Review: OCZ PC3500 EL DDR MEMORY

Specifications and appearance

First I'm going to bore you with background information on memory speeds, how they're calculated, and what they mean for you and me.

PC1600 - 1.600GB/s bandwidth (8 x 100 x 2), runs at DDR-200

PC2100 - 2.128GB/s bandwidth (8 x 133 x 2), runs at DDR-266

PC2400 - 2.400GB/s bandwidth (8 x 150 x 2), runs at DDR-300

PC2700 - 2.656GB/s bandwidth (8 x 166 x 2), runs at DDR-333

PC3200 - 3.200GB/s bandwidth (8 x 200 x 2), runs at DDR-400

PC3500 - 3.472GB/s bandwidth (8 x 217 x 2), runs at DDR-434

RAMBUS PC800 - 3.200GB/s bandwidth (2-bytes x 800Mhz x 2 RIMMS)

RAMBUS PC1066 - 4.26GB/s bandwidth (2-bytes (16-bit) x 1066MHz x 2 RIMMS)

RIMM 4200 - 4.26GB/s bandwidth (4-bytes (32-bit) x 1066MHz )

It's one thing to market your memory at a certain speed, but it's another to further qualify it for operation at the harsher CAS latency of 2 clocks. CAS (Column Address Strobe) latency, in layman's terms, is the time taken to initiate a read or write once the command has been issued: lower is better, naturally. To ensure that you can reach the desired frequency and timings, it is paramount to keep PCB noise to a minimum. Poor PCBs can dramatically hinder the potential of any RAM. With nominal speeds of 434MHz DDR, OCZ, like others, have to invest in only the very best PCBs. Let's now look at the module's specifications to see just how OCZ have managed to guarantee PC-3500 speeds with a CL of 2 clocks.

Specifications

• 256MB and 512MB modules available

• Implemented using 32M x 8MB DDR unbuffered SDRAMs (TSOP) with 4.5ns access time

• 184-pin DDR.

• Integrated copper heatspreader for improved thermal performance

• Lifetime OCZ warranty

• Six-layer ultra-low noise shielded PCB

• Latency: 2-7-3-3 @ 2.5 - 2.55v

• SPD programmed at proposed JEDEC values of PC2700 (PC3500 not defined by JEDEC yet)

Six-layer PCBs, 4.5ns memory, CAS latency of 2 clocks at 2.5v, copper heatspeaders, and up to 512MB module size makes it high specification RAM. The 512MB modules in important due to the fact that running 2 modules at very high frequencies and low latencies is difficult.

Appearance

This is probably the most aesthetically pleasing module that I've seen. The all-copper heatsink lends a certain weight and gravitas to the 256MB test module. The heatspreaders are securely fastened on. I found it impossible to budge them using reasonable force.

The heatspreaders are found on a number of high-peformance modules from Geil to Muskin. Impressive specs. and impressive looks. We'll now see whether it can deliver in impression fashion as we thoroughly benchmark it.