Ads
Ads
All about Memory
 Latest Memory articles
Value DDR3 For Intel's P55: Six 4GB Kits Rounded Up

Value DDR3 For Intel's P55: Six 4GB Kits Rounded Up
The exceptional value of LGA 1156-based platforms demands memory modules equal in value. Testing Newegg’s six cheapest 4GB dual-channel kits revealed some surprisingly good parts. We're comparing them today, with a definitive winner you'll want to see. Read More

  • DDR3 On A Budget: Six 6 GB Memory Kits
    Triple-channel 6 GB kits finally dropped below $100 last month. Today’s overclocking and under-latency tests prove how much value these low-cost parts can provide. Sure, Intel's Core i5 might be close at hand, but don't think Core i7 is going anywhere. Read More
  • DDR3 Memory Scaling: Intel's Core 2 Quad Examined
    This is our third RAM scaling story in a series that will conclude next week. In this piece, we're comparing a number of different DDR3 memory speeds using both tight and relaxed timings. Which memory setting is best for your Core 2 Quad setup? Read More
All Memory articles

Newsletters


  • Ask your question about IT issues
  • Post

Partners

The Games selection

adventure : Scoobydoo: Episode 2 The sequel of Scooby and Sammy's adventures. Same principle as in the previous episode (available on this website). Click on "Instructions" to see...
crazy : Xiao Xiao 7 A great fight scene from the animation movies Xiao Xiao.
Ads

Sponsored links

What Your RAM Goes Through: the Die-hard Tester

Next news
7:40 AM - June 7, 2009 by Tuan Nguyen

Memory products are essentially commodity products these days.

This doesn't mean however that manufacturers don't pay attention to quality. A Computex this week, we caught up with Geil, a smaller manufacturer of memory modules, but a high quality producer nevertheless. Geil demonstrated to us its DBT, or die-hard burn-in technology system, which rigorously test memory modules before they ship out to customers.

Like many module producers, Geil sources high-quality memory ICs from many large name makers such as Samsung, and then custom manufacture modules for consumption.

Using a custom built system Geil calls the EVO III IC Tester, individual memory chips are tested for speed, voltage and leakage before they are embedded onto the memory modules.

From there, the modules are placed into Geil's DBT chamber. According to the Geil representative we spoke to, only Geil and Kingston possess such a system. The DBT runs the modules through a lengthy process, testing for module frequency and temperature stability Modules are tested in large temperature swings, from very cold to hot. Bad modules are sent back to manufacturing and good modules go to you. This isn't your typical Memtest86 test!

Check out the pictures.

Source : Tom's Hardware US

Talkback
Add your comment
radium69 06/07/2009 2:37 PM
Hide
-5+

Nice to know that GEIL is a quality brand. Ram from GEIL is pretty famous here in holland. They are recommended, and are also not so expensive. I've been using 3 sets of GEIL 4gb (2x2) for 2 years, and not a single one failed. While my kingston did.

ProDigit80 06/07/2009 3:28 PM
Hide
-4+

Geil means 'horny' in dutch, and something like 'super' or 'cool' or 'top' in German.
It's probably a german product, for the name really sucks!

Tindytim 06/07/2009 3:40 PM
Hide
-11+

ProDigit80 :
Geil means 'horny' in dutch, and something like 'super' or 'cool' or 'top' in German.It's probably a german product, for the name really sucks!


Or maybe they're just technosexuals?

maaksel 06/07/2009 5:00 PM
Hide
-5+

Tindytim :
Or maybe they're just technosexuals?



mmm... technosexuals...

apache_lives 06/07/2009 6:47 PM
Hide
--1+

sorry but my shop front sells there basic stuff and like corsair and other "basic" models, there ram failed at a rate of maybe ~15% in 6 months compared to kingston at less then ~5%

ill stick to kingston thankyou

Lucuis 06/07/2009 8:16 PM
Hide
--1+

apache_lives :
sorry but my shop front sells there basic stuff and like corsair and other "basic" models, there ram failed at a rate of maybe ~15% in 6 months compared to kingston at less then ~5%ill stick to kingston thank you



Seems odd to see a failure rate that high. I'm thinking it's either a very bad case of you got all the bad ones, or it's user error. I speak of course of the dreaded static monster.

zendax 06/07/2009 9:05 PM
Hide
-1+

While I currently have Corsair memory in my system, Geil is my favorite brand because they always offer quality RAM at reasonable prices. This isn't always true at the highest end (as you can clearly see from THG's recent test of high end DDR3 kits), but unlike other memory manufacturers, it seems with Geil you buy the cheapest part and still get the same great quality.

kami3k 06/08/2009 1:41 AM
Hide
-0+

Actually the Geil is suppose to be Golden Emperor International Ltd. I'm not kidding, just go to their website. That's a damn awesome name if you ask me!

apache_lives 06/08/2009 2:32 AM
Hide
-0+

lucuis :
Seems odd to see a failure rate that high. I'm thinking it's either a very bad case of you got all the bad ones, or it's user error. I speak of course of the dreaded static monster.



All normal, and we used to stock TwinMos ram till it became epic - some of there laptop DDR1 would have a 50 50 chance of working it was that bad, and no not static or anything, otherwise the kingston sticks would come back in the same proportions etc

Also see bad batches of generic (lemel, transcend), but super generic stuff like rambo (LOL) has a rate similar to kingston - doing so well concidering

We know how companies products behave simply by seeing hundreds of machines being built and what comes back - when you see the invoice of whats in a system you get the general idea of what is "most likely wrong" just like when nvidia (or its partners) had bad batches of products - 8600, 8400, and lately the 9800GTX+'s all failing - you start to see a patern etc.

apache_lives 06/08/2009 2:35 AM
Hide
-0+

zendax :
While I currently have Corsair memory in my system, Geil is my favorite brand because they always offer quality RAM at reasonable prices. This isn't always true at the highest end (as you can clearly see from THG's recent test of high end DDR3 kits), but unlike other memory manufacturers, it seems with Geil you buy the cheapest part and still get the same great quality.



Have had great luck with high end Corsair, not with there low end stuff although most of there generic stuff is most likely rebadged, and we sell it as parts more then in systems so more chance the customer f***s it (especially around that area - everyone claims to know something about hardware, where as they dont know squat)

puddleglum 06/08/2009 3:13 PM
Hide
-0+

It would be interesting to see the percentages of RAM chips that fail in this tester. Also, what do they do with them to send them back through again? Are those the ones folks here got that died in 6 months?

MISRy 06/08/2009 4:54 PM
Hide
-0+

I've got a 2G set,(4x512) of GEIL that I bought back when 2G was overkill. I've lent them out and got them returned a couple of times and they just keep plugging along. Currently in a Linux machine brightening up the interior with orange heat spreaders.

Kill@dor 06/08/2009 5:09 PM
Hide
-0+

Thats some good information to know...

hellwig 06/08/2009 6:50 PM
Hide
-0+

Only GeIL and Kingston have those machines? That must make them very expensive if only two companies in the world use them. Or is it more likely that the chip manufacturers themselves normally use these machines? Companies like Crucial and Corsair may have the fab plant run the chips through this setup, while Kingston and GeIL decided to do it themselves?

apache_lives 06/08/2009 11:12 PM
Hide
-0+

more likely kingston and geil dont make there own memory chips and rather just select the PCB, memory modules its self and the timings to sell them at etc like most companies (other the the big ones - Samsung etc)

flinxsl 06/10/2009 2:18 AM
Hide
-0+

hellwig :
Only GeIL and Kingston have those machines? That must make them very expensive if only two companies in the world use them. Or is it more likely that the chip manufacturers themselves normally use these machines? Companies like Crucial and Corsair may have the fab plant run the chips through this setup, while Kingston and GeIL decided to do it themselves?



almost every integrated circuit goes through this kind of testing before it is sold

flinxsl 06/10/2009 2:20 AM
Hide
-0+

this is why this testing is needed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathtub_curve

Sponsored links

Related articles

  • The GeIL CL 1.5 DDR600 RAM Promise

    In a bid to gain supremacy in memory for the Athlon 64, the GeIL ONE Series DIMMs offer CAS latency of 1.5 clocks or DDR600 speed. We tested to check the merits of their strategy.

  • Do You Really Need More Than 6 GB Of RAM?

    Memory configurations in the 4 GB and 6 GB range (depending on your platform) are widely considered to offer the best performance and value. We test the notion that bigger is better by comparing 3 GB, 6 GB, and 12 GB modules setups. How much do you need?

  • 4GB Gets Cheap: 9 Dual-Channel Kits Compared

    Recent price drops have made 4 GB DDR2 dual-channel kits affordable for even the most cost-conscious buyers. We pushed nine models to their limits to determine best value for a broad range of users.