PMI PC-4200 Turbo Memory

Introduction

Right now the memory industry is undergoing some changes that should heavily impact the prices on memory modules if all goes as some are forecasting.

The ongoing trend that is taking place deals with the fact that

many overseas memory companies

that produce DRAM modules for world famous computer manufacturers

are starting to produce the same exact memory under their own name. This has been going on for some time in value lines, but now it seems as if they are targeting the enthusiast memory market with products at low prices and products that look identical to what is already on the market by the big name companies over here.

How can this be? It is actually quite simple — the companies that assemble products for OCZ, Mushkin, IBM,

Compaq, and others have learned that they can not only sell their modules under other brand names, but also produce it themselves. Now that companies are starting to do this they are going to shake up the North American memory market in a number of ways. The first way that they are going to do it is by bringing out unbelievable prices since they have essentially cut out the middle man (the sticker companies), thus reducing the markup. The real key to these companies potential success is that the these modules have all been manufactured overseas at lower manufacturing and labor costs.

PMI, the company we are looking at today, launched their enthusiast line in March of 2004 and we have been looking at their samples closely since then. Power Memory International (PMI) may have just launched their enthusiast line in America, but they

have been a professional DRAM module manufacturer and IC component provider since 1990.

When the company was established in 1990 it was under the name: Gee Super Co. Ltd. and in 2002 the company went under a restructure and was renamed PMI.

PMI mainly provides SDR/DDR memory modules for PCs, Notebooks, and servers/work stations.

For a company to be around for 14+ years in the memory industry it shows stability as that is a very long time in an industry that goes through very volatile periods.

Features

Today Legit Reviews is looking at PMI’s PC4200 dual channel kit (2x 512MB DIMMs). The PC4200 DDR is rated to run at 533 MHz, with memory timings of 3-4-4-8 while using a voltage of 2.75V. PMI does not state what platform this memory is intended to run on specifically, but since this memory is rated so fast this memory should be best suited for the Intel enthusiasts who are wanting to run the highest possible memory speeds. To be able to run such amazing speeds these modules come with relaxed latency settings, but this is a key factor to allow extraordinarily high clock speeds for optimum performance in many system configurations.

The PMI 4200 modules are designed to be run in overclocked systems and they do carry a full lifetime warranty. This means that PMI products are guaranteed to operate, as specified by their data sheet and in the operating environment for which they were intended, for the life of the product. Our kit came with the

Platinum Copper heat spreader, which was very shiny and made good contact with all the memory IC’s for good heat

dissipation.

As the label states PMI’s 4200 memory is speed rated for 533MHZ (PC-4200) speeds at loose timings of CL 3-4-4-8, 1T.

Key Features

• Memory amount: 2 x 512MB
• Access time: 4.5ns Hynix Rev “C” IC’s
• 533MHz (PC-4200) Unbuffered DDR Modules
• CAS latency: 3 clock cycles
• RAS precharge: 4 cycles
• RAS active to precharge: 8 cycles
• Command rate: 1T (1 cycle)
• Black heat spreader for thermal diffusion
• Latency: 3-4-4-8-1T
• 2.75V
• Lifetime Warranty

Lets look and see what is under the heat spreaders!