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Pence per Megabyte - 16.9
Torture Test at 200MHz – Passed
Torture Test Overclocked - Passed

In addition to being Japan’s number one memory manufacturer and with a pedigree spanning back to 1983, ADTEC clearly wants to appeal to the environmentalist in us all too. The memory supplied to us comes with the promise of no lead or halogenated compounds - this is in keeping with an EU directive stating that by 1st July 2006, member states are prohibited from selling electronic equipment containing lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). It’s good to see that ADTEC is ahead of the game and offering environmentally friendly memory products over a year before the deadline.

The memory chips used are Samsung K4H560838F rated to 200MHz at 2.6v 3-3-3. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any definitive details on warranty terms.

No heat spreaders were employed on these modules.

First Impressions

ADTEC’s modules represented some of the more expensive “value memory” on test, though to be fair it does offer a “green” choice for those who care about such things, and I suggest more of us should really.

Once again we see the omission of any kind of value-added heat spreaders and instead we are faced with a rather boring green PCB and 18 wire bonded TSOP chips. The simple, stripped-down look is almost in keeping with its environmentally friendly lapel badge.

Testing – 200MHz

Rank When Tested on a Prescott CPU at 200MHz: 7th from 18
Rank When Tested on a Northwood CPU at 200MHz: 9th from 18

Another mid-table finish, though there was a slight advantage to running on the newer Prescott platform. Based on its slightly high price of 16.9p per megabyte this isn’t the most tempting memory on test here, unless being green is more important to you than parting with your money.

Testing – Overclocking

Maximum Frequency - Overclocked using SPD settings: 230MHz
Maximum Frequency - Overclocked using manual settings (CL-4-4-8) low ambient of 18c: 250MHz
Maximum Frequency - Overclocked using manual settings (CL-4-4-8) high ambient of 28c: 250MHz

Rank - overclocked performance (high ambient): 11th from 18

250MHz is what we’d expect to see from these Samsung chips, in fact I was expecting a little more if truth were told. Overclocking by SPD netted us a top frequency of 230MHz while easing off again allowed us to reach 250MHz. Even here though performance ranked in the bottom half of the table.

Verdict

Overall Rank, all performance parameters included: 9th from 18

There’s a lot to like about ADTEC’s PC3200, which turned in a consistently noteworthy performance even when overclocked. Some day all memory will be made this way, at least it will if it’s manufactured or sold in Europe, but is it too early to be paying a small price premium just to save the planet we live on? That, I’m afraid, is your call.

ADTEC has offered a green alternative that doesn’t ask you to sacrifice too much performance or price in return, and that can only be praised.

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