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Review: Corsair XMS4000 TwinX Dual-Channel Memory Kit

by Tarinder Sandhu on 8 September 2003, 00:00 3.5

Tags: Corsair

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qasw

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Introduction

CORSAIR TWINX XMS4000 1GByte DC MEMORY KIT

DDR500 for the masses

No sooner than we had laid our eyes and feasted upon Corsair's XMS3700 memory modules, XMS4000, or DDR500 in common parlance, became available from a select few manufacturers. Corsair decided that the pseudo, non-standard PC3700 just wasn't fast enough for the extreme enthusiast, simply because PC3200 memory had become common and mainstream. Add to this the well-known ability of many 2.4 and 2.6GHz P4s to effortlessly surpass 250FSB at or below default voltage, and couple to it the widespread availability of 250FSB-capable dual-channel Canterwood and Springdale boards, you'll soon see why the even more pseudo PC4000 DDR memory standard is required and needed for hardcore enthusiasts who are presently sitting on 275FSB on select CPU / motherboard combinations.

It's a matter of fact that these new-fangled motherboard allow asynchronous DRAM running by featuring a number of FSB-to-DRAM ratios, but where's the fun in running 250+ FSB with mediocre RAM speeds ?. What we need is 1:1 running for maximum efficiency and that warm, fuzzy feeling of having DDR500 RAM in your prized PC. 250FSB running may just be out of reach for the nForce2 and KT600 chipsets, but we readily expect to see newer boards get close to this magical standard. XMS4000 memory, therefore, is ideally suited to Intel's S478 platform, one that's ably supported by two FSB monster chipsets.

The promise of ramping up the CPU's FSB and still keep the preferred, synchronous RAM setting is alluring to the purist. Just think of a 2.6GHz P4 800FSB purring away at 3.25GHz / 250FSB with synchronous RAM speeds. That's not pure speculation and fantasy, for we've seen a number of these CPUs hit 3.25GHz at default voltage. A similar number of motherboard are willing and ready to run at 250FSB. Let's now examine if Corsair TwinX XMS4000 matched memory kit can be the perfect dual-channel partner.