OCZ 4200EL: Tops in Memory Performance
by Wesley Fink on October 13, 2003 9:33 PM EST- Posted in
- Memory
OCZ had been strangely absent from the last round of our memory reviews. They did not have a product that was really quite the same as the excellent “Universal” Corsair 4000 PRO or Mushkin 4000 High Performance. That did not, however, mean they were not working on products in the same category. We heard OCZ would release a DDR533 “Universal” memory, and today, OCZ announces that new product — OCZ 4200EL.
We had seen a late Beta sample of the new 4200EL, and AnandTech was told these were identical to the release version. A few days ago, the release DIMMs and information showed up announcing that they would be released on October 14th. We also had a chance to compare them to late beta samples, and we did, in fact, find the performance virtually identical. This means that you should find performance of your Retail chips almost the same as we found in our retail samples.
PC4200 means an official rating of DDR533 and the rated timings are 2.5-4-4-7 at 2.7V. Like other recent high-end OCZ memory, the DIMMs are warranted up to 3.0V for overclocking. OCZ also tells us that this new memory will run at CAS2 at DDR400, which would make the OCZ the 3rdand fastest “Universal” memory.
Our testing confirms that OCZ 4200EL is another Universal High-Speed DIMM like the Mushkin 4000 High Performance and Corsair XMS4000PRO we recently tested. What we mean by Universal High-Speed is that the memory is very competitive at DDR500, but that it also performs at DDR400 with aggressive CAS2 timings. Early DDR500 does well at the high end, but at DDR400, you are often stuck with CAS2.5 or CAS3 timings, which perform poorly compared to the fast DDR400 modules.
What's more, the OCZ 4200EL is the Highest Speed Rated DIMMs that we have tested at AnandTech, and easily surpasses the performance of the best performing memory tested so far.
This is the first DIMM pair that we have received from OCZ in their new packaging. The new package is certainly easier to identify than the generic DIMM boxes that OCZ has used in the past. It also looks almost the same as Corsair's new packaging.
You can see that OCZ uses the Copper Heat-Spreader on 4200EL. We did remove the Heat-Spreader to find the chips are labeled OCZ. They are apparently blanks that are purchased by OCZ and labeled as OCZ chips. Performance behavior makes us believe they are a variant of Hynix Rev. B chips, except they clock higher than we have yet seen with Hynix Rev. B memory chips. It also appears that OCZ may be using a new PCB with this memory, since it is a bit different from PCB's recently seen on OCZ DIMMs.
OCZ also includes a Case Badge for those who want to advertise that they are using top OCZ memory in their computer.
OCZ 4200EL Specifications
| OCZ 4200EL Memory Specifications | |
| Number of DIMMs & Banks | 2 DS |
| DIMM Size Total Memory |
512 Mb 1 GB |
| Rated Timings | 2.5-4-4-7 at DDR533 |
| Rated Voltage | 2.7V Maximum Voltage 3.0V |
OCZ tests performance of OCZ 4200EL on Asus and Abit Intel 865/875 motherboards. While compatibility tests are run on other motherboards, these popular boards are used for Production Line testing. OCZ states that Memory is tested at DDR400, 433, 466, 500 and 533.
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kgs - Friday, January 2, 2004 - link
ya, I just have to read everything 4 times.Now I just really need to know:
I have read all the reviews, and I'm gonna copy-cat as much as possible, because there is a known means to an end. I will be preparing to tackle any cooling issues if req'd at any time. I have 2 questions: (1)How much do I need for my specific purpose, and if you can (2), should I get the specific processor.
I am upgrading because here in Toronto, using Rogers hi-speed cable internet, I have recently been scouring the newsgroups. These contain upwards of 10, 000, 30,000, or 100,000 messages in each group. I get all the headers in each of some groups each day. I mark about half a dozen total for download, and then finally combine and decode them, currently using OE. My old 192 MB, cusl2-c w/ celeron600(I know ) just crashes, hangs, waits, etc.. to excess.
Q1
How much EL4200 does a serious homegrown OE nntp userneed: (2x256), or (2x512)? I may not have the chance to play around. I can only do things once at a time.
I am upgrading to an ASUS P4C800E-deluxe. I plan on also getting the 2.6C box cpu, because it seems like a sweet spot, and is not the baby in the C series. I assume the 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, and 3.0 behave the same. From reviews I assume the 3.2 behaves somewhat differently, maybe more ocable. It is also a lot more money. If recommended I could also get the 2.4C(~$???), 2.8C(add~$50), or 3.0C(unlikely)(add ~$150). I just tried to fill in this 2.4C(~$???) value above from a www site to get my facts all in a row, and found the 2.4 and 2.6 similarly priced. I have read a couple times in reviews that the 2.4C has been used and they said it was used because it was very overclockable. I assumed this would be true similarly about any of the C b/t 2.4C-3.0C. I also assumed the articles I was reading may be older, and that the 2.4C was probably the sweet spot when the article was written, and they would have achieved similar(and therefore better) with a 2.6C.
Q2
Any comments on the 2.4C vs 2.6C question.
hepp - Friday, January 2, 2004 - link
kgs,No, they are single sided and single banked.
It is still dual channel though, since you get 2 sticks.
A 512 kit is two individual modules that have been tested together.
Two individually purchased sticks should perform much the same but have not been tested together.
512MB PN-OCZ533512ELDC-K
is a kit consisting of 2 Single bank 256MB modules.
1024MB PN-OCZ5331024ELDC-K
is a kit consisting of 2 double bank 512MB modules.
Hope this helps
hepp
kgs - Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - link
I am easily confused.I am refering to the "Dual Channel Kit" w/ copper heat spreader. Not 2 seperately purchased units.
Are ther differnt Dual channel kit EL4200 512 total (I have written 2x256). I assume this kit is double sided ram.
And 2x256 will give slightly lower benchmark scores since they are single bank.
4) There are single bank (2x256) kits as well.
There is a review of the 2x256 kit at legitreviews.
hepp - Monday, December 29, 2003 - link
kgs,1) Do you mean 2x256 as opposed to 2x512?
It is likely that 2x256 would allow slightly higher FSB all else equal. The reason would be that 2x512 requires more voltage.
But since individual modules vary 280 is not guranteed with 2x256 or 2x512.
And 2x256 will give slightly lower benchmark scores since they are single bank.
1x512 would allow higher FSB but would give worse performance.
2) 2.6 or 2.8 would need less FSB for same CPU speed, so you probably would not need 4200 modules with those unless you have great cooling.
2.4 @ 280 = 3360Mhz
2.6 @ 259 = 3360Mhz
2.8 @ 240 = 3360Mhz
If you have a great CPU and cooling you could turn that around and say that you can get better overall performance with those at 280.
2.6 @280 = 3640Mhz
2.8 @280 = 3920Mhz
3) Don't think that either of those will affect your o/c potential since you can lock the PCI/AGP bus speed.
Your mobo,PSU and cooling will...
4) There are single bank (2x256) kits as well.
There is a review of the 2x256 kit at legitreviews.
5) Bonus answer to the question you did not ask.
OCZ are now speed binning their best Hynix chips with a view to released PC4500 modules. This means that the best chips will not be used for 4200EL so it is likely that recent modules will not perform as well as the ones reviewed here.
Good luck
hepp
kgs - Sunday, December 28, 2003 - link
I am only slightly aware of the inching problems inherent in achieving the best in trio performance. That is why I am so thrilled about this article I'll never forget it.In reading the last chart it seems no generalizations can be made, so not that I am finicky, but I have some older components that give me concern about seeking for these numbers blindly.
Please, now that I have found this comments section after searching around like some chicken, I have 4 questions for anyone regarding the 3-3-4-7 @2.85V @280/560/1120 TIMING, V , FSB VARIATION I can expect:
1)
USING 512MB, not 1024MB, but using the same slots.
2)
when I buy the 2.6C, or 2.8C, rather than the 2.4C
3)
Will these AGP and PCI components I want to keep using have any effect on this pursuit that has been demonstarted is possible:
Radeon 64MB DDR VIVO AGP4x
SBLive 5.1 pci
v.90 USR/3comm voice 2976 pci
Pioneer 16x DVD 116 IDE cable player
IBM Deskstar DTLA-307030 30 GB 7200 ATA-100 (data storage only)
N.B. A WD 36 GB Raptor SATA will soon be o/s drive , and I may get a +/- DVD/CD r&rw
4) is there only one EL4200. e.g double sided, ...
I am here in Toronto, ON, if that makes any diff
hepp - Monday, November 10, 2003 - link
Could you please, pretty please, do a comparision between betwen OCZ 3500 LE at 5:4 and OZ 4200 EL at 1:1.It would be really interesting to see how they compare at 250, 260,270 and 280.
Br
hepp
Anonymous User - Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - link
I read your latest review of OCZ's 533 memory.You said it was the fastest ram you have tested to date.
How does it compare with RAMBUS PC1066 or one of there other very fast modules.
Greg Kelly
Anonymous User - Monday, October 20, 2003 - link
do you plan on testing this memory on an AMD platform?Anonymous User - Thursday, October 16, 2003 - link
I find it hilarious that so many guys just wait for OCZ to come out with anything just so they can bash it. I mean, come on, for the last year OCZ has dramatically improved their service and has become a leader in ram technology. Are there other good companies? Yes. Do they have ram that is 500+ ddr... some. Are they just as expensive..yes! Do they have the same customer service? Not on your life.Give me a nice p4 chip that will do 280, and some OCZ4000 or 4200 so I can run 280 fsb and 1:1 and I would be a happy man... Oh wait, I do have that!
PJ
billyzbear - Thursday, October 16, 2003 - link
Is that a "hand picked" 2.4c? That is a real nice oc for that chip. You may have hit the max for that chip. I thought at one time you guys had a unlocked Intel chip is the only reason I asked, thanks for the reply.