OCZ VX Revisited: DDR Updates on DFI nForce4
by Wesley Fink on March 30, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
In our recent review of OCZ VX memory, we compared OCZ VX tested on the DFI nF4 SLI-DR to our past results of memory tests on the MSI nForce3 Ultra testbed. We were comfortable in our results based on past reviews that showed performance of the nForce3 and nForce4 to be essentially the same as well as AGP and PCI Express performance being essentially the same in the benchmarks that we use for memory testing. However, we did find after the review that there are performance improvements in the move from nVidia 61.77 drivers to the 71.80/71.84 drivers used in the DFI benchmarks.
Subsequent testing also revealed the memory overclocking capabilities of the DFI to be slightly better than the MSI K8N Neo2, so the fairest way of comparing the new OCZ VX PC4000 was to rerun memory tests of some of the top categories of DDR memory for the Athlon 64 platform. We benchmarked OCZ PC4000 VX, Crucial Ballistix PC3200, Corsair TwinX1024-4400C25, and OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev.2.
All 4 memories were retested on the DFI LANParty nF4 SLI-DR using the same components and driver versions. This should clearly show the comparative performance of these four top memories on the nForce4 platform.
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renzokuken - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
Wesley, you've made my day. Thankyou for this follow-up review. The only thing I didn't like is the following statement "The Corsair did not do as well at the highest speeds on the DFI as it has done on other platforms, but that can likely be fixed with a BIOS revision". I'd love to know if/when this BIOS revision will be released and how much it will affect the Corsairs results.Btw, if anyone can tell me how to change the password required to post a comment I would be eternally grateful
arswihart - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
zebo, i have no idea what you tried to just sayJoKeRr - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
look at corsair and mushkin tccd (3200s) that doesn't use BP pcb, they almost never break 260 eitherJoKeRr - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
but I don't ballsitix uses BP pcb, if it does, it will prob. kill tccd.Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
Consistancy. It's not there. Just browse various forums.. some like us report kick arse performance some can't even get 220Mhz out of it w low timings.When you buy TCCD any moron can get at least 275Mhz out of it which is very appealing until you look past sisuck numbers. Also, in general, TCCD is more flexible because of that. Can run 2-2-2 @ 200 just like Ballistix but can also run up around 300Mhz and everything in between. I've never seen ballistix posting at anything above 275 w/1T.
Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
"anandtech is the biggest dfi propaganda site on the web"They use the best mobo in mem guides this is nothing new where you been? Back in NF3 days it's was MSI NEO2..Back w intel tests it was Asus..actually this is the first time I ever seen them using DFI which stand to raseon since it's the NF4 winnar.
ozzimark - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
#35-one thing i never understood. ballistix (more the micron -5b chips than ballistix itself) has an amazing performance/ocing to cost ratio. plus, it oc's at tight timings fairly well without much voltage. how come it was never very popular like BH-5/UTT and TCCD?
Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
Joker, Ballistix is essentially EB..so it likes up to 3.1 too but runs hot...need to cool it activly and have a mobo which staggers mem like DFI's.. i.e geographically in slots: Mem--Blank--Mem--Blank to allow air flow.I personally run 245Mhz 2.5-2-2 1T @ 2.8
But screwing around w/ volts I get 261 2.5-2-2 w/o error But since I'm a silence freak it's not for me.
Still this winbond UTT mem is better overall if you plan to send high volts to mem anywayz
Zebo - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
"TCCD isn't the holy grail of RAM anymore."It never was. It's loose arse timings always got whooped by Ballistix, and especially "old" BH-5 in the benchmarks running async with tight timings and moderate BW. This new ram is from co that brought you BH-5 and it's prolly better except it can't run 1.5 CAS.
arswihart - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - link
anandtech decides to focus on dfi and ocz as a magical combination, no matter what qualifications they make in the article they are still selling these specific products to readers. Its reflected in the forums and probably in sales. I don't like how anandtech's articles are beginning to constantly offer suggestions and declarations about the best this and that (often just based on what they have reviewed to date, not all that is available).