Mushkin 2GB XP4000 Black Series – Test Results

[Eldonko]

This mem is not exactly new (been out since Aug/Sept 05) but it seems a lot of people have been expressing interest in it lately. I was given a kit to test and am going to share my results, suggested timings/tweeks, and my overall impression of the RAM.

Test bed:
DFI LP NF4 Expert SLI (BIOS E-1207)
FX-57
eVGA GeForce 6800GT
OCZ PowerStream 520W
Cooling - Custom H20

The mem was very easy to set up, I just popped it in and it booted up right away @ DDR500, 3-4-3 and 2.65v. After that I went up in increments of 5Mhz testing w. memtest until I started getting errors then it was time for tweeking

XP4000 uses Samsung UCCC chips, week 52 in this set. UCCC isn’t like UTT or TCCD where it scales to some extent with voltage. The optimal voltage is actually less than 2.7v, about 2.67-2.69v. Higher than that the voltage causes instability. Just tweek and run memtest until you find optimal.

Secondary timings are also very important w/ this RAM, 1 setting off and you can have stability issues. See the settings below or my tweeker screenie to see what settings worked for me. *Note these settings are the TIGHTEST possible that still maintain stability at the speeds I am running the RAM. Some can be relaxed a bit, YRMV. Also what settings work for me may differ slightly for you because of system differences.*

Command Per Clock Enable
TCL-3.0
TRCD-4
TRAS-08
TRP-3
TRC-7
tRFC-16
TRRD-02
tWR-03
tWTR-02
TRWT-04
tREF-0780
tWCL-01
DRAM Bank Interleave-enabled
DQS Skew Control - auto
DQS Skew Value- auto
DRAM Drive Strength - Level 7
DRAM Data Drive Strength - Level 3
Max Async Latency- 8ns
DRAM Response Time - Fast
Read preamble Time- 5ns
Idle Cycle Limit- 32clks
Dyanamic Counter - Enable
r/w Queue bypass: 16X
Bypass Max - 07X
32 Byte Granularity - Disable (4 bursts)
Vdimm-2.67v, 2.71v in BIOS (Expert undervolts)

For the top end of the RAM, I managed to squeeze 280Mhz 3-4-3-8 2.67v:



How about some 3d action:



290Mhz 1M:



Same settings, SP2004 large FFT still running:



Your results will depend your system, OCing abilitys/skills, and a little luck. Overall I think this mem is great bang for the buck. A 2 gig kit that has a potential to hit these kind of speeds for ~$200 speaks for itself.

XP4000 UCCC (#991483) is in stock and avail at these places:

Canada:
Memory Express
NCIX
Kit-tronics

USA:
Newegg
Monarch
Fry's / Outpost

[ultranick]

Oh Man Nice Ram Great ！

[gr8golf]

I like it! Time for me to start tweaking my RAM again (now that somone else is doing the heavy lifting). Thanks Eldonko!

[Cpt Twitchy]

Looking good Eldonko. Highest 3-4-3-8 I have seen outside of Gigi77's 290mhz action. Keep up the great work and hopefully your SS is fixed son for ya.

Tim

P.S. mind posting over at OCX?

[Eldonko]

Looking good Eldonko. Highest 3-4-3-8 I have seen outside of Gigi77's 290mhz action. Keep up the great work and hopefully your SS is fixed son for ya.

Tim

P.S. mind posting over at OCX?

Thanks guys. Sure I'll post @ ocx.

[Cpt Twitchy]

Thanks guys. Sure I'll post @ ocx.

Thanks Man, Just saw it over there and well its almost time to go to my next class.

[JNav89GT]

better than my kit
I can get 275 or so at 3-4-3-8
but I did clear 295 at 32m super pi but it was only semi stable otherwise. IE would fail back to back runs, 3d was fine though.

I think for 24/7 I'd stay at 280 3-4-3-8 vs 290 at 3-4-4-8 which is where I think my kit would top 24/7

nice kit though. Seems UCCC is very dependent on batch week codes. I know I played with a certain week batcht that toppped at like 265 or so . Others just fly though!

[Eldonko]

Yeah it seems like some of the later batches clock very well.

[bachus_anonym]

Very nice results, Eldonko Another great set of UCCC at a very attractive price

[sierra_bound]

Looks like nice RAM. Good job with the testing, Eldonko.

[gr8golf]

Haven't seen you in a while Sierra - how's it going!

[sierra_bound]

Hi. I'm fine. I mainly lurk these days. Nothing to brag about.

[craig588]

I want high speed 2GB memory sticks. Stop exciting me with these titles, clearly label it as 4x512MB or 2x1GB.

[bouc]

ok, I did just crack ans order one pair of this jewels

[Mr.Kakarot]

Great Post Eldonko.

I have a few questions if you please! I am a NOOB in OC, so I do apologize.

I tried those exact settings with no overclocking (except 2 exceptions)..... I have this memory.

My pc would not even boot?!

2 exceptions:dqs skew value: says auto, but mine does not have that options, it wants a value 0-250?

Do you set the dram frequency?

My ram says ddr 400 3-4-8-3 on boot up, no matter what I put?

I think not setting my memory is the only reason I cant get a stable overclock, so any help would be appreciated.

I can get into windows with all kinds of settings (12x240) (13x 228) but the second I run benchmark its hard locks. Here is my set up. thx in advance!

DFI Lanparty UT NF4 Expert
AMD Athlon 64 FX-60 @ 2.88
Mushkin XP4000 2GB
2 x 7800GTX 512 in SLI
Creative XFI
Raptor X
Pioneer 109
Seasonic 600w
Coolmaster stacker 830 with 2 120mm fans

Running latest Bios.


Cpu throttling disabled
Fsb 240
LDT 3.0X
Cpu FSB 12X
pci freq 100
cpu vid start up 1.525

hit 2.88 on air stable. Ram is stock timings - not sure what to set with this mushkin xp4000.

[Eldonko]

Don't worry about skew, leave it at 0. Dram freq is @ 200 for me (RAM/FSB 1:1) but you want to set that according to your OC.

For example, ff your CPU does 2880Mhz, set 11x 260, mem clock @ 1:1. This will give you 2860Mhz and 260 on the mem. Keep LDT @ 3x.

Welcome to XS by the way.

[Mr.Kakarot]

When I go higher, my proc locks... is that just the limit of my cpu?

Why cant I set ram timings and boot?

Thank you very much! I am new to all of this, and would be happy with 3 gig dual core

Just dont know how to get there, heh.

Also: IF I set the above settings and it works stable... what adjustments do I make to see if I can go higher? Upping the fsb? thx again

GO FLAMES! Will be seeing them play Anaheim in San Diego (April)

[Bail_w]

When I go higher, my proc locks... is that just the limit of my cpu?

Why cant I set ram timings and boot?

Thank you very much! I am new to all of this, and would be happy with 3 gig dual core

Just dont know how to get there, heh.

Also: IF I set the above settings and it works stable... what adjustments do I make to see if I can go higher? Upping the fsb? thx again

GO FLAMES! Will be seeing them play Anaheim in San Diego (April)

Ahhh... ALthough you have the same sticks as him, but YMMV due to many reasons.

[Mr.Kakarot]

Ahhh... ALthough you have the same sticks as him, but YMMV due to many reasons.

Well I just thought it was the manual timing for this ram... so I thought it would work.

Would changing to that bios help anything? thx

On my old ram, I could hit 2.98 stable.... so I hoped to hit 3 gig...

now even 2.98 would be nice!

[Eldonko]

Well I just thought it was the manual timing for this ram... so I thought it would work.

Would changing to that bios help anything? thx

On my old ram, I could hit 2.98 stable.... so I hoped to hit 3 gig...

now even 2.98 would be nice!

Mr.Kakarot, to make OCing easier, you should find the limit of the CPU and RAM separately. After you have that, you can set the optimal freq for both. You find the RAM max by using a low multi and increasing FSB until you start getting errors in memtest. Test the CPU by using a divider for the mem and test in windows with prime or PI.

eva2000 wrote a great guide explaining everything you need to know for A64 OCing, find it here.

[Mr.Kakarot]

Sorry for being such a noob!

Just with my old ram and the timings, I hit 2.98 no problem.

Now with this "better" ram I cant hit 2.9?!

Also if I set the Dram freq to 1:01 my ram reads as ddr400 (that normal)?

thx

[Eldonko]

Sorry for being such a noob!

Just with my old ram and the timings, I hit 2.98 no problem.

Now with this "better" ram I cant hit 2.9?!

Also if I set the Dram freq to 1:01 my ram reads as ddr400 (that normal)?

thx

What program are you using to show RAM speed?

[Mr.Kakarot]

bios boot up screen.

[Eldonko]

Use CPU-Z to check your mem speed. Its always going to say that in BIOS.

[Mr.Kakarot]

Finally got the settings to stick! Thx alot man, great thread and help!!