Patriot DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 1 GB Memory Kit Review

A Look Inside

As mentioned, this kit is based in two 512 MB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 memory modules programmed with 5-5-5-16 timings. We decided to remove the heatspreader of one of the modules to take a look. Please don’t do this at home, as you may break your module or one of the chips, as happened to us once.

Figure 3: One of the modules without its heatspreader.

The memory chips used are from Micron, D9GCT to be more exact – Micron’s full part number for these chips is MT47H64M8B6-37E:D, where “D” is the revision code. The funny thing is that officially these chips are rated as DDR2-553, so Patriot handpicks the chips they buy from Micron to see which ones can run at 1,066 MHz or above.

The competing memory modules from Corsair, TWIN2X1024-8500, are based on Micron’s D9GMH (MT47H64M8B6:D), which is originally a DDR2-667 part.

As each chip has a 512-Mbit density, eight chips are necessary on a 512 MB module (512 Mbits x 8 = 512 MB). On 1 GBs modules sixteen chips are used, eight soldered on each side of the printed circuit board.

Figure 4: Micron D9GMH (MT47H64M8B6:D) chips.