophet 4500).

Here’s a look at the parts installed in our all-blue system, consisting of an Abit KT7E, Hercules 3D Prophet 4500, and 128MB of ToniCom PC166 SDRAM:

Even if you aren’t into system modding, you have to admit that this system is looking damn sweet.  I have an Aureal SQ2500 for sound, and yes, it is blue.

Once installed, it was time for a little testing.  I tested the memory’s stability on our Abit KT7A-RAID,  using the SiSoft Sandra Burn-in routine, selecting only the memory test.  I chose the KT7A since this was the board I had originally tested the memory on, which gives me a constant for testing.  At 150Mhz, the memory ran completely stable, and the heat spreaders were warm to the touch.  I managed to squeeze 155Mhz out of the memory, which is as far as I could take it without the heat spreaders installed.  This is a considerable increase in bus speed, so I cannot rule out the CPU or motherboard chipset as the limiting factor.

Prior to permanently attaching the heatsinks to our Kyro II, I tested them on a GeForce2 MX card that featured memory on one side only, as not to skew the scores by fabricating my own rear heatsinks.  Our test card managed to run stable at 210 core / 200 memory, which was a good improvement over our previous maximum of 210/183.  Most high-end cards will ship with heatsinks, but for a card like the Kyro II or the GeForce2 MX, the Thermaltake kit is a professional solution to a gamers cooling needs.

Who needs the Thermaltake Memory Cooling Kit?  I’ve seen these things for as little as $10, so it is a very small price to pay for some kick ass mods.  The video heatsinks are large, and do a great job of cooling hot-running memory.  I’d like to see a kit ship with four heatsinks as an option, to accommodate cards with memory on both sides.  I didn’t see a marked improvement with the SDRAM heatsinks, but my system is extremely well ventilated, and I doubt I was having any memory heat problems.  Nonetheless, additional cooling is always welcome, and for the low price, it’s hard to go wrong. 

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ThermalTake Memory Cooling Kit

Intro

Not long ago, PC-66 was king of the high performance pc
market. Those days are long gone. With the recent introduction of Rambus and DDR,
the RAM market is wide open. In this article, let’s focus on what seems to be
the “status quo” of memory in the pc’s of today. PC-100 and PC-133.

PC-133 has literally taken hold of the high performance pc
market. For gamers, there is nothing else. Although PC-100 is still going strong
in the “manufactured” pc market and with the not so hardcore pc nut (
or others that just don’t want to get rid of that PC-100). Many people ask,
“What is the difference?” Well, for starters, speed. Speed in your pc
is what gives you bragging rights. Whether it be playing games, running
Photoshop or number crunching at work, speed does play a massive role. Quality
is also an important issue. Sure, you could look on pricewatch and find a stick
of PC-100 or PC-133 for under $100. But it is not of the best quality or
manufactured under the highest quality control. For some people, that does not
make a difference. For others, it means a world of difference.

In the test review for this article, I am comparing two
different types and brands of RAM.

• “Super PC”  PC-100
• “Mushkin” Rev2
  Cas2 PC-133

Both are fine modules in themselves. The “Super PC”
RAM is very fine quality and in my opinion, ranks up there with the best. “Mushkin”
RAM is top of the line RAM. This RAM has been proven time and time again as one
of the top brands of RAM to buy, especially for the hardcore enthusiast. This
review was written as a “Real world” example of what kinds of
performance these RAM modules offer.

Test System Specs

• ABIT KA7 (bios ty)
• Athlon Slot 750/golden orb
• Plextor 12/10/32a
• Creative Annihilator2(stock drivers)
• Ensonique PCI sound
• Adaptec 2940uw scsi controller
• Seagate 18 gig 7200rpm
• 3com 3c905b nic
• Modem Blaster 56k (isa)
• Windows 2000

All memory benchmarks with SiSoft Sandra99

Settings for PC-100

For the PC-100 test, I set my bus speed on the motherboard to
100 via jumpers. In bios, I set cpu speed to user defined and upped the bus
accordingly, one step at a time. I set the memory specs in bios to cas3, 2 way
interleaved. I had to enable memory hole due to soundcard. I ran the
fsb/cpu setting up as far as it would go, until the
pc would not boot. All settings that were run, were stable.