A-Data is some of the cheapest PC4000 available on the market and is the only kind on test today not sold as a dual channel kit. Some of you may not have heard of A-Data before, and there is no reason why you should have. They are only just breaking into the western world as a performance brand, but have a large share of the Asian market, both as an enthusiast and as an OEM provider. I got hold of this sample of A-Data PC4000 from www.overclockers.co.uk – Europe's premiere supplier of overclocking and high end PC equipment.
The A-Data is also the only brand that does not come with heat spreaders, which is something of a rarity when it comes to performance brands these days. Nonetheless, Robert Pearce (corsair’s Ramguy) admitted himself in a recent seminar that heat spreaders do little or nothing to increase overclockability (2-3Mhz best case scenario). The A-Data memory has black top chips stamped with A-Data ADD8608A8A-4B. What we should point out immediately that A-Data, despite being a large company, does not manufacture their own DRAM wafer. I am fairly certain that this memory uses the same Samsung wafer as the Kingston HyperX PC4000 reviewed on page 6.
The A-Data PCB is VERY minimalist in design. With around a half as many capacitors of the rest of the competition’s PCBs, I did not hold high hopes for the Adata PC4000’s stability, but the truth is in the testing.
Voltage
Speed
Timings
Result
2.8V
200MHz
CAS 2 3-3-6
FAIL
2.8V
250MHz
CAS 3 4-4-8
PASS
2.8V
250MHz
CAS 2.5 4-4-7
FAIL
2.8V
260MHz
CAS 3 4-4-8
PASS
2.8V
260MHz
CAS 2.5 4-4-7
FAIL
2.8V
265MHz
CAS 3 4-4-8
FAIL
2.8V
265MHz
CAS 2.5 4-4-7
FAIL
2.8V
270MHz
CAS 3 4-4-8
FAIL
2.8V
270MHz
CAS 2.5 4-4-7
FAIL
2.8V
275MHz
CAS 3 4-4-8
FAIL
2.8V
275MHz
CAS 2.5 4-4-7
FAIL
2.9V
200MHz
CAS 3 4-4-8
FAIL
Overall if you just need DDR500 to do what it says on the tin, and are content with an FSB of 260MHz at very relaxed timings, then you cannot really go wrong with the A-Data. Costing just £252.63 including VAT from www.overclockers.co.uk. For the performance seeker however, there are far better sticks available.
