PQI Turbo Series (2-2-2-5) any good?

[Reefa_Madness]

This is definitely going to be of value to everyone. If you're worried about your card limiting some of the 3D benchmarks, just lower the resolution to make it more of a system bottleneck. 6 benchmarks is way better than what I was hoping for. YAY!

You know, I've just about got myself convinced to go order a new card and you have to come along with some darn practical and money saving idea. You've got to cut that out!!!

I'm still, and have been for quite a while, debating a newer card, even if it is already outdated by today's standards. I don't expect a 9800 pro to drop much more in price so there is no big incentive to wait, not for just a few ($20 or so?) dollars. Especially if I can find one with the R360 core and the XT pcb so that I can do a softmod to an XT. I will probably skip on the 256MB memory, though.

On the subject of the benchmarks, does that look like a reasonable representative sample to you or am I overdoing it here? As I stated earlier, I am open to suggestions.



***Changing gears***

JayliN,

If you are looking for ram for an A64 rig, yes, I think that if you base your opinion on all of the early reviews, the Samsung is not the way to go if you are seeking high fsb. The Ballistix has certainly "reviewed" better on those systems. However, that big time DDR700 screenie that was linked to a few days ago was on an A64 rig, with TCCD ram, if I am not mistaken. See link. Hopefully someone with an A64 system will pick up some of this ram and test it.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?postid=503928#post503928

 

[JayliN]

JayliN,

If you are looking for ram for an A64 rig, yes, I think that if you base your opinion on all of the early reviews, the Samsung is not the way to go if you are seeking high fsb. The Ballistix has certainly "reviewed" better on those systems. However, that big time DDR700 screenie that was linked to a few days ago was on an A64 rig, with TCCD ram, if I am not mistaken. See link. Hopefully someone with an A64 system will pick up some of this ram and test it.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?postid=503928#post503928

Wow, thanks for the info. Depending on how well those sticks do (hopefully some of the guys on the board will have results tomorrow), I may just pick them up and test them on my a64 rig.

 

[melon_stunner]

Just to update. I can run stable at 230FSB using 2.6 volts. To get to 240 I need 2.7 volts. I can't go higher because my board will not boot at anything above 240.

 

[BeerHunter]

The voltage is set to 2.8. This is not the same RAM that this thread is talking about. The module I have is rated CAS 2.5-3-3-7 the model number is PQI3200-SAH. In terms of IC's I pulled the heatspreader off and the chips were actual PQI chips. So I have no idea what they are. My board maxes out at around 240, so I don't know how high this ram module can go.

http://www.pqimemory.com/spec.asp?link=/sc/PQI3200-512SAH.htm

LOL You made me drive to frys today, bug the employees behind "the cage" to find me PQI 2-2-2. I ended up buying every PQI they carry (only three models) only to find out none were the newegg part number DUH... Need to return them tomorrow. Oh well, be more descriptive next time...gas is high in california.

 

[Reefa_Madness]

LOL You made me drive to frys today, bug the employees behind "the cage" to find me PQI 2-2-2. I ended up buying every PQI they carry (only three models) only to find out none were the newegg part number DUH... Need to return them tomorrow. Oh well, be more descriptive next time...gas is high in california.

Here is what I've been able to make out of their product codes.

The following link is to melon_stunner's ram (see the product's timings) at newegg, I believe, but in a "dual-pack" vs a single stick.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-141-154&depa=1

The newegg number starts with an "N" and has 15 digits. My best guess at decoding the PQI number goes like this: PQI3200-1024DAH (dual-pack), seems to indicate the speed rating (3200), the total megabytes (1024 vs 512), dual-pack (D) vs the single stick (S) reported on by melon_stunner in his PQI3200-512SAH. Based on some of the other products, it appears that the second letter is used to designate the heatspreader color. So far it appears to me that "G" is for gold, "B" for the mirrored black, "A" for the plain black and "P" for the platinum spreaders (boy, aren't I astute, huh). Sometimes a third letter is being used to designate additional information. The ram with the 2-2-2-5 timings being discussed is this thread carries the "U", which may stand for "U"ltra low timings, for example. The product described in this thread and linked to here at newegg uses the "H" as the third letter in the code, which I have not found a pattern for yet, and there is also an "R" for registered memory. To further confuse me, it appears that sometimes the third letter is just part of the color codes, as "PL" for platinum and "BL" for the mirrored black. I could just check their website and see if they have datasheets explaining all this, but that would be too easy.

A little further up in this thread I linked to another ram from PQI, with slightly faster timings, came with CH-5 ICs and priced at $209 per 2x512 at newegg. It was reviewed recently (June 2004) and received good marks. Hopefully we have, thanks to FATAL ENIGMA's find, another source of reasonably priced ram, especially for the AXP rigs.

 

[hawtrawkr]

Just to update. I can run stable at 230FSB using 2.6 volts. To get to 240 I need 2.7 volts. I can't go higher because my board will not boot at anything above 240.

this is at the 2-2-2-5?

my sticks suppose to be here by thursday but its already only a hour away on fedex tracker maybe ill get it today or early tomorrow dying to see what this can do.

 

[Reefa_Madness]

No, his sticks are not the newer 2-2-2-5 sticks. See his post #71 on page #3. His are the single sticks, but I've linked to the dual-pack at newegg. These sticks have default timings of 2.5-3-3-7 and sell for about $168 per 2x512MB. See my link above at #105 if you are interested. The sticks you and I ordered will, hopefully perform at faster timings and clock higher. The thing that I am finding interesting is that there are now several more options for XP rigs, at reasonable prices. The ch-5 ram linked to just up a few more posts received good reviews and is priced at $209 per 2x512, with default timings of 2-3-2-6. If you are putting together an XP rig and your board maxes out at 220 or so, something like these would work pretty well, too. Although I have to admit, for just under an additional $40, the Samsung based ram, if it performs as we hope, would probably be my choice of the two. Still it is nice to have choices, as everyone's budget is different.

 

[homer77]

i just received my 1gb pc3200 2-2-2 kit from newegg . it has PQI3200-1024DPU which supports reefa's post (it has platium heatspread).

i will post some results later tonite after i get home. i will be testing on p4 and xpm2600 rig.

 

[Reefa_Madness]

i just received my 1gb pc3200 2-2-2 kit from newegg . it has PQI3200-1024DPU which supports reefa's post (it has platium heatspread).

i will post some results later tonite after i get home. i will be testing on p4 and xpm2600 rig.

Looking forward to some early reports, me and about a thousand other guys. It will be interesting as you and I are both going to test with both platforms. This should give the majority of the guys plenty of info as to whether to jump on this bandwagon or not.

Good luck.

 

[homer77]

i m thinking about getting a dfi board with 3.3vdimm for my amd rig cuz my nf7s only have 2.9vdimm max and i don't think i can handle the vmod myself. any suggestion on which dfi to get? and how they oc compare to nf7s?

 

[Jess1313]

unmodded usually the dfi clocks well, u got 245+ on mine stock...

i would get the ultra infinity, or if i could afford it, the LP b

although you have good oc out of your NF7.....

 

[man_utd]

Any A64s going to take the dive? Would probably benefit the most from 1t.

 

[johan851]

The DFI to get would be the Infinity Ultra II or the Lanparty...they're pretty much the same, but the LanParty has more frills.

I'd kinda recommend staying with the NF7-S...I definitely wouldn't ditch what you have for the DFI. I went through four NF7-S's before switching to my DFI, and I think that the NF7-S is a much, much better piece of engineering. Low vdimm aside, it's a rock solid motherboard. The DFI overclocks well, but tends to be a little flaky overall. BIOS flashing is pretty much a no no unless you have a BIOS savior, whereas with the NF7-S there's a very wide selection of modded BIOSes and it's a safe procedure. PM me if you have any specific questions.

 

[JayliN]

Just to update. I can run stable at 230FSB using 2.6 volts. To get to 240 I need 2.7 volts. I can't go higher because my board will not boot at anything above 240.

I was thinking how a dual kit of your ram can run at 240mhz (or even higher) at the cost of value ram prices. Newegg has them for $166 for 2x512MB. This is a great choice for those that want to overclock an A64 to the 2400-2500 range and still run 1:1. It may not achieve as low a latency as the TCCD version but you are saving $70.

 

[hawtrawkr]

Any A64s going to take the dive? Would probably benefit the most from 1t.

soon as i get my stick in (hopefully tomorrow) im going to try it out in my a64 then p4 rig (if it performs well im going to order a dualchannel kit) i also have an asus p4c800-e and couple diffrent northwoods laying around im going to play matchup with and see what kind of results i can get on the diffrent platforms and spds.

i ordered a ocz ddr booster as well since vnf3-250 only alows 2.9vdimm in bios but i read it @ 2.8 with digidoc. sometime when i get a couple free minutes ill search around to find where i can check vdimm @ on this board with my multimeter. plus i really just want to play around with the booster to see what it can do havent heard a whole lot from people who already have it.

 

[flapperhead]

i just received my 1gb pc3200 2-2-2 kit from newegg . it has PQI3200-1024DPU which supports reefa's post (it has platium heatspread).

i will post some results later tonite after i get home. i will be testing on p4 and xpm2600 rig.

great, the first of the tests begins soon

methinks this is gonna be a big thread..

 

[man_utd]

Well, I really can't go too high, going to be using old board, (PT880 Neo) since the IS7-E is away being modded. However, it does have a high vdimm, I can probably hit 233 anyway, we will see how it goes. Expect ram into tomorrow.

 

[Jess1313]

The DFI overclocks well, but tends to be a little flaky overall. BIOS flashing is pretty much a no no unless you have a BIOS savior,

<threadjack> well i dont wanna start a fuss, but really the DFI isnt that bad, befor a flash just always set frequencies to defaults in bios, i have never lost a dfi bios from a bad flash........</threadjack>.......

 

[homer77]

ya, i luv my nf7s board. looks like it's one of kind among nf7s too. i didn't have to do much besides flash to new bios, and it's able to run very high fsb. i just like to try the dfi cuz it has 3.3vdimm and i want to see how my kvr and pqi will do at that vdimm range.

 

[JayliN]

Finally decided to save the $80 and went with a gig of PQI Turbo 2.5-3-3-7 in Mirror Black

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-141-152&depa=0

My goal is somewhere in the 240-260mhz range at 2.9 or less volts and it seems according to melon_stunner that these sticks can do it. I realize that I may get lower latencies on the TCCD but I couldn't justify spending $80 for a 2-3% performance gain. (not on a broke college student's budget at least) If there is interest for a review on this dual channel kit on a A64 platform, I will do a review when I receive them.