Corsair PC2100 & 2400

by Ramil Tranquilino

Manufactured by: CORSAIR 

Supplied by: Pacific Interactive

Corsair is a name synonymous to quality RAMs.  They have developed time and time again high performance memory chips for the enthusiast/overclocker market.  They have never failed to meet the overclockers expectations.

A big name in the SDRAM performance game, Corsair is again producing high quality performance modules but this time its for the DDR market.  We've seen how far their SDRAms could go, so how are they with their DDR's?  That's what we'll find out...

The CHIP

Corsair uses Micron chips on their DDR modules.  Their PC2100 and PC2400 uses the 7.5ns chips that Micron produces.  Upon close inspection, I notice that both their PC2100 and PC2400 uses the very same chip.  No difference at all.  So why the different specification?  My theory is that the PC2400 are just handpicked PC2100 that can go beyond the limits.  Whatever it is, our tests will answer them.

Testbed

Iwill KA266plus (review here)

Athlon T-Bird 1.4 Ghz

Win98 SE

Overclocking

I won't go into any details about the DDR technology as I know by now, the web is pretty saturated with it already.  Instead I will go straight into the overclocking side of it and see how far it could go.

Initial tests showed almost identical benchmark results for both PC2100 and PC2400.  So I guess that proves my theory that the PC2400 are indeed just handpicked PC2100.  They both reached a staggering 180mhz FSB.  Rock stable.  This was achieved using CAS 2 with VIO set at 2.7v.  I think I have yet to hit both its limits as the motherboard's maximum FSB setting has already been reached @ 180mhz FSB.  That's 360mhz DDR!   That's more than the rated PC2700 that is at 333mhz DDR. 

360mhz DDR!

  PC2400                      PC2100  

Conclusions

Again, Corsair never failed to amaze us.  Reaching speeds of 180mhz FSB/ 360mhz DDR at CAS2, both their PC2100 and PC2400 can pass as PC2700 as well.  Having the same chip, we have concluded that the PC2400 was just the same chip as the PC2100 but probably just handpicked.  Either way, both DDR modules are top of its class.  You'll never go wrong with Corsair.  Their DDR memory modules might be a bit pricey compared to other DDR brands but with their price comes quality.  And for the enthusiast, quality means a everything.  With Corsair, it is money well spent.  Octools highly recommends Corsair DDRs.

Our Corsair DDR RAMs was kindly loaned to us by Pacific Interactive NZ, if you are from New Zealand, you can buy this memory module thru them.