TechPowerUp is Hiring Motherboard and Memory Reviewers

[tabascosauz]

It not guessing, it's all down to what been programmed into the SPD at a given location.. Study this & you will know who made the dram chip by the code provided it is filled in by the company who made it.

You can see it here byte 350-351 (DDR4). Serial presence detect - Wikipedia

EDIT: I'm an hardware modder, so if I went as far as to remover the heat spreader, I would fit a thermal sensor if it did not have one & fill in byte 14.

you clearly haven't been around Thaiphoon much if you think it's always right......8Gb C-die identifies as B-die, CJR identifies as DJR, 4Gb E-die identifies as 4Gb D-die, etc. Yes it is programmed into the SPD, but more often than you think it's done so incorrectly and Thaiphoon just goes along with it. Corsair rev number is equally dicey, G.skill 042 is better, but looking at the chips never lies - but like I said it's a pain.

 

[delshay]

you clearly haven't been around Thaiphoon much if you think it's always right......8Gb C-die identifies as B-die, CJR identifies as DJR, 4Gb E-die identifies as 4Gb D-die, etc. Yes it is programmed into the SPD, but more often than you think it's done so incorrectly. Looking at the chips never lies - but like I said it's a pain.

Just updated my posting, die revision is at byte 352. ..& no I have never used Thaiphoon burner. What I'm pointing out is, you can identify everything by the code which is programmed into the SPD. ..You don't need Thaiphoon burner, you just need anything that can read the SPD, then it's upto the user to understand that code.

EDIT: If Thaiphoon burner can't read the SPD correctly, then the only sure way to identify the dram chips is by looking at the code. Thaiphoon burner is a poor programme if it can't do a simple task as to read the SPD correctly.

I have to two bits of hardware which can read the the code correctly, first time, every time without failure.
I never trust software to do the job correctly, always hardware if possible, because it's never wrong


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[Bones]

Thanks but I'm basically 0 on intel. @Black Haru already has the right ideas, just could benefit from a little more hands on with AMD and less reliance on DRAMcalc, and infinitely more experience than I have on Intel. Also I really just regurgitate what other ppl have said already

I think I can offer some insight into the Renoir/Cezanne APUs especially on the IF and iGPU side - but I'm sure w1zz has got cpu testing covered already

can't think of many people with experience working in both camps except @buildzoid

I doubt he would accept since he already does reviews on different hardware pieces on his own channel but then again it can't hurt to ask.
Worst that can happen is for him to say "No".

 

[Intervention]

This sounds exciting. But I do not live in the US. I love memory tweaking and I think I'm a good overclocker.

 

[Raven Rampkin]

Just updated my posting, die revision is at byte 352. ..& no I have never used Thaiphoon burner.

Pardon? Ain't it 160 for DDR4?

Thaiphoon isn't nice in a sense that it has hardcoded algos for guessing dies by model numbers based off the author's research of online store listings and reviews (yup that's what has been mentioned on the official page). They guess right once in a while but mostly nah.

 

[W1zzard]

This sounds exciting. But I do not live in the US. I love memory tweaking and I think I'm a good overclocker.

You don't have to be in the US. Let me clarify the original post

 

[Intervention]

You don't have to be in the US. Let me clarify the original post

For what is worth, I own an MSI B550 Unify X which is what I use for testing and overclocking memory. I also have a YouTube channel which, out of respect for the rules, I will not mention here. But it involves memory overclocking, teaching people how to use the AMD DRAM calculator, and also advertise your website LOL since I show in my videos where I download my stuff from. I'd be happy to send you a link just in case you're curious.

 

[delshay]

Pardon? Ain't it 160 for DDR4?

Thaiphoon isn't nice in a sense that it has hardcoded algos for guessing dies by model numbers based off the author's research of online store listings and reviews (yup that's what has been mentioned on the official page). They guess right once in a while but mostly nah.

There no guessing if you can read the code correctly. The code is never wrong. I posted a link to wikipedia already in this thread, so here is a more inadept what you should be entering into the SPD if user(s) don't understand what they should be entering into the SPD. ie it's showing you what to enter at each byte.

I do not follow any timing rules across any DDRx memory modules, because I'm very picky about my timings. Be aware I'm not a programmer, but I do memorize what most bytes do & I know what to enter without looking things up. ..Most of It is in my head.

Anyway here's the PDF & you can go to JEDEC website & download the DDR4 memory PDF for more understanding what each byte does..

 

[zlobby]

I've posted a few times on TPU I have the RAMCHECK LX with every single adaptor barring DDR4. ..I can post proof of all adaptors including main unit. Cost well over 20,000 USD.

I have every adaptor on this page barring DDR4 (see right hand column) RAMCHECK Computer Memory Test Adapters For DDR4, DDR3, DDR2 and DDR Testing, SDRAM Testing, SODIMM Testing (memorytesters.com)

Sweet! I want to see some RAM put through it.

 

[yotano211]

I would be down to review laptops and/or sailboats if TPU every gets any.

 

[Raven Rampkin]

Be aware I'm not a programmer, but I do memorize what most bytes do & I know what to enter without looking things up. ..Most of It is in my head.

Thought it's the same for me but got my math wrong (hex instead of dec)... my bad Yup that SIMMTester thingy is awesome.

 

[mclaren85]

I can do that without any payment. I'm an electronics engineer and love computers and high tech

 

[TheLostSwede]

I can do that without any payment. I'm an electronics engineer and love computers and high tech

You ever done reviews before? I used to do it for a living many moons ago and the publications I worked for didn't do as many tests as TPU.
I was considering it, but looking at all the additional tests that are being done, it's like a week per motherboard and that doesn't including writing it up.

 

[VSG]

You ever done reviews before? I used to do it for a living many moons ago and the publications I worked for didn't do as many tests as TPU.
I was considering it, but looking at all the additional tests that are being done, it's like a week per motherboard and that doesn't including writing it up.

Once you get into the rhythm of it, it can be quicker than that- especially with the writing part.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Once you get into the rhythm of it, it can be quicker than that- especially with the writing part.

Yeah, you and I might be able to do that, but these are people that most likely have zero writing experience.
It took me a good while to be able to churn out content, it's not something you learn over night.
You can't exactly just waffle on either, which is easy to do when you have "unlimited" space.
I learnt to write at a computer magazine where a review could be 300 words.
A full page review was considered 1,000 words.
On top of that, we had a style guide you had to follow and both editors and sub-editors that went over the content before it was published a month later...
Not trying to be rude here, just realistic, since the job isn't what a lot of people think it is.

 

[VSG]

Spoiler

Yeah, you and I might be able to do that, but these are people that most likely have zero writing experience.
It took me a good while to be able to churn out content, it's not something you learn over night.
You can't exactly just waffle on either, which is easy to do when you have "unlimited" space.
I learnt to write at a computer magazine where a review could be 300 words.
A full page review was considered 1,000 words.

On top of that, we had a style guide you had to follow and both editors and sub-editors that went over the content before it was published a month later...

Spoiler

Not trying to be rude here, just realistic, since the job isn't what a lot of people think it is.

This part is valid here also btw, but agreed that it's a commitment for sure.

 

[Raven Rampkin]

I'm doing this with my old Ballistix kit rn and benching+stresstesting takes a whole day per config. Not a pro by any means though.

 

[zlobby]

I can do that without any payment. I'm an electronics engineer and love computers and high tech

Rule #1 If you are good at something never do it for free.

 

[TheLostSwede]

This part is valid here also btw, but agreed that it's a commitment for sure.

Quite a difference to learn the ropes in an office compared to doing it remotely though.
Not trying to discourage anyone, but rather make people stop and think before they say they can do it.

Rule #1 If you are good at something never do it for free.

Yeah, it'll always come back to bite you in the ass.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I don't envy whoever takes either of these jobs but I do look forward to more in-depth Ram/Mobo reviews......

I can't wait I love reading this sort of content.

 

[Honda_tpu]

Wish I could review those rams @ 1.5v

 

[chaosmassive]

first name popped in my head is buildzoid, I think he is the authority when it comes to motherboard and memory tuning, his extensive technical knowledge is astounding.

 

[buildzoid]

I'm not productive enough to handle a review per week.

 

[VSG]

I'm not productive enough to handle a review per week.

We also welcome relevant special articles that are not on any timeline, like with Yuri and his AMD OC articles.

 

[Space Lynx]

Quite a difference to learn the ropes in an office compared to doing it remotely though.

I think my counter argument to this would be, during the interview process before being hired, the employer doing the hiring should have a system in place/request example, something to verify everyone is on same page or capable of being on same page in short order.

So I am not sure this argument makes sense really. The interviewer will sort that out.