Value RAM Roundup: Computing On a Budget
by Wesley Fink on April 11, 2005 4:26 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Kingston KVR400X64C25/512
Kingston is the world's largest independent Memory manufacturer with annual sales over $2.4 Billion. Kingston is a very well-known memory brand, and it can be found at almost any large computer dealer. Kingston has a very complete line of memory products from the cheapest Value RAM to their enthusiast HyperX products. Kingston is also a brand that you will often see on sale at the big computer chains.
Specifications
The KVR400X64C25/512 is rated at CAS 2.5. Kingston supplied two Value RAM samples for testing - this CAS 2.5 and a lower cost Value RAM rated at CAS 3.| Kingston KVR400X64C25/512 (DDR400) Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
512 MB 1GB |
| Rated Timings | 2.5-3-3 at DDR400 |
| SPD (Auto) Timings | 2.5-3-3-8 |
| Rated Voltage | 2.6V |
Test Results
| Kingston KVR400X64C25/512 (DDR400) - 2 x 512Mb Double-Bank | |||||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed |
Memory Timings & Voltage |
Quake3 fps |
Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered |
Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
Wolfenstein - Radar - Enemy Territory fps |
| 12x200 | 400 DDR | 2.5-3-2-6 2.6V 1T |
533.0 | INT 2470 FLT 2642 |
INT 6016 FLT 5987 |
83 | 112.0 |
| 12x204 (2.45GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance | 2.5-3-3-6 2.7V 1T |
533.2 | INT 2636 FLT 2797 |
INT 6143 FLT 6112 |
81 | 112.4 |
We haven't made a mistake here. As you can see, there is really no overclocking headroom at all with this Kingston 2.5 memory. While it actually outperforms specs with 2.5-3-2-6- timings at DDR400 at stock 2.6V, we could not complete our memory benchmarks above a 204 CPU setting. Super Pi and Unbuffered Memory tests worked fine to almost DDR480, but at any setting above 204 (DDR408), games would freeze or run in spurts and freezes. This points to a likely conflict with the AMD on-chip memory controller or the DFI nF4 motherboard, and in fact, the Kingston 2.5 may reach much high memory speeds on an Intel platform.
We have found Aida 32 to be very useful in examining read/write performance and memory latency. Aida 32 is now available as Everest Home Edition, a free download from www.lavalys.com.
| Kingston KVR400X64C25/512 (DDR400) 2x512Mb Double-Bank Everest 1.51 |
|||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage |
Everest READ MB/s |
Everest WRITE MB/s |
Everest Latency ns |
| 12x200 | 400 DDR | 2.5-3-2-6 2.6V 1T |
5800 | 1918 | 47.3 |
| 12x204 (2.45GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance | 2.5-3-3-6 2.6V 1T |
5855 | 1991 | 46.9 |
The Memory Speed range was so limited with the Kingston CAS 2.5 that there is really little on which to comment. However, despite the problems above 204 on the Athlon 64, at stock DDR400, the Kingston KVR400X64C25/512 performed without any problems.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
102 Comments
View All Comments
wfn - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
err, what dvinnen said, i dont see atacom selling the value vx. they dont mention the actual part # anywhere on that page and the pics show 3-4-4-8 modules.wfn - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Wesley Fink - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
#28 - Corsair delined our request for Value RAM samples. We talk about this on page 2.'All the manufacturers supplied one or more samples for testing except Corsair. Corsair emailed us, stating that "Our policy is not to send Value Select parts for review for a variety of reasons. After a quick discussion here we decided to stick with that policy and sit this one out." '
Wesley Fink - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Answering several emails: Value BH5 (OCZ PC3200 Gold) is available at Atacom for $194.95.http://www.atacom.com/program/print_html_new.cgi?c...
dannybin1742 - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
how come no corsair valueram was done? thats stuff is really cheap too, i use the pc3200 with my a64, runs like a champ and i got it for $92 from new egg (2 512 sticks)Avalon - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Value VX for the win, if you have the voltage and like overclocking...ViRGE - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
It was a good article, but can I put in a request? 1GB modules are starting to get popular, even if they're not very OC-friendly at this point, enough so that it makes more sense at this point to pick up a pair of 1GB DIMMs than to fill a board with 512MB DIMMs. As such, can we get a roundup of the different major 1GB modules some time in the future?bobsmith1492 - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Well, it's not that big a deal getting the voltages on the DFI board; they're not that expensive.Anyway, is there any chance of a follow-up article, possibly with more ram types and maybe a few retail models?
xsilver - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Wesley, This "review" was pretty bad due to a number of reasons1) you let the memory makers choose what ram you were going to review
2) You tested memory at voltages that are way above most motherboard's capabilities 3.4 volts? only the DFI can do that .... This is a VALUE roundup.... WTF are you doing with a DFI and 6800 Ultra's?
after what Anand said about the intergrity of anandtech I feel sorry for anand if he is reading this.....
how about you actually get some of your own memory from corsair and stop letting them push you around? what about geil? kingmax? and others?
and test memory at a SANE level of 2.7-2.8v
Teetu - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
I wish they would have done benchmarks with more modern games. I don't think quake 3 is the most practical bench anymore...At DDR400, you aren't going to see much difference between value and performance. I think if they did use doom 3, hl2, etc as benchmarks a lot of people would just get value ram (single digit fps increase with performance ram).