Memory Experts for 8RGA+ Wanted

[Jay T]

I have an 8RGA+ & I have found that my OCZ 3700 running in dual mode won't even hit 6,2,2,2.0 like my old corsair 3200 would. I haven't really been able to really push the mobo yet FSB wise asl my copper iceberg hasn't come yet, but the early signs are good. Great voltage stability compared with my 8RDA+.

OCZ have said that they can RMA my ram but I would be better off taking a matched pair of 3500 instead.

Does this so called matched ram really make a difference? The OCZ guy said that the internal timings which the BIOS can't control are different. I wouldn't get any money back but they don't do 3700 in matched pairs.

I would greatful to hear what people like Holst, ET, Muzz, Aidan, Qwerty57, Bradmax & the other guys with knowhow/OCZ ram think.

Cheers:beer:

[waiho2k1]

Did you try higher vdimm?

[Holst]

I havent used OCZ ram myself (im a suspicious bugger)

But You might find that different memory needs slightly different timings, going to 6,3,22 or 6,2,3,2 wont be a big performance hit..

The 8RGA+ also seems a bit faster than 8rda, this might include some memory optimisations that work your ram a bit harder.

I think OCZ also rate for high voltages, bump the VDDR upto 2.9v and see what happens then.

[sirtoby]

OCZ are known to be a bit dodgy..

some sticks are good, some are not.. it seems as sometimes it's just a matter of chance if you get good ones..

[bradmax57]

Originally posted by Jay T
I have an 8RGA+ & I have found that my OCZ 3700 running in dual mode won't even hit 6,2,2,2.0 like my old corsair 3200 would. I haven't really been able to really push the mobo yet FSB wise asl my copper iceberg hasn't come yet, but the early signs are good. Great voltage stability compared with my 8RDA+.

OCZ have said that they can RMA my ram but I would be better off taking a matched pair of 3500 instead.

Does this so called matched ram really make a difference? The OCZ guy said that the internal timings which the BIOS can't control are different. I wouldn't get any money back but they don't do 3700 in matched pairs.

I would greatful to hear what people like Holst, ET, Muzz, Aidan, Qwerty57, Bradmax & the other guys with knowhow/OCZ ram think.

Cheers:beer:

I'm not sure if its the ram or not I got my 3500 exchanged to 3700 FOC, maybe wish I had tried the 3500 matched as I havent really noticed any difference, although I have read many places that say it anint any differnce apart from timings but now if your saying the bios cant change certain timings them maybe I would go with the 3500 matched its still rated at 433? which in all honestly I havent got to yet

[Jay T]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

The timing I can get is 5,3,2,2.0 (sync) @ 200 - 220 MHz going from top to bottom in the bios. The voltage is already at 2.77.

2.9 usually gives about 2.86 on this board (according to the readouts) I know that these OCZ modules are supposed to be 4.3 ns instead of just overclocked 5 ns like Corsair/Winbond. I heard that OCZ had cleaned up their act and actually test their memory now. I should hope so! the price they charge for it!:-D

[xgman]

Originally posted by Jay T
Thanks for the replies so far guys.

The timing I can get is 5,3,2,2.0 (sync) @ 200 - 220 MHz going from top to bottom in the bios. The voltage is already at 2.77.

2.9 usually gives about 2.86 on this board (according to the readouts) I know that these OCZ modules are supposed to be 4.3 ns instead of just overclocked 5 ns like Corsair/Winbond. I heard that OCZ had cleaned up their act and actually test their memory now. I should hope so! the price they charge for it!:-D

I tried 4 sticks incl. some hand matched ones (ocz3700) and none could change the above "3" to a "2" which was possible in Twinmos 3200 or HyperX 3500 or just about any -5 winbond chips, so I don't really see the point in 3700's if you have to relax the timings just to run at even 200.

[Jay T]

I take your point, but reviews of the 3500 sticks have shown timings of 5,2,2,2.0 on many occasians. I know they always get the best sticks, but do you think I might be better off with the OCZ 3500 matched dual pair as I can only RMA these for other OCZ sticks.

[refermadness]

Simple and too the point. OCZ sucks, My step brother has had OCZ PC3000 that wouldnt even run at 300Mhz let alone 386 like it was supposed too. He also has a stick of OCZ PC3500 EL that wont do 200FSB in single mode, even at the most relaxed settings. His Kingston PC 2700 will do 195FSB in DC and 210 in single and my Kingston PC2700 will do 193 DC and only 205 in single so I know it isnt the 8RDA+ boards themselves.

He has emailed OCZ about the problem and was told that the OCZ PC3200 EL and up was made for the Intel and Kt400 chipset boards. If running on a NF2 or something other then a KT400 chipset on a AMD system it is more of a hit or miss situation. Another words, if it works it works, if it doesn't then dont blame the memory since it wasnt made for the NF2 boards or non KT400 chipset board.

To me that sounded more like a cop-out from OCZ.

[bradmax57]

Originally posted by refermadness
Simple and too the point. OCZ sucks, My step brother has had OCZ PC3000 that wouldnt even run at 300Mhz let alone 386 like it was supposed too. He also has a stick of OCZ PC3500 EL that wont do 200FSB in single mode, even at the most relaxed settings. His Kingston PC 2700 will do 195FSB in DC and 210 in single and my Kingston PC2700 will do 193 DC and only 205 in single so I know it isnt the 8RDA+ boards themselves.

He has emailed OCZ about the problem and was told that the OCZ PC3200 EL and up was made for the Intel and Kt400 chipset boards. If running on a NF2 or something other then a KT400 chipset on a AMD system it is more of a hit or miss situation. Another words, if it works it works, if it doesn't then dont blame the memory since it wasnt made for the NF2 boards or non KT400 chipset board.

To me that sounded more like a cop-out from OCZ.

Oh dear another anti OCZ person! FYI I bought some twinmos 3200 sticks to compare and then clocked 5mhz lowerr than my OCZ did? plus the OCZ will do far tighter timings at lower volts, mine is at 5 2 2 2 at 2.63v at 200fsb

OCZ sucks indeed.
I sold my PC3500El straight away because it wasn't capable of any fast Timings.
My corsair PC3500 is far better.
BTW, it can do 2-2-2 3@200Mhz with default 2,5V.

[Jay T]

Corsair is good memory but 3200 & 3500 are just the same modules, the 3500 modules are just tested at the higher speed async which does not guarantee you can run it sync.

There is no way my corasir 3200 will do 220 - 230 sync! This OCZ will do that, but there is just that one 3 where I want a 2. Lowering the first number lower than 6 or 5 is pointless. There is no speed increase & risk of corrupted data.

Give OCZ a fair chance, they used to be Lame with a capital L but they are really trying hard to change the opinions of the likes of some of you cynics. The corsair stuff is good but always seems to lose out to OCZ in the reviews, and don't bother telling me that those sticks are hand picked because two can play that game!

Originally posted by Jay T
Corsair is good memory but 3200 & 3500 are just the same modules, the 3500 modules are just tested at the higher speed async which does not guarantee you can run it sync.

Defiantely wrong.
The PC3500 uses 5ns Winbond-Chips, the PC3200 has some 6ns chips from different manufacturers.
Only the PC3200LL uses better chips, but I don't know if it carries the Winbond 5ns which are definately the best chips currently available.
My OCZ 3500 EL was brand new, and only because they were supposed to have improved a lot I bought it.
It turned out to be a great mistake, but at least I know now what Ram I will never ever buy again.

[Jay T]

I don't agree. My corsair 3200s are winbond 5ns as I've had the heatsink off. Hell, even my cheapy twinmoss 3200 is winbond 5ns. The Corsair 3500 is handpicked winbond 5ns chips. The 3200LL's only difference is it is qualified for the lower latency timings and has them set into the SPD. I prefer to do this myself, anyway 3200LL ends up being the worst at the moment as you need a hacked bios or spare memory every time you change the FSB.

I'm not an ardent OCZ fan boy either, I have Corasir, OCZ & Twinmoss memory, all good.

Of course the TwinMOS uses the BH5 Winbond chip, thats why everyone likes it so much I suppose
When did you buy your PC3200 Corsair?
When I bought my PC3500 a few month ago (when it was brandnew and ultra-expensive....) the PC3200 DIDN't have these Winbond-Chips but some bad 6ns third-party manufacturer's.
Maybe they are using the Chips for the PC3200 that don't pass the test for the 3500 now, but it used to be different.