OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC: Low Latency PLUS DDR2-1100
by Wesley Fink on April 3, 2006 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Overclocking Performance
We were able to overclock using the DDR2-533, DDR2-667, DDR2-711, DDR2-800, DDR2-889, or DDR2-1066 memory straps. Since the Presler 955 Extreme Edition processor utilizes a 1066 MHz bus speed it allows us to use the 1:1 memory to FSB clock ratio when the front side bus speed is set to 266 MHz. Keep in mind that the Intel FSB is quad-pumped, which is why a setting of 266 yields a FSB of 1066 (4x266). DDR2 Memory on the Intel platform, however, is by definition Double Data Rate, so a 266 base setting is 533 (2x266). The dual-channel setups used in nearly all systems keep the bandwidths matched, however, given 2 x DDR2-533 bandwidth.
The chart above indicates relative scaling with front side bus speed increases from a 1:1 memory strap (DDR2-533). SiSoft Sandra Professional Buffered and Unbuffered memory scoring were both included in benchmarking, along with SuperPi time to calculate 2 million places in seconds. The Half Life 2: Lost Coast benchmark was run at 1024x768 resolution at maximum quality settings with HDR on. Far Cry was set for ultra quality in the settings with a resolution of 1024 x 768.
Using the stock 13X multiplier of the 955 EE Presler, we were able to hit 352 FSB at the lowest timings of 3-3-3-11. While higher 1:1 settings were possible, they were not completely stable with our air-cooling setup. That makes the CPU the likely road block to further overclocking with an effective limitation of about 4.5GHz on stock air cooling.
The OCZ PC2-8000 operated with no heat problems up to 2.2V, which covered the majority of benchmarking. Above 2.2 the memory heats up quickly and performs best with an auxiliary fan cooling the memory.
We were able to overclock using the DDR2-533, DDR2-667, DDR2-711, DDR2-800, DDR2-889, or DDR2-1066 memory straps. Since the Presler 955 Extreme Edition processor utilizes a 1066 MHz bus speed it allows us to use the 1:1 memory to FSB clock ratio when the front side bus speed is set to 266 MHz. Keep in mind that the Intel FSB is quad-pumped, which is why a setting of 266 yields a FSB of 1066 (4x266). DDR2 Memory on the Intel platform, however, is by definition Double Data Rate, so a 266 base setting is 533 (2x266). The dual-channel setups used in nearly all systems keep the bandwidths matched, however, given 2 x DDR2-533 bandwidth.
| OCZ EL PC2-8000 XTC (1:1 Memory Ratio) - 2x1GB Double-Bank | |||||||
| CPU Settings |
Memory Speed (1:1) |
Best Memory Timings (Voltage) |
Far Cry (fps) |
Sandra Unbuffered |
Sandra Standard Buffered |
SuperPi Mod 1.4 2M places (time in sec) |
Half Life 2: Lost Coast (fps) |
| 13x267 | 533 DDR2 |
3-2-2-9 1T 2.1V |
63.1 | INT 3570 FLT 3600 |
INT 6500 FLT 6498 |
85 | 84.2 |
| 13x333 | 667 DDR2 |
3-2-3-11 1T 2.1V |
73.9 | INT 4368 FLT 4414 |
INT 8108 FLT 8097 |
68.1 | 106.3 |
| 13x352 | 704 DDR2 |
3-3-3-11 1T 2.2V |
83 | INT 4512 FLT 4630 |
INT 8494 FLT 8504 |
64.9 | 109.8 |
The chart above indicates relative scaling with front side bus speed increases from a 1:1 memory strap (DDR2-533). SiSoft Sandra Professional Buffered and Unbuffered memory scoring were both included in benchmarking, along with SuperPi time to calculate 2 million places in seconds. The Half Life 2: Lost Coast benchmark was run at 1024x768 resolution at maximum quality settings with HDR on. Far Cry was set for ultra quality in the settings with a resolution of 1024 x 768.
Using the stock 13X multiplier of the 955 EE Presler, we were able to hit 352 FSB at the lowest timings of 3-3-3-11. While higher 1:1 settings were possible, they were not completely stable with our air-cooling setup. That makes the CPU the likely road block to further overclocking with an effective limitation of about 4.5GHz on stock air cooling.
The OCZ PC2-8000 operated with no heat problems up to 2.2V, which covered the majority of benchmarking. Above 2.2 the memory heats up quickly and performs best with an auxiliary fan cooling the memory.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
16 Comments
View All Comments
plewis00 - Monday, April 3, 2006 - link
If Half-Life 2 was producing anomalous results why didn't you replace it when you suspected a problem with some other game instead. Because haven't you now voided your HL2 benchmarks effectively?Wesley Fink - Monday, April 3, 2006 - link
The HL2 Lost Coast results were consistnet for this round of tests, but they did not compare well to earlier test results. We have now discovered the benchmarking issue and the HL2 results will be updated as soon as testing is complete.Earlier tests were run with HDR (High Dynamic Range) enabled, while current tests were run with HDR disabled. We are now testing with HDR enabled.
Avalon - Monday, April 3, 2006 - link
You guys need to do something about those memory setting charts. The ones where you display the different timings you could achieve at different FSB settings for a particular memory...mainly, the part where you have "highest performance" I find misleading, because you have increased the CPU speed, so it almost makes it look like the performance results you have next to the settings are getting a huge boost in performance by going from one setting to the next, when it's really the CPU speed causing that.Maybe make a note on the chart stating that at highest performance mode, the CPU speed has been increased.
Other than that, not a bad review. Good memory, it seems.
Wesley Fink - Monday, April 3, 2006 - link
The information on which values were overclocked was already in the table, but we revised the chart to try to make the Overclocked values stand out more and to clearly identify the stock performance speeds and values.SnoMunke - Monday, April 3, 2006 - link
Interesting article...now about the grammar..."OCZ EL PC2-8000 is the best performing DDR2 memory we have ever tested, clearly outperforming any DDR2 that has been tested at AnandTech."
Wesley Fink - Monday, April 3, 2006 - link
An edited sentence and the original sentence got accidentally combined. Thanks for pointing this out. It is now corrected.