Is it any wonder why people get confused about OCZ RAM and which to choose?

[gingerstewart55]

I've seen repeated questions about which OCZ RAM to pick out of the myriad of choices that exist from OCZ.

But, when you offer sixteen (16) separate choices in one speed range, like DDR2-6400, or DDR2-800 as it's commonly known, one can appreciate the confusion.

Here's a list of all OCZ's DDR2-6400 RAM they offer......broken down by timings. Notice almost half are rated at 4-4-4-15, which begs the question.....why?


OCZ's DDR2 PC2-6400 lineup:


5-5-5-15

--System Elite Edition
--Vista Upgrade



5-5-5-12

--Special Ops Edition
--Gold GX XTC




4-5-5-15

--Gold GX XTC Rev 2



4-5-4-15

--PC2-6400 Platinum




4-4-4-15

--PC2-6400 Platinum Revision 2
--Platinum DFI Special
--ATI CrossFire Certified
--SLI-Ready Edition
--Titanium EPP-Ready Edition
--Intel® Optimized Titanium Edition
--Reaper HPC Edition
--Reaper Enhanced Bandwidth Edition *(when on any platform other than nVidia 680i)
--Reaper CL3 Edition *(when on platforms other than nForce-based platforms)

(Seems to me almost all these are just the same DIMM with different heat spreaders. After all, no self-respecting nVidia SLI user would ever want CrossFire labeled memory, and vice versa. :roll: )


4-3-3-15*

--Reaper Enhanced Bandwidth Edition *(only when on nVidia 680i platforms)



3-4-4-15

--Titanium XTC CL3 Edition
--*Reaper CL3 Edition (only when on nForce-based platforms at 2.4V)




Any wonder people get confused? Can you say marketing and market penetration?

 

[AmberClad]

You know, this might just be me, but I don't mind having a lot of options, even if they are purely cosmetic. If I ever decide to try OCZ RAM, I do appreciate the fact that I probably wouldn't be stuck with only the option of obnoxiously gaudy-looking bright orange/red/blue/neon green, etc, heatspreaders.

Of course appearances are irrelevant to some people, but there are eTailers that specialize and do brisk business in things like selling cables and fans in every imaginable color, so it does matter to enough people. Most all the enthusiast case makers have windowed cases available for a reason.

Granted OCZ could have gone about it in a better way, like having one main version of the 4-4-4-15, and then having the heatspreader design/color as an option. Like how case makers have a particular design, and when you buy that case, you specify which color you want it in. Or sell the bare RAM at a slight discount and sell the heatspreaders separately.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Smoke and mirror to hook noobs. Very high quality DDR2 800 RAMs should POST with JEDEC default 1.8V/4-4-4-12-2T. These should also be able to run north of 500MHz with 2.1V and 5-5-5-15-2T timing. Good RAMs should POST with four sticks at default settings, without adjusting the NB voltage.

Heat spreader is another scam. They are worthless without cold air flowing over the RAM modules. The best cooling is a low/medium speed 80mm/92mm fan positioned about one inch above the RAM modules. This extra air flow is also beneficial to the NB and SB. Total cost = $5 plus shipping.

 

[tigersty1e]

Yup. Marketing.

I bet most of these are just 667 ram rapackaged to be 800ram. Most of these require 2.0 or 2.1 volts to run.

BTW, what's Vista Upgrade? Ram that runs with Vista?

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Originally posted by: tigersty1e
Yup. Marketing.

I bet most of these are just 667 ram rapackaged to be 800ram. Most of these require 2.0 or 2.1 volts to run.

BTW, what's Vista Upgrade? Ram that runs with Vista?

Gotta trim the fat somewhere if you're going to slap on colorful heat spreaders. Per another post, colorful heat spreaders are relevant to some buyers, plus they also mask the identity of the underlying ICs.

Look at those HP DDR2 667 modules. You'll see Micron or Samsung ICs in plain view. What you see is what you get.

Notice the words Vista Upgrade. "Vista approved" would get them in deep dog pile in litigation.

 

[buzz12]

i agree picking ram is the hardest part lol! especially with ddr3!
why dont they just make it easier just like intel's cups! i just posted a topic wondering what to pick for my q6600 rig and picking the right ddr3 is killing me!
i know i know lol@ us noobs!

 

[Sjorma]

Hello,

Maybe I should start a new topic for my comment/ question but it just happens to suit so well in to this recent discussion...

I changed standard Intel CPU cooler yesterday evening to XP-90C and when booting again, POST asked to confirm CPU info in the BIOS settings. Did that and saw immediately that memory didn't overlock anymore.

PC2-6400 Platinum Revision 2 2x1Gb booted as 667/5-5-5-15 with AUTO settings in P5K Deluxe/WiFiAP P35 (looked these with CPU-Z also).
In the BIOS settings I can get it OC'd back to 800/4-4-4-15 but with OC'd to 1000/4-4-4-15, it doesn't run anymore stable.

So far I have simply OC'd my HTPC from AI SUITE tools 266 -> 333 (E6420 2,13 -> 2,67) and with auto settings it OC's memory also 800 -> 1000, all running nicely and stable.

So back to tigersty1e's comment above, how did these memory modules forget to be 800/4-4-4-15 speed and retarded to 667/5-5-5-15?

Next some checkmem testing...
Any tool available to bring back memory to memories?

Regards
Sjorma

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Try simply resetting the CMOS. It should find the processor information etc. on its own again unless something is wrong. Try removing the battery as well if it doesn't work the first time.

My BIOSTAR board would get confused every now and again when I overclocked and pushed too far. Unless I completely disabled the overclock engine it would keep saying that I had to confirm BIOS settings etc.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: SerpentRoyal

Originally posted by: tigersty1e
Yup. Marketing.

I bet most of these are just 667 ram rapackaged to be 800ram. Most of these require 2.0 or 2.1 volts to run.

BTW, what's Vista Upgrade? Ram that runs with Vista?

Gotta trim the fat somewhere if you're going to slap on colorful heat spreaders. Per another post, colorful heat spreaders are relevant to some buyers, plus they also mask the identity of the underlying ICs.

Look at those HP DDR2 667 modules. You'll see Micron or Samsung ICs in plain view. What you see is what you get.

Notice the words Vista Upgrade. "Vista approved" would get them in deep dog pile in litigation.

I'm running a pair of Vista Upgrade 2GB DDR2-800 sticks. They are basically "pre-overclocked" DDR2-667 sticks as they require 2.1v for DDR2-800. Their SPD settings default them to DDR667 speed so they will POST at 1.8v. I'm running them at DDR2-725 atm and can't really complain as they were dirt cheap at the time for 2GB sticks.

 

[Sjorma]

That's it, problem solved. Just didn't think of it yesterday.

Something in BIOS settings didn't reset properly in new start-up but resetting system defaults in BIOS and then resetting BIOS values, made it ok.

Now BIOS recognizes these for 800 with AUTO settings and OC's to 1000 as earlier.
But next I test minimum stable voltage.

Thanks
Sjorma

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: Sjorma
That's it, problem solved. Just didn't think of it yesterday.

Something in BIOS settings didn't reset properly in new start-up but resetting system defaults in BIOS and then resetting BIOS values, made it ok.

Now BIOS recognizes these for 800 with AUTO settings and OC's to 1000 as earlier.
But next I test minimum stable voltage.

Thanks
Sjorma

Happy to help.