Speaking of M.2 PCIe SSD, the latest version on the market today is the Gen4. In fact, Gen4 was defined by PCI Express as early as 2017, but at that time, it was not the best choice in terms of motherboard support or manufacturing cost. It wasn’t until the AMD X570 series motherboards were launched in 2019, with the focus on supporting ultra-high-speed Gen4 x4 interface, that consumers began to experience the ultra-fast transfer speed of M.2 Gen4 x4 PCIe SSD. The AMD B550 series that launched in 2020 also has the same Gen4 x4 interface. At that time, if you wanted to experience a PCIe 4.0 SSD, you would have to buy either of these two series of AMD motherboards. I originally speculated that Intel may not want to compete in the Gen4 market with AMD, and jump straight to Gen5. As a result, the Intel Z590 series launched in early 2021, each motherboard manufacturer made some smart changes to the motherboard layout directly. Based on the premise that the 11th Intel CPU itself can support 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes, the lanes on some motherboards that originally belonged to the graphics cards are removed for M.2 SSDs, and consumers have a new choice of PCIe 4.0 SSD in addition to AMD X570 and B550. So, if you want to experience ultra-high transfer speeds, what are the recommendations? For PC enthusiasts who have multiple motherboards on hand, you can choose the CARDEA A440 PCIe SSD which the heat spreader can be assembled by yourself. You can have the patented aluminum fin-type heat sink and the patented ultra-thin graphene heat spreader both at once. T-FORCE CARDEA A440 M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD If you are not sure whether your existing motherboard has a M.2 heat sink, you can simply choose the CARDEA Ceramic C440 PCIe with the white ceramic heat spreader, or the CARDEA ZERO Z440 PCIe SSD with black ultra-thin graphene heat spreader, offering you different colors of gaming experience. T-FORCE CARDEA Ceramic C440 M.2 PCIe SSD T-FORCE CARDEA ZERO Z440 M.2 PCIe SSD Let us take a look at the speed that I have tested with these SSDs on the MSI Z590 ACE motherboard using CDM and TxBENCH! A. CARDEA A440 M.2 PCIe SSD T-FORCE CARDEA A440 M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD First, let’s take a look at the CDI CDM speed test TxBENCH speed test The A440 is one of the top SSDs in R/W on the market today. With its read/write speed, I can save a lot of my time when handling some of my 100GB video files! B. CARDEA CERAMIC C440 M.2 PCIe SSD T-FORCE CARDEA Ceramic C440 M.2 PCIe SSD Let’s also take a look at the CDI first CDM speed test TxBENCH speed test The R/W of the C440 is considered to be the mainstream speed of Gen4x4. The actual test result is very close to the official specifications, which shows that T-FORCE has good quality control. C. CARDEA ZERO Z440 M.2 PCIe SSD T-FORCE CARDEA ZERO Z440 M.2 PCIe SSD Take a look at the CDI first as well CDM speed test TxBENCH speed test With mainstream R/W speed, the Z440’s actual test also has a similar read/write speed, the difference is that this model uses graphene as the cooling material. The appearance is in contrast with the ceramic C440, which is the natural black of graphene. So which style do you prefer? Conclusion For this, I mainly want to share with you that if you buy the latest generation of Intel Z590 series motherboard, what kind of SSD should be used to give you full performance. However, I want to remind you that you must use the 11th generation Intel CPU to utilize PCIe 4.0! If you don’t use an 11th generation CPU, some motherboards may even fail to read the PCIe 4.0 SSD, so be sure to check the specifications of the platform you are using before choosing the right SSD.
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Previously we tested the effect of memory frequencies versus FPS of some games, but this time let’s find out the effects of memory capacity versus FPS! Does the Memory Frequency Affect the Game’s FPS? 3 Games Tested (Part One) Does the Memory Frequency Affect the Game’s FPS? 3 Games Tested (Part Two) The games we picked for testing this time are a bit different from the previous ones, these four games are Assassin’s Creed Origins, Horizon Zero Dawn, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077. You may wonder, is it better to compare the memory capacity difference between these games? Actually, no. Assassin’s Creed Origins, Horizon Zero Dawn and Red Dead Redemption 2, all three games have built-in benchmarks and they are also popular choices in PC single-player games. Let’s take a look at the results of these four game tests! This time we use the legendary “water-cooling graphics card”!!! ROG-STRIX-LC-RX6800XT-O16G-GAMING The RGB fins on the top left side of the graphics card and the Eye of Faith are a perfect match! Considering the high computing power of the current RDNA2 architecture graphics cards, which also generate more heat, ASUS has launched this water-cooling solution in the hope that this graphics card can maintain high-speed processing for a long time without slowing down or lagging due to heat problems. Let’s get to the point. The main purpose is to understand the effect of memory capacity on the FPS of the game, so let’s take a look at the performance of each game in different capacities. We use T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR4 Gaming Memory for the game tests. A. At 8GBx4 (32GB) capacity Start with T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR4 8GBx4(32GB) With all high graphic settings turned on, Assassin’s Creed Origins scored 8,851 on the built-in benchmark, with a surprisingly high average FPS of 69. With full high graphic settings turned on as well, Horizon Zero Dawn scored 10,718 in its built-in benchmark, with an average FPS of 59, a maximum FPS of 93, and a minimum of 43. The benchmark test results screen of Red Dead Redemption 2 is relatively plain, with the average FPS also at about 59, but with a maximum of about 66 and a minimum of 35. Finally, since Cyberpunk 2077 does not have a built-in benchmark, I used MSI Afterburner with the built-in RTSS to monitor the hardware status, and the FPS was around 38 in the city with brighter shadows and lots of people. Summary: It seems that the 8GBx4 memory performs very well and can basically run all big games with full graphic settings on. B. At 16GBx4 (64GB) capacity Let’s take a look at the performance of T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR4 16GBx4(64GB) With full graphics on, Assassin’s Creed Origins scored 8,392 in its built-in benchmark test, with the average FPS at 67, which is surprisingly worse than the 8GBx4 test result? Horizon Zero Dawn has a slight improvement of 10,750, the average FPS is 59 which is the same as the previous one, but with a maximum of 120 and a minimum of 1. The average FPS of Red Dead Redemption 2 is also about 59, but the maximum came to 75, and the minimum was 35 as well. For Cyberpunk 2077, I specifically ran to the same place, and the FPS was higher by 1… to 39. Summary: The 16GBx4 memory is not as much of an improvement over the 8GBx4 one. C. At 32GBx4 (128GB) capacity Finally, let’s take a look at the performance of T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR4 32GBx4(128GB) which is currently the capacity limit of the single stick. Assassin’s Creed Origins got a score of 8,449, with an average FPS of 68, which is still lower than the 8GBx4. Horizon Zero Dawn had a new record low of 10,713, with an average FPS of 59. The maximum was 80 and the minimum was 48. The average FPS of Red Dead Redemption 2 is still at 59, with a maximum of 66 and a minimum of 35. Cyberpunk 2077 at the same spot. The FPS was about 37, which was another record low. Summary: The performance of large-capacity memory is not particularly impressive, and the benefits seem to be lower compared to high-frequency memory. Here is a chart to give you a quick comparison: We can see that the increase in memory capacity has almost zero effect on FPS. Conclusion As the memory capacity increases, “multitasking” should have a greater impact. The larger the capacity, the more the computer can load to run multiple programs at the same time, such as running live streaming software, voice software, video editing software, and gaming software at the same time. The larger the memory capacity, the more easily it is to handle the large amount of temporary data sent by the CPU. Because this time I only want to focus on the effect of memory capacity on FPS, I don’t want to increase the variables too much, so I didn’t test the part of multitasking. Thus, if you want to significantly improve the performance of the game, you should not only focus on upgrading the graphics card, but also increase the memory frequency to make an obvious difference. You can refer to our previous articles: Does the Memory Frequency Affect the Game’s FPS? 3 Games Tested (Part One) Does the Memory Frequency Affect the Game’s FPS? 3 Games Tested (Part Two) It’s also worth mentioning that AMD has an AMD SAM technology for the 6000 series graphics cards. This time I didn’t want to add variables, so I only tested it without AMD SAM turned on. If there is a chance in the future, I will give you a hands-on look at what AMD SAM technology can do for your CPU, memory, and graphics card. The result of this test show that each component has it’s division of responsibility, so buying the best components does not mean that you can bring amazing changes to the game. If you have any test results, you’re welcome to share your experience with us!
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As mentioned in the previous paragraph, with the difficulty of replacing graphics card today, we need to explore whether the frequency adjustment on the “gaming” memory will affect the FPS? And how wide is the impact? Does the Memory Frequency Affect the Game’s FPS? (Part I) (Read More) TEST 3: In “Shadow of The Tomb Raider” Next are the results of our test on “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” using another platform. Using the second platform configuration as an example to test the game: Note: Different platforms might have different testing results. In “Shadow of the Tomb Raider”, we gradually increased the T-FORCE XTREEM ARGB memory frequency from 3000Mhz to 3200Mhz, 3600Mhz, and up to 4000Mhz. We also turned on and off the ray tracing function to test and compare. T-FORCE XTREEM ARGB DDR4 32GB (Learn More), Where to Buy A. Memory frequency at 3000Mhz: Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider In “Shadow of the Tomb Raider”, we tried turning off the ray tracing first and the test frame rate was 158FPS. Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider And with the ray tracing on, the frame rate was down to 121FPS reasonably. B. Memory frequency at 3200Mhz: Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider In “Shadow of the Tomb Raider”, we also turned off the ray tracing first, and the test frame rate was slightly increased from 158FPS to 162FPS. Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider The frame rate changed from 121FPS to 122FPS after the ray tracing was turned on, which was the least improvement. C. Memory frequency at 3600Mhz: Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider In “Shadow of the Tomb Raider”, the frame rate reached 168FPS after the ray tracing was turned off, which was a steady improvement compared to 3200Mhz. Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider After turning on the ray tracing, it was found that the frame rate was the same as the frame rate at 3200Mhz. The increase of frequency in ray tracing mode hasn’t improved much in FPS, therefore it still relied on the performance of the graphics card mostly. D. Memory frequency at 4000Mhz: Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider In “Shadow of the Tomb Raider”, the frame rate was also improved even when the ray tracing was turned off. It reached 170FPS which was the highest in the test. Source: Screenshot in Shadow of the Tomb Raider And with the ray tracing on, it only improved by 1 as expected, reaching 123FPS, but it was also the highest in the test. This is the end of the platform test and here is the short conclusion. We can see that when the memory frequency is gradually increased, the higher the frequency will still have a certain effect on the increase of the frame rate of the game (FPS), but the impact is not as high as that brought by the graphics card. The above tests are conducted in 2K resolution, the effect will be more obvious if it is in 1080P. Conclusion Here is the introduction about the effect of the memory frequency on the frame rate of the game (FPS). Basically, when the memory frequency is gradually increased, the higher the frequency will still have an impact on the increase of the frame rate of the game (FPS). T-FORCE XTREEM ARGB DDR4 3200MHz 8GBx2 (Where to Buy) However, the difference in platforms still brings different test results. High-frequency memory is only an aid, one of many factors that might affect the result. Do not have the misconception that “Other hardware doesn’t matter as long as I have a high-frequency memory”! I hope this article can bring some help to people who want to get a memory.
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During this period, the prices of various computer components have skyrocketed. Especially for the graphics card, the price is amazingly high and is not always available for purchase. Since it is difficult to replace the graphics card, we can only find another way to improve the gaming experience. Many people have thought that we are constantly adjusting the frequency of the “gaming” memory, but does the memory frequency really affect the FPS of the game? And how wide is the impact? For this test, we select 3 widely known games “Shadow of The Tomb Raider”, “Cyberpunk 2077”, “World of Warcraft”; the first two games are the most discussed single-player games in the past two years, and the last one is the most classic online role-playing game for more than ten years. We will introduce the test result of “Cyberpunk 2077” and “World of Warcraft” using the first platform in “Part One”. In “Part Two”, we will change to another platform and present the test result of “Shadow of The Tomb Raider". We begin by using the first platform configuration as an example to test the game:Note: Different platforms might have different testing results. This time, we pick two T-FORCE gaming products for comparison. One is the entry-level T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR4, while the other one is the T-FORCE DARK Z FPS DDR4, which can effectively increase the FPS of the game. T-FORCE DARK Z FPS DDR4 4000MHz 16GB (Learn more), Where to Buy T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR4 2666MHz 16GB (Learn more), Where to Buy TEST 1. In "World of Warcraft" In “World of Warcraft”, we test the frame rate of the game in four scenes, including a sparsely populated town, a crowded major city, a distant view, and the cluttered screen in a world boss fight. There is no built-in data testing tool for online games after all, so the tool we used this time is MSI Afterburner. Source: Screenshot in World of Warcraft The data obtained are as follows: In different scenes, the frame rate of the game will change in real time, so there is no way to perform with a fixed value, but basically, we can see that as the memory frequency increases, the frame rate of the game will also increase. The DARK Z FPS is set to 4000Mhz CL16, which is scary high. It can reach a high frequency of 4000Mhz and still maintain a low latency of CL16, which I think is no less than the 4800Mhz memory! TEST 2. In "Cyberpunk 2077" Next, “Cyberpunk 2077”, the game that everyone on the Internet has been talking about a lot. People were looking forward to it but also got disappointed by its bugs. Nonetheless, the theme of the game is really unique, and it paints a picture of the future world for a lot of people. Source: Screenshot in Cyberpunk 2077 Let’s look at the test data below: I used 1080P resolution, plus ray tracing, plus DLSS Quality and tested in the crowded city and open areas. Although the FPS difference is quite large, it is still very obvious that DARK Z FPS 4000MHz is significantly better than the entry-level DELTA RGB 266MHz. To maintain the quality of the picture at all times, high frequency memory is still useful to a certain extent. T-FORCE DARK Z FPS DDR4 4000MHz 16GB (Where to Buy) Conclusion The above is the test results of “Cyberpunk 2077” and “World of Warcraft” using the first platform configuration. We can see that when the memory frequency is gradually increased, the higher frequency will still have a certain impact on the game frame rate (FPS), but the impact is not as high as the graphics cards. Different platforms may have different test results. In the next article, we will use the second platform configuration to test in “Shadow of The Tomb Raider”. Does the Memory Frequency Affect the Game’s FPS? (Part Two) (Read More)
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