A closer look at DDR2 memory flagships - Retro Review
Category : DDR2
Published by Christian Ney on 04.05.11
With this article we give tribute to some of the best DDR2 memory modules which have been introduced to the market. Therefore we decided to remove the dust from all these modules and overclocked them to their limits in order to determine which modules do have the potential to become small treasures.







In this article we're going to test different DDR2 Modules. Therefore we're analysing the overclocking potential of all the different DIMMs and we'll also show which of these modules might become overclockers treasure within the next years. We can guarantee you that the results are astonishing! Furthermore we will also update this article over time in order to provide an overview regarding as many memory modules as possible.


The nominees are:

OS and Drivers
  • Microsoft Windows XP
Mainboard
  • Asus Rampage Formula
CPUs
  • Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Memory
  • Corsair Dominator GT PC8500 DDR2-1066 5-5-5-15
  • OCZ Reaper HTC PC8500 DDR2-1066 5-5-5-18
  • Kingston HyperX PC8500 DDR2-1066 5-5-5-15
  • G.Skill HZ PC8500 DDR2-1066 4-4-4-5
  • Kingston ValueRam PC4300 DDR2-533 4-4-4-12
Graphic Cards
  • MSI Radeon HD 3450
HDD
  • Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1 TB
PSU
  • Corsair HX850




Testing methodology:

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.




Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall


Discuss this article in the forums

[pagebreak]

Corsair Dominator GT


Brand
  • Corsair
Series
  • Dominator GT
Part Number
  • CMG4GX2M2A1066C5
Capacity of one stick
  • 2048 MB
Specs
  • PC8500 DDR2-1066 5-5-5-15 2.1v
Chips
  • PSC

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.


Test Results



Frequency Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
5-5-5-15-Auto 585.4 MHz 588.6 MHz 593.4 MHz 595 MHz 595.8 MHz 597.4 MHz
4-4-4-12-Auto 473.1 MHz     479 MHz   483.3 MHz
3-3-3-9-Auto 345 MHz     351.2 MHz   355.2 MHz
  more is better



Timings Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
350 MHz 4-2-2-7 4-2-2-7 4-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7
400 MHz 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9
450 MHz 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9
500 MHz 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11
550 MHz 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13
600 MHz N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
  less is better


Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall



Discuss this article in the forums

[pagebreak]

OCZ Reaper HTC


Brand
  • OCZ
Series
  • Reaper HTC
Part Number
  • OCZ2RPR10664GK
Capacity of one stick
  • 2048 MB
Specs
  • PC8500 DDR2-1066 5-5-5-18 2.1v
Chips
  • Unknow / Waiting for OCZ's confirmation

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.


Test Results



Frequency Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
5-5-5-15-Auto 620 MHz     624.4 MHz   628.4 MHz
4-4-4-12-Auto 473.3 MHz     479.1 MHz   479.7 MHz
3-3-3-9-Auto 365 MHz     377.4 MHz   381.8 MHz
  more is better



Timings Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
350 MHz 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7
400 MHz 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9
450 MHz 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9
500 MHz 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11
550 MHz 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13
600 MHz 5-5-2-15 5-5-2-15 5-5-2-15 5-5-2-15 5-5-2-15 5-5-2-15
  less is better


Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall



Discuss this article in the forums

[pagebreak]

Kingston HyperX


Brand
  • Kingston
Series
  • HyperX
Part Number
  • KHX8500D2/1G
Capacity of one stick
  • 1024 MB
Specs
  • PC8500 DDR2-1066 5-5-5-15 2.2v
Chips
  • Payton Technologies (Kingston's own chips)

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.


Test Results



Frequency Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
5-5-5-15-Auto 600.2 MHz     610.9 MHz   615.1 MHz
4-4-4-12-Auto 483.9 MHz     490.5 MHz   493.2 MHz
3-3-3-9-Auto 355.6 MHz     361.9 MHz   365.5 MHz
  more is better



Timings Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
350 MHz 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7 3-2-2-7
400 MHz 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-8 4-4-2-8
450 MHz 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9
500 MHz 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11 5-4-2-11
550 MHz 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13
600 MHz 5-5-5-14 5-5-5-14 5-5-5-14 5-5-5-14 5-5-5-14 5-5-5-14
  less is better


Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall


Discuss this article in the forums

[pagebreak]

Kingston ValueRam


Brand
  • Kingston
Series
  • ValueRam
Part Number
  • KVR533D2N4K2/1G
Capacity of one stick
  • 1024 MB
Specs
  • PC4200 DDR2-533 4-4-4-12 1.8v
Chips
  • Micron D9GCT

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.


Test Results



Frequency Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
5-5-5-15-Auto 529.2 MHz 530 MHz   532.8 MHz    
4-4-4-12-Auto 529.2 MHz 530.2 MHz   533.7 MHz    
3-3-3-9-Auto 355.6 MHz 361.9 MHz   421.6 MHz    
  more is better



Timings Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
350 MHz 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1
400 MHz 4-4-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1
450 MHz 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 3-4-2-1
500 MHz 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1
550 MHz N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
600 MHz N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
  less is better




Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall



Discuss this article in the forums

[pagebreak]

G.Skill HZ


Brand
  • G.Skill
Series
  • HZ
Part Number
  • F2-8500PHU2-2GBHZ
Capacity of one stick
  • 1024 MB
Specs
  • PC8500 DDR2-1066 4-4-4-5 2.4v
Chips
  • Micron D9GKX

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.


Test Results



Frequency Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
5-5-5-15-Auto N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
4-4-4-12-Auto 513.4 MHz 531.9 MHz 544.5 MHz 577.5 MHz 582.3 MHz 601.3 MHz
3-3-3-9-Auto 424.2 MHz 439.7 MHz 453.4 MHz 465.4 MHz 472.6 MHz 482.6 MHz
  more is better



Timings Results 2.1v 2.2v 2.3v 2.4v 2.5v 2.6v
             
350 MHz 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1
400 MHz 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1
450 MHz 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1
500 MHz 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1
550 MHz N/A N/A N/A 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1
600 MHz N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4-4-2-1
  less is better


Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall



Discuss this article in the forums

[pagebreak]

Overall

To validate a frequency at corresponding timings we use Super Pi 1M. The benchmark has to complete a run once that we write the result down.



Frequency Results 5-5-5-15-Auto 4-4-4-12-Auto 3-3-3-9-Auto
       
Corsair Dominator GT 597.4 MHz 483.3 MHz 355.2 MHz
OCZ Reaper HTC 628.4 MHz 479.7 MHz 381.8 MHz
Kingston HyperX 615.1 MHz 493.2 MHz 365.5 MHz
Kingston ValueRam 532.8 MHz 533.7 MHz 438.3 MHz
G.Skill HZ N/A 601.3 MHz 482.6 MHz
  more is better



Timings Results 350 MHz 400 MHz 450 MHz 500 MHz 550 MHz 600 MHz
             
Corsair Dominator GT 3-2-2-7 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 5-4-2-11 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13
OCZ Reaper HTC 3-2-2-7 4-4-2-9 4-4-2-9 5-4-2-11 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-15
Kingston HyperX 3-2-2-7 4-4-2-8 4-4-2-9 5-4-2-11 5-5-2-13 5-5-2-13
Kingston ValueRam 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 N/A N/A
G.Skill HZ 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 3-2-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1 4-4-2-1
  less is better


Author: Christian Ney, c.ney@ocaholic.ch Edition and translation: Christian Ney & Marc Büchel, m.buechel@ocaholic.ch

Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Kingston HyperX
Page 2 - Corsair Dominator GT Page 5 - Kingston ValueRam
Page 3 - OCZ Reaper HTC Page 6 - G.Skill HZ
  Page 7 - Overall



Discuss this article in the forums