I'd recommend taking a hard look at the details of whatever RAM you're buying. Corsair doesn't appear to be shipping easily overclocked memory any longer - you're now forced to buy all the speed you get unless you take a crapshoot with their value RAM which could be anything.
Note below how Corsair started off with Micron then downgraded to Infineon and then more recently still downgraded yet again to ProMOS IC's which aren't known for overclocking. The newer revisions of most Corsair memory appears to run at the rated speed/timings/voltages without the same headroom for overclocking that Corsair memory used to have. It looks like only their most expensive, top-shelf parts still use the popular Micron D9 IC's.
Other memory manufacturers are using Elpida IC's which seem to have pretty good headroom. It's interesting that Corsair isn't doing the same except with some of their Value Select line.
I
like Corsair - they've got great support and better transparency than most mfg's regarding the IC's they're using. Still, given what I've learned about RAM in the past few days, I'm now leaning away from buying Corsair in hopes of finding a better value elsewhere.
I'd be gutted to hit a premature wall because, of all the parts I invested in, my expensive new RAM won't overclock beyond rating. I'd be stuck too since the RAM
is performing as rated (never mind what customer's used to get from the same model memory).
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Corsair IC Inquiry Thread
http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/s...ead.php?t=44365
Value Select Modules
Value Select modules are built with RAMs that are procured at the wafer level and are packaged and tested to our specifications. As such, they are not available as individual ICs, only as modules. This approach allows us to ship product with very good performance characteristics, low product cost, and a very low return rate.
DDR2 - XMS
XMS, or eXtreme Memory Speed, is the process that Corsair uses to take ICs rated at one speed and verify/guarantee their operation at another speed. Since specifications have not been generated to accurately specify operating parameters, Corsair gives these parts an XMS rating. For example, since PC2400 does not exist according to any valid standards institution, Corsair parts are called XMS2400.
5400C4
CM2X1024-5400C4 XMS5402 v2.10 0628134-2 = Micron, 64Mx8, DDR2-533, CL4, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-5400C4 XMS5402 v5.2 0633071-3 = PCS DDR2, 675MHz, CL 4, 64x8 90nm ETT
CM2X1024-5400C4 XMS5402 v5.2 0633071-5 = PCS DDR2, 675MHz, CL 4, 64x8 90nm ETT
CM2X1024-5400C4 XMS5402 v7.1 0629230-11 = ProMOS 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT Rev E
6400
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v1.4 0606096-2 = Micron, 64Mx8, DDR2-667, CL5, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v4.1 0609102-1 = Infineon AENEON, Die Rev B, 64M X 8 Rev B
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v4.1 0626413-3 = Infineon AENEON, Die Rev B, 64M X 8 Rev B
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v5.1 0634287-2 = ProMOS 667MHZ, CL5, 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v5.1 0631252-2 = ProMOS 667MHZ, CL5, 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v5.1 0631252-9 = ProMOS 667MHZ, CL5, 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v5.1 0633171-6 = ProMOS 667MHZ, CL5, 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT
CM2X1024-6400 XMS6405 v5.1 0629230-7 = ProMOS 667MHZ, CL5, 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT
6400C3
CM2X1024-6400C3 XMS6403v1.1 0619028-4 = Micron, 64Mx8, 2-667 CL5, Die Rev D [/b]
6400C4
CM2X1024-6400C4 XMS6404 v1.1 0626099-3 = Micron, 64Mx8, 2-667 CL5, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-6400C4 XMS6404 v1.2 0620097-1 = Micron, 64Mx8, 2-667 CL5, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-6400C4 XMS6404 v2.1 0635221-22 = ProMOS 667MHZ, CL5, 0.09u 64Mx8 ETT
6400PRO
CM2X1024-6400PRO XMS6405v1.1 0610028-1 = Micron, 64Mx8, DDR2-667, CL5, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-6400PRO XMS6405v1.3 0610028-1 = Micron, 64Mx8, DDR2-667, CL5, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-6400PRO XMS6405v3.1 0609115-2 = Infineon AENEON, Die Rev B, 64M X 8 Rev B
8500C5/C4
CM2X1024-8500C5 XMS8505v1.2 0620114-1 = Micron, 64Mx8, 2-667 CL5, Die Rev D
CM2X1024-8888C4D XMS8804v1.1 0634174-2 = Micron, 64Mx8, 2-667 CL5, Die Rev D