Intel P35 Chipset: DDR2 Versus DDR3 Memory

Post by **Apoptosis** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:58 pm

Intel P35 Chipset: DDR2 Versus DDR3 Memory

With todays launch of DDR3 memory Legit Reviews takes the time to compare DDR2 to DDR3 in terms of system performance. Armed with a 2GB kit of PC3-10600 from Corsair Memory and a 2GB kit of PC3-11000 from Kingston Technology LR takes a look at performance at stock and overclocked settings for both types of memory. If you are interested in seeing how DDR2 CL4 performance against DDR3 CL6 then read on for the most detailed independent DDR2 versus DDR3 performance article to date.

Article Title: Intel P35 Chipset: DDR2 Versus DDR3 Memory
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/511/1/

Post by **Illuminati** » Mon May 21, 2007 3:02 pm

Very cool. Seems like DDR3 has really snuck up on us.... there was not near as much hype behind DDR3 as there was when DDR2 first came to market... at least from what I can tell.

Very nice to see the performance numbers and looking forward to more varieties of DDR3 from manufacturers.

skier · Post by **skier** » Mon May 21, 2007 5:36 pm

its not much better currently, and $512, thats rediculous, need a lot more improvement before im spending my money.

Zertz · Post by **Zertz** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:44 pm

Can't what to see what it will do at higher frequencies and better timings. At the same frequency and much looser timings DDR3 is pretty much equal to DDR2, should be interesting when the memory IC's get better

brites · Post by **brites** » Tue May 22, 2007 4:30 am

Ok... I'm suprised with the performance of the DDR2-800

, not to mention the other speeds, and if we look at the prices then

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:36 am

Thanks Nate, nice review.

Dan

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:42 am

DMB2000uk wrote:Thanks Nate, nice review.

Dan

Thanks bro... I was expecting to see some differences, but not everything comes out as you'd expect... Was a bit boring to do all the testing on as the numbers came out the same... For example on Company of Heroes patches with version 1.61 that just came out last week all of the memory modules ran at 59.7FPS at 1024x768 as the GPU was the bottleneck and not the memory.... The game had enough memory bandwidth...

camaroguy1998 · Post by **camaroguy1998** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:27 am

Great Info Apoptosis!
Convincing enough to make my mind up to stick with DDR2 for now!
Thanks!

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:05 am

Great first look at DDR3! At least early DDR3 performance is about on par with current high-end DDR2, which was not really the case with DDR2 when it first arrived on the scene. Just like with DDR vs. DDR2, it is just going to be a matter of sheer speed with the DDR3 that offers performance improvements over DDR2. I feel the days of cranking up voltage to get super tight timings is coming to an end, but at least DDR3 is able to scale to much higher speeds and offer higher densities than DDR2.

And I'm sure the price will come down SIGNIFICANTLY once DDR3 is more readily available. Right now prices are just inflated because the technology is so new and there are so few products actually available. Once prices do come down though, I see DDR3-1333 and up becoming the mainstream like DDR2-667 or DDR2-800 is now. Seems like anything slower than DDR3-1333 does not really offer an improvement over similar DDR2 parts.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:10 am

gvblake22 wrote: I feel the days of cranking up voltage to get super tight timings is coming to an end, but at least DDR3 is able to scale to much higher speeds and offer higher densities than DDR2.

People said the same thing when DDR2 came out and guess what we now have 800MHz at 3-3-3-8 timings... DDR3 years down the road could very well hit super tight timings of 5-5-5 at high clock speeds... Same thing with densities... People were running 2 x 256MB DDR1 PC-2100 back in the day with 2-2-2 timings and look now we PC2-6400 running 2GB and 4GB at CL3 timings ;)

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:16 am

Apoptosis wrote:
gvblake22 wrote: I feel the days of cranking up voltage to get super tight timings is coming to an end, but at least DDR3 is able to scale to much higher speeds and offer higher densities than DDR2.
People said the same thing when DDR2 came out and guess what we now have 800MHz at 3-3-3-8 timings... DDR3 years down the road could very well hit super tight timings of 5-5-5 at high clock speeds... Same thing with densities... People were running 2 x 256MB DDR1 PC-2100 back in the day with 2-2-2 timings and look now we PC2-6400 running 2GB and 4GB at CL3 timings ;)

Yeah, I see what you are saying, but I feel like getting lower latencies with DDR was of primary concern while speed was usually secondary. DDR2 I feel is sortof half and half. I just think that the speeds are getting so fast now that that is what's going to make a bigger difference than latencies. Even with DDR2, CAS 3 DDR2-800 vs. CAS 4 DDR2-800 offers very little (if any) real, noticeable performance improvement. I'm not saying that the quest for tighter latencies is going to just vanish (that hunger will always be with every enthusiast), but I am just predicting that speed is going to be more of a focus than latencies. I'm not trying to be argumentative, just posting my predictions about the future of RAM...

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:47 am

oh me too, but no need to predict anything... It's always been a MHz race and always will be for memory companies.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:59 pm

with the loosest timings available (10-10-10) someone got a single 1GB DDR3 module up to 2080Mhz... http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=200226

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:04 pm

DANG, that's crazy. I remember just two years ago we were all pumped about breaking 1000MHz on DDR2!

If trends hold true, 2GHz DDR3 memory will be very common in a couple years!

Kalko · Post by **Kalko** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:31 pm

If I'm not wrong the P35 Chipset is the new king of overcolck, I read a review of an Gigabyte motherboard that reached almost 600Mhz fsb...
I think i'll buy one of those.

stereo55 · Post by **stereo55** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:36 pm

Great review ... just answered many of my questions concerning DDR3 performance !

I do like the P35 chipset though (as its reported to be backwards DDR2 compatible) .

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:46 pm

stereo55 wrote:I do like the P35 chipset though (as its reported to be backwards DDR2 compatible) .

Well, technically the chipset is compatible with either DDR2 or DDR3 memory, but (most) motherboards will only be built using one or the other (not both). So despite it being compatible with both memory standards, you would still have to get a new motherboard if you wanted to run DDR3, so it doesn't really matter.

There will also probably be yet another chipset out by the time DDR3 becomes more reasonably priced and most people start going that route anyway.

stopthekilling77 · Post by **stopthekilling77** » Tue May 29, 2007 2:31 pm

gvblake22 wrote:
stereo55 wrote:I do like the P35 chipset though (as its reported to be backwards DDR2 compatible) .
Well, technically the chipset is compatible with either DDR2 or DDR3 memory, but (most) motherboards will only be built using one or the other (not both). So despite it being compatible with both memory standards, you would still have to get a new motherboard if you wanted to run DDR3, so it doesn't really matter.

There will also probably be yet another chipset out by the time DDR3 becomes more reasonably priced and most people start going that route anyway.

nice that us users will have the chance to get the new chipset without having to go completely over to DDR3 yet
i just love the fact that in 2 years people will be like "P35??? screw that its outdated, and ___ chipset is owning it"

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue May 29, 2007 2:38 pm

The same thing happened with DDR2 from the move to DDR1... Many boards gave users the options of running one or the other (or both). DDR2 is still the clrear choice and will be for at least another year... Once 4GB kits come out above 1600MHz at CL7 timings you'll see a bunch of people make the jump to DDR3.

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Tue May 29, 2007 3:07 pm

stopthekilling77 wrote:i just love the fact that in 2 years people will be like "P35??? screw that its outdated, and ___ chipset is owning it"

HAHAHA, two years in computer technology time is like 20 years in human time!

Apoptosis wrote:The same thing happened with DDR2 from the move to DDR1... Many boards gave users the options of running one or the other (or both). DDR2 is still the clrear choice and will be for at least another year... Once 4GB kits come out above 1600MHz at CL7 timings you'll see a bunch of people make the jump to DDR3.

I definitely agree with that.