Mushkin Redline XP4000: Winbond with Voltage Be Damned
by Wesley Fink on May 16, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Test Results: Mushkin Redline XP4000
The top row of Performance results at 2.6V is included as a performance baseline. Like OCZ VX, Mushkin Redline cannot achieve 2-2-2 timings at stock voltage at DDR400. However, it can easily reach 2-2-2 performance levels at DDR400 with more voltage.Mushkin Redline XP4000 (DDR500) - 2x512Mb Double-Bank | |||||||
CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed |
Memory Timings & Voltage |
Quake3 fps |
Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered |
Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
Wolfenstein - Radar - Enemy Territory fps |
12x200 | 400 DDR (Stock Voltage) |
2-3-2-6 2.6V 1T (Stock Voltage) |
565.4 | INT 2719 FLT 2866 |
INT 6111 FLT 6056 |
81 | 119.9 |
12x200 | 400 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
572.5 | INT 2745 FLT 2899 |
INT 6127 FLT 6071 |
81 | 119.8 |
11x218 | 436 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
578.0 | INT 2912 FLT 3079 |
INT 6512 FLT 6435 |
80 | 120.2 |
10x240 | 480 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
591.7 | INT 3037 FLT 3293 |
INT 6775 FLT 6700 |
79 | 122.7 |
9x267 | 533 DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.4V 1T |
599.1 | INT 3308 FLT 3521 |
INT 7125 FLT 7032 |
78 | 124.0 |
9x272 (2.45GHz) |
Highest Mem Speed 538 DDR |
2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
612.3 | INT 3410 FLT 3592 |
INT 7260 FLT 7183 |
77 | 127.2 |
10x272 (2.72GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance | 2-2-2-6 3.5V 1T |
656.5 | INT 3493 FLT 3697 |
INT 7701 FLT 7605 |
71 | 139.0 |
We reached an extremely stable DDR400 2-2-2-6 at 3.0V with Mushkin Redline XP4000. We then maintained 2-2-2-6 timings all the way to DDR546, which required 3.5V for complete stability. The voltage requirements from 3.0 to 3.6 volts were very linear to Memory Speed. DDR544 is the highest speed that we have ever reached with 2-2-2 timings, but it is only slightly more than the DDR538 2-2-2 achieved in our tests of the OCZ VX. Since both memories use the same memory chips, it appears that Mushkin and OCZ are both doing a similarly excellent job in binning the Winbond chips for their DDR500 2-2-2 products.
The important results here are rows 1 to 6, where CPU speed is kept at 2.4GHZ and only the Memory Speed is varied. The performance differences that you see in that range are a result of Memory Speed only. Since the Mushkin Redline also maintained constant 2-2-2-6 timings across the performance tests, the performance improvements are completely a result of memory speed only. It is not a huge difference in real-world benchmarks, compared to the huge increase in synthetic benchmarks like Sandra, but the increase is real nonetheless.
When you compare results of Mushkin Redline or OCZ VX, you will also see that all 2-2-2 is not created equal. Winbond and the revived BH5 are just a bit faster than other 2-2-2 memory at the same memory speed. Again, the difference is not huge, but where a computer enthusiast is aiming for top competitive scores, every advantage carries weight.
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jmke - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
I agree with you completely Zebo; is an increase of 2-5FPS in an already OLD game like Wolfenstein worth $300 (memory + ddr booster/new motherboard)?I don't think so
Zebo - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
My above comments excludes cyber-athletes participating in cyber olympics. Mainly geared twards average enthusiast at AT.Zebo - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
As usual almost no difference with increased bandwidth:At 2400Mhz same timings:
DDR400 though DDR533 are virtually identical, less than 5% within one another on the largest game, wolf.
It is'nt until you bump processor speeds (which I never liked this testing method for memory) do the numbers begin to change signifigantly with added bandwidth. Due to bandwitdh? nope, due to running 2.72Ghz A64 instead of 2400Mhz.
Anyway I think these sticks are a waste of $ for the most part. Primarly due to the fact you must push signifigant volts though them and fan them and maybe destory them if not well learned. Noise and only DFI can provide this voltage eliminates lots of people. One is much better off IMO with low volts TCCD or some crucial 8T running 2-2-2 ~200Mhz at low volts all day without the noise of additional ram cooling.
thumbs down to extreme modules.
cryptonomicon - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
VX/REDLINE/UTT is nice and everything, but I don't get why people will buy it since BH and CH based models are much cheaper and perform very similarly with a bit less voltage, and can also run stock at 2.6v-- which makes them incredibly flexible. best ram ever.bersl2 - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
#5: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid...The point of that thread is to show that in *real-world* situations, the measurable effect of 2T over 1T seems to be no more than 3%. Also keep in mind that at 2T, you can OC the RAM higher and tighten your other timings, and thus you can OC well with 4 sticks or more than 1G of RAM.
flatblastard - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
Nice review....I couldn't help but notice that in most of the benchies that mattered, hi-po ddr400 2-2-2 was at the top of the charts. Especially OCZ Plat Rev 2 and Crucial Ballistix....kinda makes me wonder if DFI mobo with high voltage ram is just a big waste of time and money.Shinei - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
Which thread? As far as all AT benches have shown, 2T cripples performance on Athlon 64 testbeds...Anyway, great review, but I gotta wonder just what we're going to be doing to cool our cases in a few years--active cooling for the RAM, northbridge, CPU, and video card (the latter two of which account for 150+W)... Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to turn on my computer one day, and there'll just be a tiny mushroom cloud where the case used to be?
Lonyo - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
Any hopes of some 2T command rate testing/overclocking potential-ing?A thread has shown 2T makes very little difference to performance, but may help overclocking a bit, so mabye we could see if this stuff can be pushed even further?
JustAnAverageGuy - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
P1: "OCZ st arted it all with their VX series memory."P2: Redline is available as DDR433 (PC3500) p arts.
For these reasons, Mushkin Redline memory was only tested on the DFI LANP arty nF4 SLI-DR Athlon 64 Socket 939 test bed.
P3: The Mushkin Redline XP4000 was tested with the DFI LANP arty nF4 SLI-DR Athlon 64 Socket 939 motherboard.
We have found the 6800 Ultra to be a p articularly good performance match to NVIDIA motherboards
Don't worry though, all those macros are spelling error free ;)
classy - Monday, May 16, 2005 - link
Great performance, but the price is really high. Especially considering the fact the OCZ 3200 Gold is not far behind and is almost $100 cheaper.