Corsair TWINX2048-4000PT
Corsair is the most widely recognized brand of Enthusiast or high-performance memory in the world. Corsair also maintains very visible support in the form of RamGuy, who provides support for Corsair products at www.asktheramguy.com and as a participant in many Forums.
The 4000PT include matte silver-colored aluminum heatspreaders that are appropriate for the Corsair Platinum series. There are no LEDs or diagnostic strips that would increase the cost of the 2GB kit. Corsair also markets an Expert line of DIMMs, which include programmable LEDs that can display memory speed, memory voltage, and other useful memory diagnostic data if that is an important feature for the buyer. The 3500LL PRO that we reviewed in Part 1 of the 2GB roundup used Infineon memory and featured diagnostic LEDs. Whatever you are looking for in your 2GB memory purchase is likely available as a Corsair product.
Specifications
The TWINX2048-4000PT is rated at CAS3 at DDR500, with slow rated timings of 3-4-4-8 at default voltage.
Test Results
To be considered stable for test purposes, Quake3 benchmark, UT2003 Demo, Super PI, Aquamark 3, and Comanche 4 had to complete without incident. Any of these, and in particular Super PI, will crash a less-than stable memory configuration.
Despite the somewhat slow rated timings of the Corsair 4000PT, the memory managed to work fine at faster timings at almost every speed setting. While it is not included in the chart, we were able to run at the rated DDR500 speed at 3-3-3-8 timings at 2.8V instead of the specified 3-4-4-8 timings. The Corsair 4000PT is not the fastest 2GB memory in the roundup, but it manages to perform within a few frames of the fastest 2GB kits at every tested speed. In addition, the 4000PT turned out to be a really excellent overclocker, reaching a stable DDR580 speed.
While this Corsair kit will not satisfy those who want the fastest 2GB kit available, the 4000PT will be a good choice for those who are willing to give up a few frames at each speed in exchange for a 30% to 40% lower price. The one thing that you won't have to give up is great overclocking capabilities, since this Corsair is one of the most overclockable 2GB kits in the roundup.
Corsair is the most widely recognized brand of Enthusiast or high-performance memory in the world. Corsair also maintains very visible support in the form of RamGuy, who provides support for Corsair products at www.asktheramguy.com and as a participant in many Forums.
The 4000PT include matte silver-colored aluminum heatspreaders that are appropriate for the Corsair Platinum series. There are no LEDs or diagnostic strips that would increase the cost of the 2GB kit. Corsair also markets an Expert line of DIMMs, which include programmable LEDs that can display memory speed, memory voltage, and other useful memory diagnostic data if that is an important feature for the buyer. The 3500LL PRO that we reviewed in Part 1 of the 2GB roundup used Infineon memory and featured diagnostic LEDs. Whatever you are looking for in your 2GB memory purchase is likely available as a Corsair product.
Specifications
The TWINX2048-4000PT is rated at CAS3 at DDR500, with slow rated timings of 3-4-4-8 at default voltage.
| Corsair TWINX2048-4000PT Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
1GB 2GB |
| Rated Timings | 3-4-4-8 at DDR500 |
| Rated Voltage | Standard (2.6V) Voltage |
| SPD | 3-3-3-8 |
Test Results
| Corsair TWINX2048-4000PT (DDR500) - 2x1GB 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 | 400DDR | 2.5-3-3-7 2.5V |
528.3 | INT 2448 FLT 2599 |
INT 6001 FLT 5973 |
83 | 116.0 |
| 11x218 | 436DDR | 2.5-3-3-7 2.6V |
536.2 | INT 2592 FLT 2741 |
INT 6427 FLT 6345 |
83 | 117.3 |
| 10x240 | 480DDR | 2.5-3-3-7 2.7V |
549.0 | INT 2796 FLT 2910 |
INT 6703 FLT 6642 |
81 | 119.3 |
| 9x266 | 533DDR | 3-4-4-8 2.7V |
545.0 | INT 2844 FLT 3088 |
INT 6960 FLT 6880 |
81 | 118.9 |
| 9x290 (2.61GHz) |
Highest Mem Speed DDR 580 |
3-4-4-8 2.8V |
580.8 | INT 3201 FLT 3357 |
INT 7542 FLT 7393 |
74 | 128.6 |
Despite the somewhat slow rated timings of the Corsair 4000PT, the memory managed to work fine at faster timings at almost every speed setting. While it is not included in the chart, we were able to run at the rated DDR500 speed at 3-3-3-8 timings at 2.8V instead of the specified 3-4-4-8 timings. The Corsair 4000PT is not the fastest 2GB memory in the roundup, but it manages to perform within a few frames of the fastest 2GB kits at every tested speed. In addition, the 4000PT turned out to be a really excellent overclocker, reaching a stable DDR580 speed.
While this Corsair kit will not satisfy those who want the fastest 2GB kit available, the 4000PT will be a good choice for those who are willing to give up a few frames at each speed in exchange for a 30% to 40% lower price. The one thing that you won't have to give up is great overclocking capabilities, since this Corsair is one of the most overclockable 2GB kits in the roundup.
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PrinceGaz - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
"... 2GB also makes sense for the OS future. With Vista coming and 2GB, the new memory recommendation for the new OS, you will be set for Vista."I was under the impression that the minimum is expected to be 512MB, and that 1GB will be recommended for good responsiveness under normal use. Having said that, I would personally choose 2GB for any new system as pairs of 1GB DDR (and of course DDR2) modules are now readily available and competitively priced. Unfortunately most big-name OEM systems are still shipping with either 512MB, or if you're lucky 1GB.
bigtoe36 - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
Being honest we have had some supply issues, and some issues regarding supply that are out of our control. We do have stock and will have more real soon.ocztony
bigtoe36 - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
This was to counter any moans about availability before they were posted.emilyek - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
You guys tested the worst GSKILL kit.Their pc4000 2 gig kit (speed-binned version of that kit) is the same price as the 2-3-2-5 chip ($200) and will do DDR580
Their $250 kit 2-3-2-5 would contend with the Mushkin and the Crucial at a much lower cost.
Wesley Fink - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
The Silver Editors Choice Corsair 4000PT, and the OCZ PC4000 Gold and PC4000GX XTC, also based on UCCC chips, are all in the $205 to $230 price range for the 2GB kit from e-tailers. So $250 for a UCCC kit seems in line but hardly a bargain.As for testing the worst G. Skill, we asked all the memory manufacturers to supply their "best" 2GB kit for our roundup. The manufacturers decided what to supply, and we expect Enthusiast memory makers to know what is best in their line.
irev210 - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
The crucial memory is amazing memory.I was able to get it stable at 3-3-3-8 @ 300mhz, but you really need to spend some time on the settings, it is VERY picky memory. Both tras and drive strength play huge factory in memory stability.
Yes, it is suspected that due to really high RMA they discontinued, however what anandtech doesnt report is what actually happens to the memory.
Even at 2.8vcore or less PLUS active cooling, 1 2 or 3 months down the line your memory will just start dying.
Thinks like memtest86 will check out fine, but then while gaming, your rig will just lock up. Random bluescreens, random lockups...
There is a big story to these ballistix, it is too bad they simply have a HUGE rate of failure. Do a ddr2 roundup, then you will see how many people use micron fatbodies for their high performance ddr2 memory. You dont see that with the high density memory, and obviously i suspect due to stability issues.
My advice for memory is the g.skill F1-4000USU2-2GBHZ based on samsung ram, it has been doing well, and g.skill has awesome customer service.
I personally am going to wait for ddr2 before going with 1gb sticks, then ballistix 2gb set is on my list. But that is just me.
Bull Dog - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
I'm another Ballistix memory user here. I ran mine at 2.75v the whole time and they just died after a while. Screw you Crucial/Micron. I will NEVER buy your products AGAIN. (I don't care if they have zero problems eitehr.gooser - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
Now what about the tracers?? I just purchased the 2 GB tracers last week knowing about the issues with the regular ballistix after a couple of months. I have read that the tracers use a higher quality power modulator, thus dont have the same problem. Anyone?lopri - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
Lots of work and outstanding comments. Thanks. This review, along with the Part I, is significant in that it puts an end to the 1GB system memory standard. It's declaring that an *era* of 2GB system memory is finally here.However, with these super high-clocking 1G sticks (512MB sticks also for that matter), there is one *realer* question that's haunting my mind. With the current crop of DDR memory reaching speed of DDR550~DDR600, one has to wonder - What's the good if CPUs can't handle the speed of memory?
Yes, I'm questioning the capability of A64/Opteron's memory controller. Because even the best current AMD CPUs often fail to keep up with the speed of memory. You've got a PC4800 DDR memory? Good luck, pray your CPU can run it at that speed. This issue is, at least for me, very real. I just don't see the point of high-clocking memory when the truth is CPUs' memory controllers are the limit. (And to some extent motherboards, of course)
In the light of this, would it be possible for you to test the quality of each revision of AMD CPUs' memory controllers? Preferably with recent cores - namely, Venice, San Diego, Toledo, Manchester and their Opteron equivalents. The more detailed, the better. Rev E3, E6, E4, and even the steppings.
While reading this excellent review, I couldn't shake the issue of memory controller off my head. These days a stick of RAM seems only as good as the CPU's memory controller it relies on. Unless one is just happy to see her/his RAM passing memtest @DDR600 all day long.
Again, thanks for your hard work on this review, Wesley. However, I'd really like to hear from you about the issue that I'm bringing here. I'd much appreciate it.
lop
dlerious - Monday, January 23, 2006 - link
If my CPU can't keep up with my RAM, I just drop the multiplier (and/or divider) down until I find the point where both run as high as possible at the voltage and temps I'm comfortable with.