Testing

For this test we will be using system components given below.

System Setup

1. Memory - OCZ EL DDR PC3700 / 466MHz
2. CPU - Intel P4 2.4B (Given by PLPC)
3. Motherboard - IT7-MAX2 V2.0
4. CPU Cooler - Swiftech MCX4000
5. Video Card - ABIT Siluro 64MB
6. Sound Card - CL Audigy
7. HD - 2 Western Digital 80GB SE's running RAID 0

Sadly, running an Intel system gives me small problems like not being able to unlock CPU so I can lower multiplier and increase FSB. Though, with IT7-MAX2 V2.0 and Intel 845PE chipset we can set HW/Memory Strap to low 3:4 for CPU/Memory. This gives us rather a enhance in actual memory speed so we can check it higher than if it were at a 1:1 ratio. Let’s just max this setup out and see what we have here.

Tick right arrow on WCPUID and you will obtain an extra block of information that displays what clock your memory is running at. We see it at 230MHz which provides us an successful DDR speed of 460MHz as shown below with Cpu-Z.

Some discussions peeps excited me up with Cpu-Z. See it not only shows what frequency my Memory is at but it also displays CAS/RAS/Cycle settings. Before, I had found my 2.4B's highest overclock was about 170 to 172FSB or so. As I got OCZ PC3700 I required seeing if I was really hitting my highest frequency with CPU so I relaxed the settings to 2.5/7/3/3 and allow her roll. My top clock is about the 171, 172FSB mark for CPU, while only 170FSB is rock steady. And to show I am at my CPU's limit in speed, I then put OCZ PC3700 to aggressive memory settings of 2/5/2/2 and booted at 172MHz CPU/230MHz Memory as shown below.

As OCZ PC3700 is really rated at 466MHz, my system is not capable of running at that speed. Though, I was able to make 460MHz successfully and while doing it, had memory at aggressive settings. As OCZ declares memory sticks are capable of 466MHz at CAS 2.5, hitting 460MHz at CAS 2/5/2/2. Also see how Cpu-Z identifies memory modules at PC3700, while most other memories are identified as overclocked PC2700. SiSoft shows similar as shown below.