Verdict on Crucial with Micron 5 ns ICs

[Clevor]

I picked up two 512 MB sticks and flogged them on a VDIMM-modded P4C800-D. My sticks have the 2-2, 5-ns, -5B C Micron ICs, 0412 date.

They don't do much on an Abit board at 2.8 VDIMM: 240, 3-3-3-5 and trouble >280, 5:4. I put them on the P4C800-D where all I can use is 3.06-3.16-3.26 VDIMM and they take off.

Max out at 261, 1:1, 3-3-3-5 at 3.26 volts. Won't do 3-2-3-5. Sandra unbuffered is 3500 or so. At 5:4 they did 293, 5:4, 2.5-3-2-5 at 3.16 (more don't help). My CPU is crapping out here though. Sandra unbuffered is 3400.

I was also able to run 285, 5:4, 2.5-2-2-5 at 3.06 volts. I may be able to go higher. This seems as fast as 2-2-2-5.

At the settings above, I passed all my suite of 3D stress tests including PCMark2004. Only test the ram/CPU hiccupped a bit on was 3DMark2003. Mainly CPU1/2 test so don't know what's up as that is usually a CPU problem.

Yeah, unbuffered bandwidth is all in the 3100-3500 area, 3DMark scores look pretty good. I have a 120 mm fan blowing on the sticks. The ram has no heatspreaders and are made in China. The PCB has a real complex resistor design compared to the ADATA PC4000 stuff. My suspicion is the layout is more 5:4 friendly compared to other manufacturers.

There is still no substitute for BH-5 at 2-2-2-5 settings, but the ram really runs well on the Asus boards and is very versatile. It needs volts to satisfy the avid overclocker, but the VDIMM mod on the Asus boards is pretty easy. I got my sticks in Japan for a bit more than Newegg as I wanted to check the ICs, but $89 per 512 MB stick from Newegg is about as cheap as you can get for ram.

261, 1:1. 3-3-3-5 are ugly timings, but feels more like 2-3-3-5. This ram, abeit on a volt-modded board, fills the void in the 250-260, 1:1 arena, where BH-5 is problematic. You will get real nice benches on a 3.0C at 255 fsb, 3.84 gig .

 

[oc613]

thanks!

i was considering these for n AMD rig, but now it seems i need to track down some omre bh-5.

thanks for the information

 

[Suma]

It should run better with some more volts.
I'd try 3.3v+ when I'll get mine. Thanks Sentential that bought for me

Suma.

 

[flapperhead]

good information, the sticks ive been testing runs real impressive and they really respond to volts..

 

[situman]

what's the highest overclock at 1:1 @3448 timings?

 

[Clevor]

I undid the VDIMM mod on the P4C800-D just to see what the Crucial sticks do at 2.85 max. Not bad at all! 257, 1:1, 3-3-3-5 and around 286, 5:4, 2.5-3-2-5. Keep in mind these are 512 MB sticks. Upping the volts will up the 5:4 limit and lower timings to 2.5-2-2-5. It only goes a tad further at 1:1 with more volts.

i was considering these for n AMD rig, but now it seems i need to track down some omre bh-5.

Keep in mind BH-5 on a P4 rig will not do >252, 1:1, much less at 2.85 VDIMM. While 255, 1:1, 3-3-3-5 will not beat 2-2-2-5, it will beat BH-5 at 255, 5:4, 2-2-2-5. Previously, 252-265, 1:1, 2-2-2-5 was no-man's land with BH-5/6 (I'm talking 3D stable at less than 3.4 volts).

Due to the PCB or ICs, the Crucial is not 3D stable at 3-2-3-5 (1:1). Will boot and give Sandra screenies though. Highest unbuffered I got was just over 3600 at 261, 1:1, 3-3-3-5. 3-2-3-5 is good for maybe 100 more unbuffered.

Funny thing is the ram is unstable at CAS 3 at 5:4. Will only boot at 2.5. I dunno if on purpose by Crucial engineering, but strange the ram runs FASTER timings at 5:4 than 1:1, which is harder on 865/875P boards. For example I can run DDR448 at 2.5-2-2-5 at 5:4, but it won't boot at 224, 1:1, 3-2-2-5, which is same DDR448. ??? Hell, I'll take it.

Newegg is selling these sticks for $84/512 MB. Less than half the price of EB3700 stuff and more readily available. I also have a set of EB3700 and have only done preliminary flogging. Only advantage I see with them is they can run maybe 3-2-3-5 at 1:1, but 5:4 ability is in question.

The Asus board REALLY loves this Crucial ram as very smooth and stable. 5:4 performance is very surprising. The board rarely failed to post during testing and 3DMark2001, SS2nd Encounter demo, and the IL-2 demo were *****cats, rarely failing.

It will be interesting to see how these Crucial sticks will do on the Epox boards, with up to 3.3 REAL VDIMM. If you check the VDIMM of the Asus board with a multimeter while running 3D apps, it is jumping all over the place. 3.26 is more like 3.11, or 3.06, or 3.2, or 3.16, or 3.09 . . . .

 

[Clevor]

what's the highest overclock at 1:1 @3448 timings?

Sorry, I did not check that slow timings . Hell, I'm happy at 257, 1:1, 3-3-3-5 at 2.85 VDIMM or 261 with more volts. Besides, I got PC4000 for that which is good up to 292 or so.

The Crucial ram is rated 200 mhz, 3-3-3-8 so it is obviously overachieving .