PC3700 RAM - Let's discuss

[BadThad]

I've been researching PC3700 466 MHz DDR. From what I understand there are 3 different chips being used to produce it:

Winbond BH-5 (early generation of 5 ns chips)
Winbond CH-5 (later generation of 5 ns chips, better overclockers)
TwinMOS TMD-43B (4.3 ns chips)

The TwinMOS -43 modules are at a default voltage of 2.7v. -43B Review So they seem "overclocked" from the factory. With 2.9v this review got them to 252 MHz (504DDR) @ CAS 2.5.

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth a premium to pay for Corsair, OCZ, Kingston, Geil, etc for their ram. Yea, they slap on a fancy heatspreader that you don't really need and Corsair has a good validation program...but I think all their ram is essentially the same. At least it's likely using the same chips I described above. I realize some my have different PCB's and trace lengths, but in the world of PC3700 and it's relaxed timings, does it make a huge difference? The defining trait is....will it run at xxx MHz fsb?

I can get "generic" TwinMOS PC3700 modules for around $66 each that everyone is having great sucess with or I can buy the "expensive" stuff. Here's some prices for PC3700 256MB modules from newegg:

Buffalo $53 (
winbond chips) Can't tell, but they must be the CH-5.
Geil $78 CAS 2.5
OCZ $85 CAS 2.5
Corsair $90 CAS 3

Do you think it's worth it?

 

[rommelrommel]

Ya know, I can't decide either. I was thinking for the most part that just some quality PC3500 with good voltage should do most of what PC3700 will do.

The corsair is a total rip off, CAS3??? What is this, 1997?

 

[Corporate Thug]

honestly, i doubt any of them will dissapoint

 

[abr27440]

with 5ns chips they sure sound like overclocked pc3200. so whats the difference?

 

[bgeh]

Originally posted by: abr27440
with 5ns chips they sure sound like overclocked pc3200. so whats the difference?

they are guarenteed to hit pc3700 speeds which is 233MHz

 

[sman789]

yah my corsair xms 3200c2 can't do what 3700 does (run 300fsb with the 3:2)

 

[abr27440]

Originally posted by: bgeh

Originally posted by: abr27440
with 5ns chips they sure sound like overclocked pc3200. so whats the difference?

they are guarenteed to hit pc3700 speeds which is 233MHz

just pointing out the facts

 

[BadThad]

Does anyone know what Micron is doing for PC3700?

I'm really thinking the 4.3 ns chips are the closest thing to true PC3700.

 

[stardust]

OCZ PC3700 is rated 4.5ns i think...or is that the EL version?

 

[BadThad]

Originally posted by: abr27440
with 5ns chips they sure sound like overclocked pc3200. so whats the difference?

From what I've read, the PC3700 are basically the same modules with "relaxed" SPD timings. I suspect they mostly use Winbond 5ns chips in all.

 

[BadThad]

Someone posted a link to pics of the OCZ Gold ram exposed:

OCZ Exposed

What's interesting, OCZ has gone thru the trouble of having their silkscreened OCZ logo placed on the chips!! Obviously, they don't manufacture the chips but I wonder who does? They seem to be 4.5 ns chips.

 

[OC-Freak]

I saw some 256Mb sticks (Transcend original for use with fujitsu-siemens computers) with Hynix 4,3ns memory.

But for a reason these were only certified for PC3200 at CAS 3, yep CAS 3!!

For me Hynix have normally had good chips for overclocking....to bad I did not have the ability to test these sticks out :/

I'm also thinking on the Twinmos PC3700, what's holding me away is the bad experience with their PC3200 with winbond CH-5. My stick won't even work stable at 400MHz DDR at any timing/voltage setting. Everybody and their dog seems to be able to push these chips to at least 460Mhz DDR on intel boards and 480MHz DDR on AMD boards..... at low timings as well.

May be something wrong with my MSI i875P Neo-FIS2R board as well.....