2-3-2-5 DDR400 vs 3-4-3-8 DDR500

OCZ has some good rebate deals going now and I've seen the timings and speeds in the title for close to the same price. My question is:

Is DDR500 RAM just higher binned DDR400 with relaxed timings and can I just overclock the DDR400 to 250 MHz and get the same performance. Or will the DDR400 not clock that high and that's why it is sold as CAS 2 at the lower speed.

Well just looking at those timings I can tell they are Infenion vs Samsung UCCC's.

If you want my suggestion stay away from 2GB kits that have 2-3-2 timings. Soon as you see that raise your flag cause those are Infenion IC's and as we all know and based from my experience they don't OC worth of crap.

Go with UCCC's, they all come binned (well most of them) at DDR500 with 3-4-3 timings and G-Skill has theirs at 3-4-4.

Hope that helps.

fabulouscoops said:

Is DDR500 RAM just higher binned DDR400 with relaxed timings and can I just overclock the DDR400 to 250 MHz and get the same performance. Or will the DDR400 not clock that high and that's why it is sold as CAS 2 at the lower speed.

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Unfortunately, this isn't the case. DDR500 is not just simply overclocked DDR400 with looser timings (at least not in most cases). There are many differnet chip makers out there, and many companies who use a variety of different chips for their memory. BH-5, as an example. where chips usually able to overclock to very high speeds using 2-2-2-5 timings and high voltages, but other chips could not get past a certain speed with any timings or scaled differently using higher voltages. In any case, if you buy DDR400 chips, you are not guaranteed to get DDR500 speeds because there are many different memory chips being used today.

RedDragonXXX has pointed out a good chip to look for (UCCC). You should perform a search of this section and find out if OCZ sells memory using UCCC chips (if you are intent on purchasing OCZ), or do a search to determine which memory sticks/brands do infact use UCCC chips.


Raven

OCZ Gold Brand 2GB kits are UCCC's

For Mushkin it's eXtreme Peformance with black heatspreaders.

G-Skill sells the cheapest and probably the best HZ's also with black heatspreaders.

Those are all UCCC's. Corsair also makes Value 1GB sticks with UCCC IC's but it's luck of a draw.

Thanks for the great answers. I will be shopping for PC4000 2GB sets.
I have had good luck with Mushkin but the G.Skills are tempting.

I bought TWO 2 gb sets of Gskill DDR500 from Newegg 3 weeks ago for use on Nforce4 motherboards.

I memtested them straight from DOS to 264-270 at the rated timings of 3 4,4,8 at 2.9V.

Great value indeed.

i ihave the old ocz ddr500 2x1 gig kit. its awesome ive had it at 277 stable. at first it was only 272 stable but i stuck a fan over it and i got another 5 mhz

Hughhefner said:

I bought TWO 2 gb sets of Gskill DDR500 from Newegg 3 weeks ago for use on Nforce4 motherboards.

I memtested them straight from DOS to 264-270 at the rated timings of 3 4,4,8 at 2.9V.

Great value indeed.

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I second that Gskill ram. Got the same results, but at 2.64 volts

I agree go with the G Skill. Just run a friends set of the G Skill Black HZ an were very good to 270 htt. Now going after a set of them as New Egg price is dropping again without a rebate.

Have a set of the OCZ PC4000 gold xtc an not real impressed with them. They run 250htt, just what I paid for an max at 255htt 3-4-3-8.
Plus the OCZ rebate for this mem has not been looking good. After 8 weeks still not showing up on there rebate site.

I recenly got the OCZ. At the time they were about $10 more than the GSkill, but I have always kicked myself for not going with the OCZ in the past. Since the PC4000 by Mushkin OCZ and GSkill are all UCCC chips I'd say just go with the best deal. Check out this deal at ZZF.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=85203
Good luck with whatever you get.

That link is to a 1 GB (2x512) kit and priced at $132 after rebate is not that great since you can get 2 GB for $165 after rebate.
Thanks for your help though.
I am fishing for a deal on Ebay and will post back if I win an auction.

fabulouscoops said:

That link is to a 1 GB (2x512) kit and priced at $132 after rebate is not that great since you can get 2 GB for $165 after rebate.
Thanks for your help though.
I am fishing for a deal on Ebay and will post back if I win an auction.

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Duh! I miss read it and thought it was a 2x1gig set. I thoiught it sounded too goood to be true.

I ordered these G.skill on sale. for $157 +tax+shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231021

My mushkin redlines are advertised in the classifieds for anyone interested.