takeMS 667/800 DDR2 Memory Review

Test Set Up, Testing and Conclusion

Here’s the test rig for this review. I know that you don’t see much of those memory modules on my test PC, but it’s just that Antec’s P150 case has ‘small’ interior space. If you don’t have power supply with modular cables, then it’s a real mess with cables laying around everywhere (like unfortunately it’s inside my P150)

So to test those modules, I’ve included my old and slow 2*512 DDR2-533 modules, 2*1024Mb DDR2-667 TakeMS modules and finally 2*1024 DDR2-800 TakeMS modules.

Test Set Up

• Intel core2duo E6300 processor, cooled with Zalman 7000B-Cu cooler
• Asus P5b deluxe/wifi motherboard @ 0910 BIOS
• Leadtek pci-e 7600gt 256mb
• Seagate Sata 120Gb, 8mb cache
• Antec P150 case
• Seasonic S12 430w PSU
• Pioneer dvd-rw + Lg DVD combo
• Software: Windows XP with SP2

Tests

• Super Pi,
• Lavalys Everest 4.0,
• Sisoft Sandra
• ScienceMark 2.0

Lavalys Everest 4.0 – Memory read/write test

533 default fsb 266 – read: 3984 Mb/s, write: 4053 Mb/s
667 default fsb 266 – read: 6020 Mb/s, write; 4799 Mb/s
667 overclocked fsb 295 – read: 6655Mb/s, write: 5308 Mb/s
800 default fsb 266 – read: 6450 Mb/s, write; 4748 Mb/s
800 overclocked fsb 295 – read: 7133Mb/s, write: 5264 Mb/s
800 overclocked fsb 325*v2.25* – read: 7878Mb/s, write: 5795 Mb/s


Sciencemark cumulative score:

533 default fsb 266 – overall score 1045.61
667 default fsb 266 – overall score 1125.48
667 overclocked fsb 295 – overall score 1251.04
800 default fsb 266 – overall score 1140.10
800 overclocked fsb 295 – overall score 1256.81
800 overclocked fsb 325*v2.25* – overall score 1394.93

Sisoft Sandra vXI SP1 – (more is better)

533 default fsb 266 memory bandwidth
int 3833 Mb/s float 3805 Mb/s
memory latency: (less is better) 107ns
speed factor: 64.8

667 default fsb 266 memory bandwidth
int 5065 Mb/s float 5076 Mb/s
memory latency: 98ns
speed factor: 58.6

667 overclocked fsb 295 memory bandwidth
int 5600 Mb/s float 5624 Mb/s
memory latency: 86ns
speed factor: 58.1

800 default fsb 266 memory bandwidth
int 5283 Mb/s float 5295 Mb/s
memory latency: 94ns
speed factor: 56.2

800 overclocked fsb 295 memory bandwidth
int 5894 Mb/s float 5907 Mb/s
memory latency: 82ns
speed factor: 56.0

800 overclocked fsb 325 v2.25 memory bandwidth
int 6473 Mb/s float 6497 Mb/s
memory latency: 76ns
speed factor: 55.5

Superpi-modded v1.1 (lower is better)

(includes milliseconds) – measured in minutes/seconds/milliseconds

533 default fsb 266 -2M – 1m 11.765s
533 default fsb 266 -4M – 2m 36.750s

667 default fsb 266 -2M – 1m 07.609s
667 default fsb 266 -4M – 2m 27.579s
667 overclocked fsb 295 -2M – 1m 01.031s
667 overclocked fsb 295 -4M – 2m 13.265s

800 default fsb 266 -2M – 1m 06.500s
800 default fsb 266 -4M – 2m 25.469s
800 overclocked fsb 295 -2M – 1m 00.188s
800 overclocked fsb 295 -4M – 2m 11.422s

800 overclocked fsb 325*v2.25* -2M – 0m 54.579s
800 overclocked fsb 325*v2.25* -4M – 1m 59.250s

As you can see from the results ddr2-667/800, benefits of using much faster RAM then my old 533 MHz (especially in Everest and Sisoft’s Sandra). One thing that’s also interesting that overclocked ddr2-667 modules (without raising voltages) were almost fast enough as ddr-800 on default speed.

Why I emphasize it, I’ll explain on conclusion. So at the end of those benchmarks, you can clearly see that the fastest results were accomplished with DDR800 memory modules, with memory voltage increased to 2.25, and FSB up to 325 MHz.

Conclusion

At the end it’s a bit hard to give a final thought about those modules. One thing I can say is that those modules give solid boost in everyday computer needs – period. No matter if you use it for surfing the web, office or gaming with 2gb of memory in Windows XP everything is just flying around.

DDR2-667 memory modules in my opinion provide great value for its money! The main reason for this is that most people don’t have the latest hardware (dual-core processors and motherboards with up-to-date chipsets). But with this modules you can plug them into Intel P945 chipset motherboards which support only DDR2-533/667 MHz memories (and Smithfield/Pressler processors), and with slight overclocking you could have performance similar to ddr2-800 MHz!

DDR2-800 memory modules performed very well. And I just don’t know what to say especially about them. Of course they were the fastest modules in this review. Without raising voltages I gained 11% performance increase. When I’ve raised memory voltage to 2.25, I was able to push FSB to stable speed at 325 MHz.
At the end, you get what you pay for.

Nothing spectacular can’t be said about modules and its performance – they are quite normal. But I was very happy to work with them for last 2/3 weeks and I didn’t have any problems with them. One thing that differs takeMS from other memory manufacturers is 10 year warranty on their modules! If you ask me, this is really a great move from company, and shows how much confidence takeMS have in their products!

Just two quick notes before I end this review. I think that it’s currently a good decision to buy DDR2 ram. Windows Vista is now getting a foot hold, and sooner or later we are all going to migrate to new operating system. That we I think it would be wise to invest into DDR2.

So you can prepare yourself for Windows Vista – and in a year or two it will surely become a ‘standard’ operating system. One last thing I wanted to mention is that DDR2 prices are constantly falling, article ‘Users will continue to see bargains in DRAM memory prices throughout May and June’ link

But this situation on DDR2 market will not last forever. Since Intel has practically launched P35 motherboard chipset, and we’ll see first DDR3 modules to debut on market. So who knows will DDR3 modules have effect on current DDR2 prices or not. Once again I would like to thank one special person at takeMS company (she knows who she is) and thank her once again for all the effort and patience while I was writing this review. If you have any question or comments, feel free to post in at our forums.