System setup and notes
Hardware and Software
Test Platforms
| System | Intel Pentium System | |
| Processor | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 @ 3504MHz (12x250MHz FSB) | |
| Mainboard | ASUS P5WD2-E Premium | |
| Memory | 1GByte (2x512MByte) Crucial Ballistix PC5300 1GByte (2x512MByte) Corsair TWIN2X1024-5400UL 1GByte (2x512MByte) Corsair TWIN2X1024-8000UL 2GByte (2x1024MByte) OCZ DDR2 PC2-8000 Platinum XTC Extreme Edition |
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| Timings | 4-4-4-10 @ DDR2-667 3-2-2-8 @ DDR2-667 5-4-4-9 @ DDR2-1000 4-5-4-15 @ DDR2-1000 |
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| BIOS Version | BIOS 0302 (17/1/2006) | |
| Disk Drive | 160GB Western Digital PATA | |
| Graphics Card | ATI RADEON X1800 XL 256MB PCIe, CATALYST 6.2 set | |
| Operating System | Windows XP Professional, SP2 32-bit | |
| Mainboard Software | Intel INF Update Utility 7.2.2.1006 | |
Benchmark Software
Memtest86+ v1.65
ScienceMark 2.0 (21st March 2005)
DivX 6.1 encoding test. 1700kbps, Insane Quality, 416MB DV file
DOOM 3 v1282 - 1024x768 Medium Quality
Far Cry v1.33 - 1024x768 High Quality
Notes
How to test memory that operates at 1000MHz, as there's no FSB:DRAM ratio that directly supports it at either 200MHz or 266MHz FSB on an ASUS P5WD2-E Premium motherboard. We chose to reduce the CPU's FSB to 250MHz, thus allowing DDR2-1000 to be supported by a 1:2 ratio. Further, 250MHz allowed us to benchmark modules operating at DDR2-667 speeds through a 3:4 ratio present in the BIOS and without changing CPU speed or FSB.We also ran a 1GByte pack of Corsair's TWIN2X1024-8000UL memory, also operating at 1GHz but with 5-4-4-9 timings, to see which set would provide the better results with a CPU at 250MHz FSB (1GHz FSB QDR). Another 1GByte set of Corsair's TWIN2X1024-5400UL memory, operating at 667MHz with 3-2-2-8 timings was added, again to see the relative position of memory with lower bandwidth but with performance-enhancing timings. Lastly, a 1GByte pack of Crucial Ballistix RAM, again at 667MHz but with 4-4-4-10 timings, was added to the mix. Phew.
Here's how it panned out.
Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955 @ (3.504GHz) - 1001.3MHz FSB - OCZ DDR2 PC2-8000 Platinum XTC Extreme Edition @ 1001.3MHz - 4-5-4-15 latencies - dual channel.
Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955 @ 3.504GHz - 1001.3MHz FSB - Corsair TWIN2X1024-8000UL @ 1001.3MHz - 5-4-4-9 latencies - dual channel.
Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955 @ 3.504GHz - 1001.3MHz FSB - Corsair TWIN2X1024-5400UL @ 667.8MHz - 3-2-2-8 latencies - dual channel.
Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955 @ 3.504GHz - 1001.3MHz FSB - Crucial Ballistix @ 667.8MHz - 4-4-4-10 latencies - dual channel.
CPU FSB and overall speed stays constant. The only difference is in size, bandwidth and latency of the modules.
Ever seen a 2GByte pack of DDR2 memory run at 1GHz? You have now. Absolutely no stability problems to report at the modules' 1GHz speed. The set passed an hour-long Memtest86+ v1.65 examination without failure.
OCZ even programs the SPD table to reflect the ultra-high speed.