OCZ Flex XLC: PC2-9200 Pushes the Envelope
by Wesley Fink on December 8, 2006 8:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Memory Test Configuration
We have recently been testing memory with the ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe, which is based on the Intel 975X chipset. We once again did all initial testing on that platform. The ASUS platform was used because the first generation of AM2 on-processor memory controller does not support any memory timings below 3, or memory speeds above DDR2-800. Both these features are supported on the ASUS motherboard. Timings of 2 are available for RAS-to-CAS and RAS Precharge, and DDR2-1067 is an available memory ratio.
In addition, it was clearly illustrated in Conroe vs. AM2: Memory & Performance that DDR2 memory performance, in timings and required voltage, are equivalent on the AM2 and Core 2 Duo platforms. However, with the evolution of the Intel P965 chipset, it is apparent that higher memory performance can be achieved with different memory "straps" used for the highest DDR2-1067 ratio setting. The P5W-DH Deluxe is very demanding of memory at high speeds, and the "looser" base ratios used at the top of most P965 boards allow higher memory overclocks with some memory modules.
This is another way of saying that the very best memory performs about the same on 975X and P965, but that we are aware of some DDR2 memory designs in the midrange that perform best on the P965. Recently the NVIDIA 680i chipset has demonstrated an even greater range of performance at the top of memory overclocking, with extremely flexible options for squeezing the most performance from almost any memory.
For all of these reasons, we revised test procedures for this memory review and memory reviews going forward. We first tested standard memory performance and overclocking on the ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe. This allows valid comparisons to earlier reviews of DDR2 memory on the Core 2 Duo platform. We then ran overclocking tests on the NVIDIA 680i test platform, using the same X6800 Core 2 Duo processor. We will continue this test procedure until we can fully evaluate the NVIDIA 680i as a potential replacement for the Intel 975X as our memory test platform.
The memory test bench uses the following components:
What about the P965 as a memory test platform? We have also personally seen cases where the P965 on midrange memory performed much better than the 975X in memory speed, but where the P965 bandwidth was still the same or less than the 975X. On the very top memory, however, the P965 and 975X perform similarly. Since the ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe appears the more demanding platform we will continue testing base performance on the 975X.
However, a cross-section of enthusiast memory manufacturers were also asked which motherboard performed best with their top DDR2 memory. In all cases the answer that came back was the NVIDIA 680i motherboard. For that reason we have added the 680i to our tests of memory overclocking. Other alternatives will be evaluated for memory testing, but for now we will continue testing with the ASUS P5W-DH supplemented with the EVGA NVIDIA 680i tests for overclocking performance.
We recently have reviewed value DDR2-800 from both G.Skill and Super Talent. Results for those two memories are not included in comparisons in this review. For performance comparisons with those two memories you can refer to the linked reviews.
We have recently been testing memory with the ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe, which is based on the Intel 975X chipset. We once again did all initial testing on that platform. The ASUS platform was used because the first generation of AM2 on-processor memory controller does not support any memory timings below 3, or memory speeds above DDR2-800. Both these features are supported on the ASUS motherboard. Timings of 2 are available for RAS-to-CAS and RAS Precharge, and DDR2-1067 is an available memory ratio.
In addition, it was clearly illustrated in Conroe vs. AM2: Memory & Performance that DDR2 memory performance, in timings and required voltage, are equivalent on the AM2 and Core 2 Duo platforms. However, with the evolution of the Intel P965 chipset, it is apparent that higher memory performance can be achieved with different memory "straps" used for the highest DDR2-1067 ratio setting. The P5W-DH Deluxe is very demanding of memory at high speeds, and the "looser" base ratios used at the top of most P965 boards allow higher memory overclocks with some memory modules.
This is another way of saying that the very best memory performs about the same on 975X and P965, but that we are aware of some DDR2 memory designs in the midrange that perform best on the P965. Recently the NVIDIA 680i chipset has demonstrated an even greater range of performance at the top of memory overclocking, with extremely flexible options for squeezing the most performance from almost any memory.
For all of these reasons, we revised test procedures for this memory review and memory reviews going forward. We first tested standard memory performance and overclocking on the ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe. This allows valid comparisons to earlier reviews of DDR2 memory on the Core 2 Duo platform. We then ran overclocking tests on the NVIDIA 680i test platform, using the same X6800 Core 2 Duo processor. We will continue this test procedure until we can fully evaluate the NVIDIA 680i as a potential replacement for the Intel 975X as our memory test platform.
The memory test bench uses the following components:
| Memory Performance Test Configuration | |
| Processor: | Intel Core 2 Duo X6800 (x2, 2.93GHz, 4MB Unified Cache) |
| RAM: | 2X1GB PCZ PC2-9200 Flex XLC (DDR2-1150) 2x1GB Patriot DDR2-1066 2x1GB Super Talent DDR2-1000 2x1GB Team DDR2-1000 2 x1GB Corsair CM2X1024-6400C3 2x1GB OCZ Ti Alpha PC2-8000 VX2 |
| Motherboards: | Asus P5W-DH Deluxe (Intel 975X) EVGA nVidia nForce 680i SLI |
| Hard Drive(s): | Hitachi 250GB SATA2 enabled (16MB Buffer) |
| Video Card: | 1 x EVGA 7900GTX - All Standard Tests |
| Video Drivers: | NVIDIA 91.47 |
| CPU Cooling: | Tuniq Tower 120 |
| Power Supply: | OCZ PowerStream 520W |
| Operating System(s): | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
What about the P965 as a memory test platform? We have also personally seen cases where the P965 on midrange memory performed much better than the 975X in memory speed, but where the P965 bandwidth was still the same or less than the 975X. On the very top memory, however, the P965 and 975X perform similarly. Since the ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe appears the more demanding platform we will continue testing base performance on the 975X.
However, a cross-section of enthusiast memory manufacturers were also asked which motherboard performed best with their top DDR2 memory. In all cases the answer that came back was the NVIDIA 680i motherboard. For that reason we have added the 680i to our tests of memory overclocking. Other alternatives will be evaluated for memory testing, but for now we will continue testing with the ASUS P5W-DH supplemented with the EVGA NVIDIA 680i tests for overclocking performance.
We recently have reviewed value DDR2-800 from both G.Skill and Super Talent. Results for those two memories are not included in comparisons in this review. For performance comparisons with those two memories you can refer to the linked reviews.
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yyrkoon - Saturday, December 9, 2006 - link
There is no "for shits and giggles" about it, it would help. How much it would actually help would be open for debate (until someone actually tested it).For one, it would help, because, IF you for example had air coming in from the bottom, and air exiting out through the top, you would be using convection to recycle cooler air from the outside, and the heat would travel out through the top. To some small degree, you wouldn't even need a pump to accomplish this. This would also keep hot air from recycling, well, at least concerning *from* the memory(to a small degree) , which wouldn't mean a whole lot.
Now, if instead of using convection, you use forced air, whether chilled or not, dependent on the CFM pushed through, you *could* reduce the temperature on the heat spreaders drastically. This may not cool as well as water, but there would be no chance of water leakage either, and would result in a definite improvement. Granted, I can not see people wanting to go out an buy a <insert brand here> air compressor, for what whatever amount, when it would be cheaper to go water(which, its self, isn't cheap either). I've priced components for a good water cooling system, and we're talking around $400 usd, for a decent setup, which IMO, would be better just spending the extra cash on a better/faster CPU(if possible). Less problems, and hassle.
Never seen a Dell that uses a plastic "funnel" over the CPU, without a CPU fan directly over the CPU? They exist, and they do very well in keeping the system very cool. Same concept, on a smaller scale.
Larso - Monday, December 11, 2006 - link
Though the idea is interesting, I think you would be better off pushing air over the cooling fins the usual way, than to push air through the water cooling intake. Remember that air and water have very different properties and the cooling interfaces has been designed to optimize each of those elements.It could be an interesting experiment I must admit, but I suspect you would get just get a lot of hissing noise from the end of the hose - and not a lot of cooling...
cruzer - Saturday, December 9, 2006 - link
If you pumped cold air in through the block, you will get condensation in the lines.PrinceGaz - Saturday, December 9, 2006 - link
Erm, no you wouldn't. Condensation only forms when the air is cooled down by something, such as on a cold window in a warm room, because cooler air is unable to hold as much moisture as warm air so excess moisture has to be dumped as condensation when the relative humidity reaches 100%.Pumping cold air through the block carries no risk of condensation because the air will be warmed rather than cooled. In fact it would be an effective way of removing any moisture because the air warmed by the block would have a fairly low relative humidity.
yyrkoon - Friday, December 8, 2006 - link
Hell, I'd even venture to say that if you forced room temperature air through these fast enough, even on a warm day, the results would be great. Granted, you would have to be strategic about it.Frumious1 - Friday, December 8, 2006 - link
I realize you don't normally test water cooling (or cooling products in general), but it seems one of the major points for this RAM is that it is ready to be used with water cooling. Rather than speculating about if it will help or not, how about actually testing it? Seems like this RAM would be great for people looking to build a silent system, as you now don't have to worry about the RAM overheating either with water cooling.Also, this wasn't mentioned in the article, but can you fit two DIMMs next to each other? Meaning, could you go all the way to four DIMMs? Reason I ask is that if you can't then there are going to be some boards where this RAM won't work at all in dual channel mode. Hopefully OCZ wasn't so shortsighted as to make the DIMMs take more than a single slot width, but at the same time I don't know how you get effective water cooling without the HSF getting quite a bit thicker than the typical heatspreader.
Wesley Fink - Friday, December 8, 2006 - link
We should have mentioned that the OCZ Flex XLC is thin enough that 4 dimms can be fitted in standard memory slots. We tried side by side slots in a number of boards and the dimms fit fine side-by-side.We considered testing with water also, but we did not have the correct fittings available, it would have taken a while to get the fittings we needed, and we wanted to get the info to our readers as fast as possible. OCZ emphasizes the Flex nature of the memory, and we thought you would want to know about the outstanding performance on air with Flex XLC.
Perhaps we will relent and test with water in a future review, but we're not completely sure we want to go in that direction. We generally find we can overclock using air cooling at speeds similar to some other sites who insist you can only cool with water.
The "silent" aspect is a good argument for water cooling, but most water systems still have a fan to cool the liquid and a pump for recirculating the fluid. Some water cooling systems are therefore about as "noisy" as a good air-cooled system - though we do agree that many water cooling systems are very quiet.
brownba - Friday, December 8, 2006 - link
no doubt the water cooled feature should have been tested.I'm also wondering how the heatsink is designed - does the water flow down the front of the stick over the actual memory chips?
Hypernova - Friday, December 8, 2006 - link
If you look at the last page on the "Pre-CES Taiwan 2006, Day 1" article that's exactly what they had in there.