AMD sent the THG lab a test system with DDR2-800 and latency of CL4.0-4-4-8. The memory modules were made by Corsair and are not available in the stores.

The AM2 with DDR2 only performs well with special samples

Our DDR1 test system is fitted with memory modules by Geil, featuring a latency of CL2.0-2-2-5.

Patriot Memory sent us the first DDR2-800 modules with CL4, soon to appear on store shelves.

DDR1 memory modules with low latencies are no longer anything special, and cost little by comparison. Things start getting expensive if you want the same performance you'd get from the DDR2 reference system that AMD sent us.

Fast DDR1 memory modules cost around $130.

DDR2-800 modules with low timings are still rare on the market and quickly become expensive.

In practice, DDR2 bandwidth is miserable. If AMD can only compete with the old DDR1 memory interface by using special, hand-picked DDR2 samples, something must be up.