OCZ DDR2-800

The first thing that struck us when unpacking the FlexXLC modules was the sheer weight of the heatsinks, they are without doubt the heaviest memory sticks we have used to date. Interestingly the standard seals on the plastic packaging are sealed with staples to ensure the weight of the product doesn’t cause the packet to open in transit.

Shown below is a single 1Gb module of OCZ’s PC2-6400. It uses a green PCB and a hybrid copper and aluminium heatsink which clearly looks different to most. The two pipes on the edges of the sticks (copper) can be connected to a watercooling system to enhance cooling. If used with air the large fins (aluminium) allow for greater heat dissipation. The voltage used for normal running of these modules is 2.0v however the lifetime OCZ warranty covers the product up to 2.2v.

One disappointing aspect of the modules we received was the finish of one stick. The FlexXLC heatsinks have a mirrored surface and as with previous OCZ modules, such as their Gold series the modules have reached us in pristine condition. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case with this particular batch and there were a number of scratches on the rear of the heatsink which could easily have been avoided by pre shipping checks. For any consumer receiving memory in this condition it would be a real disappointment.

Everything else should have been smooth however there was one minor issue we were not happy with, that was the SPD programming on the product. The recommended timings are 4-4-4-15 at 800MHz, however the SPD used was 5-5-5-15 meaning the consumer is responsible for entering the bios and configuring the system to use the advertised specifications. In these days of EPP (which these modules don’t support) and other sticks arriving programmed at their tightest timings, we are disappointed.

5-5-5-15 800Mhz