Nice apps for testing Memory/Northbridge bandwidth . . .

Big.Wayne

Big.Wayne

Big.Wayne

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Hello,

I am deep undercover atm trying to *finally* get my head around how the INTEL northbridge works before it's phased out! :o

As such I am doing a lot of hands-on tinkering and I find myself in need of some apps or software that test the memory (and by association the Northbridge/straps etc).

I heard about Super-Pi, Everest and SiSoft Sandra but I have no idea which versions to use and where to get them!

If anyone has some links, tips etc to do with Memory/Northbridge testing software please share them here, many thanks! :)
 
Hey,

Saw your reply to my other post, so here's a useful link to details on tRD etc.

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3208&p=5

The problem I find is so many overclockers using so many different terms, without really understanding them, which creates confusion.

My understanding is that the Northbridge (MCH - memory controller hub) is similar to memory, in that it has a clock speed (the FSB) and a latency (tRD - static read delay aka "Performance Level"). As we all know, higher frequency is better, but then so is lower latency.

Many people still adopt the brute force approach of just upping the FSB, since that was all that was required in the early days of overclocking.

Clocking on the current Intel platform isn't much more than that (excluding GTL tweaking), but the fact the MCH has its own adjustable latency adds one extra thing to play with.

It basically removes the dependency on high FSB. You can run a high FSB with a high tRD or a low FSB with a low tRD. They equate to pretty much the same thing.

In my mind, it means you can get awesome performance out of a cheap chip like the E5200, since it no longer matters if you hit a wall at 350 FSB - just run an aggressive tRD with a high memory multi and you'll till have great memory bandwidth.

Of course, all this assumes that your motherboard offers the ability to change tRD...
 
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