Corsair DDR2 Twin2X1024-5400C4 Pro
1Gb XMS2 Matched Memory Pair
August 23, 2004
Manufactured by
Introduction
With the arrival of the new chipsets from Intel, the i915x and i925x, a new memory technology was unleashed in the process. DDR2 made its debut together with new technologies like PCI-Express and Intel's new LGA775 processors. All of this offer one major performance advantage and that is more bandwidth.
As you know, DDR1 has been around for quite some time now. The transition from SDR to DDR created a significant performance boost to the way we do our computing, gaming, etc. With the introduction of DDR2, can we expect the same thing? First, one has to understand the way SDR, DDR and DDR2 works. SDR works by carrying data only one way, only at the rising point of a clock cycle. DDR does it both ways, both at the rising and falling of each cycle, thus, doubling the bandwidth. That's why you can see quite a big advantage when the benchmark scores from this 2 types of memory are compared. As for DDR2, it is pretty much like DDR1 except for its 4-bit prefetch feature and of course its ability to work at higher frequencies. It also uses less power compared to its predecessor. Technically with the 4-bit prefetch feature, the read and write is 4 times the amount of data per clock cycle as compared to DDR1's 2-bit. That's double the data bus speed. Sounds a lot faster, doesn't it? But you also have to remember that although DDR2 delivers twice as much data per clock, it is doing it almost twice as slow as well. This is because of its slower latency timings. What this means is that if we compare a DDR1-400 running at CAS 2-2-2-5 to a DDR2-400 running at CAS 4-4-4-10, you'll probably have the same performance. The DDR2 may deliver twice the amount of data but by that time, the DDR1 has already done a return trip resulting in the same amount of data trasferred as the DDR2.
So why buy DDR2? Well, the answer is scalability. At the moment, DDR2 comes up to 667MHz already. DDR1 cannot scale up to this high due to its limitations. Most DDR2 modules available now operate at stock DDR2-533MHz. Theoretically at this speed, you can expect a slight advantage performance wise over DDR-400 counterparts. But in the real world, it is not always so.
Today we will try and test that theory. Now that DDR2 is already beginning to hit the streets, it would be nice to know what you can expect before taking the plunge. One of the first companies to have DDR2 available in the market is Corsair. As always, this company is always the first in line to deliver a retail product to the performance seekers out there. This company needs no introduction when it comes to producing top notch memory modules. So without further ado, let us have a look at Corsair's latest DDR2 offering, the TWIN2X1024-5400C4PRO.
Twin2X1024-5400C4 Pro Series
Since mid-2003, Corsair has been involved with DDR2 development through the JEDEC association, which establishes industry standards for electronics. Their participation has allowed them to be among the first companies to reach the market with DDR2 memory modules. They’re calling the family XMS2. This particular DDR2 1Gb Matched Pair belongs to the unique Pro Series which features 24 activity LEDs and platinum heat spreaders.
The TWIN2X1024-5400C4PRO is a 1024 MByte matched pair of DDR2 SDRAM DIMMs. This part delivers outstanding performance in the latest generation of DDR2-based motherboards. It has been tested extensively in multiple DDR2 motherboards to ensure compatibility and performance at its rated speed. This memory has been verified to operate at 675MHz at the low latencies of 4-4-4-12.
Features:
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Two matched CM2X512-5400C4PRO 240-pin DDR2 DIMMs, for a total of 1,024MB (1GB)
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Tested at the low latencies of (4-4-4-12) at 1.9V
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SPD programmed at 4-4-4-12 values
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Implemented using 32M x 8 DDR2 SDRAMs
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New High-efficiency Platinum Heat Spreaders
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24 Activity LEDs Show Level of Memory Activity
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100% tested at 675MHz in high performance DDR2 motherboards
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Legendary Corsair reliability and service
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Lifetime Warranty