Corsair XMS3500 512MB module (1)
Overclocker 11 Nov 2002

On October 3, 2002, Corsair Memory, Inc., announced two new modules that caters to ultra performance and overclocking community. They are the Corsair part number CMX512-3500C2, a 512 MByte module guaranteed to operate at 434 MHz with a Column Access Strobe ("CAS") latency of just two cycles. The second part, part number CMX256A-3500C2, is a 256 MByte DDR DIMM with the same performance specifications.

According to Corsair, they have evaluated the modules and it proved to be the best performing module out of the whole series of XMS modules current available. This new CMX256A-3500C2 is built using the same 32Mx8 DDR SDRAM components as the CMX512-3500C2. These 5 nanosecond RAMs have been carefully screened to meet these  demanding performance requirements. The modules have been extensively qualified in motherboards based on the Via KT400 chip set. The modules are shipped with a pre-installed aluminum heat spreader, which is available in either a black or a platinum finish.

Although most users would probably use these modules for overclocking running it in SYNC with the FSB at 1:1 mode, this might limit the test results as some CPUs can't reach as high as 200Mhz FSB even with the multiplier unlocked. This is also not possible for Intel P4 as the multiplier cannot be unlocked. Thus the easier way to test the ram module is to use the Async memory settings available on the mainboard.

As Corsair claims that it could run at DDR434, we open up the heat spreader to have a look at that is inside. What we discovered is quality Winbond 2332D W942508BH-5 ram rated 5ns.

-5ns, is rated 200Mhz and we are going for 217Mhz at CAS 2. In our tests, we chose Chaintech 7NJS nForce2 board as it provides various ASync memory settings and it allows voltage tweaking up to 3.2 for DDR. You can also FIX the AGP to 66mhz there by reducing all parameters that affects the test of the ram module due to limitations of graphics card (due to high AGP clk).

On the next page, we will do a couple of tests on the module to see if it proves to be able to run at 217Mhz Cas 2.

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