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Corsair's DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-9136C5D part is a 2GB dual channel memory kit, each module bing 1024MB in size. The Twin2X2048-9136C5D is rated to run at speeds up to DDR2-1142 MHz with 5-5-5-15 memory timings.
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Overclocking the DOMINATOR
 PCSTATS Test Methodology: On
Intel Socket 775 test systems, we're only interested in seeing how high we can
go with the DDR-2 memory running 1:1, as running with other dividers puts the
overclocking bottleneck elsewhere and not with the system memory. The DDR2 RAM
latency must run at its lowest possible setting, as quick access is more
important to the CPU design.
Just for arguments sake, we will also
be conducting overclocking tests to see how high the memory will go with lax
timings (5-5-5-15), although we will only benchmark the system with the tight
memory timings mentioned above. Let's get started!
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| Overclocking Results: |
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The
Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-9136C5D is designed for high speeds, so we figured
overclocking it at tight 4-4-4-12 memory timings would be appropriate. Starting
at DDR2-800 speeds, the PC2-9136 memory was first set to run with a CAS latency
of 4-4-4-12.
To our pleasant surprise, the Dominator memory had
no problems running at such a quick pace. Things are certainly starting off well
here...
The ECS
PN2 SLI2+ nVIDIA nForce 680i motherboard used as our test platform today,
enables adjustment of the memory clock speed without increasing the FSB. This is
a handy feature sine it allows one to test the true affect of memory
overclocking on the system.
Anyway,
increasing the memory frequency in 40 MHz jumps (nVIDIA calculates things at bus
speed level, so divide by 4 to get actual memory operating frequency) from a
starting point of 800MHz, quickly made things interesting.
The Corsair DOMINATOR
Twin2X2048-9136C5D easy cracked 900 MHz mark, and even reached 1000MHz with
those tight 4-4-4-12 timings, however that required the memory voltage to be
increased slightly to 2.0V.
 Since the
Twin2X2048-9136C5D is designed for high speeds, we wrapped up low latency tests
early when it reached a top speed of 1040 MHz.
Loosening
up the memory timings to stock, which is 5-5-5-15, we started the overclocking
process once again. This time around, we immediately jumped to 1142 MHz, and
started our overclocking in earnest from this point.
The Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-9136C5D did
1142MHz without even breaking a sweat - it should after all, that is the stock
setting. ;-)
The
memory was then overclocked in 20 MHz intervals, reaching 1200 MHz with a slight
voltage boost to 2.2V. At these speeds and temperatures, the DOMINATOR
Twin2X2048-9136C5D memory heatsinks were downright hot to the touch.
If you plan on doing some hardcore overclocking,
PCSTATS strongly recommends good case cooling or air blowing directly on the
memory modules. The Corsair Dominator Fan is certainly a great tool for
this.
In the
end, the maximum speed we were able to achieve with the Corsair DOMINATOR
Twin2X2048-9136C5D memory kit was a mind blowing speed of 1240 MHz. Anything
higher than this caused the motherboard's Port 80 diagnostics card to spit out a
C1 error. A speed of 1240 MHz with CAS Latency of 5-5-5-15 is pretty darn fast,
just check out what it does in the benchmarks!
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