L'Inq's 'apples-apples' ddr2/ddr3 test

[Babrbarossa]

As you can see, DDR3 won over DDR2 between 3% and 19% in the results, more so in the bandwidth tests - somewhat expected, as after the first word, the rest of the words in the burst ticks at twice the rate, and shortest burst rate is now 8 transfers, compared to 4 in DDR2. This brings out the DDR3 bandwidth benefit further.
This also validates my point from the initial P35 memory benchmark - that the new memory controller is optimised to hide high latencies and make the best possible use of high spare bandwidth. Therefore, it won't work well with low-latency standard in-sync bandwidth DDR2 memories anymore.
Also, even after all the speedups, neither can still match or exceed Nforce 680i with DDR2-800 memory at same CL3-3-3-5 settings on the same FSB. Nvidia's memory controller still seems superb - what will Intel do in the X38 then to match it?
Finally, the DDR3 DIMM at 1.7 volts was noticeably hotter than the DDR2 DIMM at 2.15 volts, both Geils using the same standard heat spreader type. Geil usually has pretty good choice of dies (Micron in both cases here) and, even without going very high in voltage, I was able to push them to these pretty decent performance levels. But again, Corsair, OCZ and G.skill can pretty much do the same.
In summary, DDR3 is beginning to mature - this is still not such a bad latency, after all, and the results do benefit from it. Now, if just the price improves downward, as fast as the latency does. µ


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