What is benefit of DDR3 2800MHz ram vs DDR3 1600MHz ram?

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

I just built a powerhouse PC with Asus Z87 Deluxe, Intel Core i7-4770 3.5MHz, EVGA GeForce GTX-770 SC 4GB, and bought Corsair Vengenance DDR3 1600MHz 32GB ram. Looking on Asus website, this motherboard supports 3000MHz ram - 32GB total. I am looking at possibly upgrading to G.Skill TidentX DDR3 2800MHz or 2933MHz 32GB ram. Although not a gamer, I have installed very serious games in addition to my Flight Simulators which I do use. In O.C. mode, if I go from 1600MHz 32GB to 2933MHz 32GB ram, what will I notice as different? I use the Asus 4-Way O.C. Optimizer to clock my rig. Also my GeForce GPU is superclocked and able to O.C. With this much power, what will change in my system by installing even faster ram? Will it be noticeable? I didn't purposefully build my rig to gaming standards, it happened quite accidentally and now that I realize what I have built, I want to take full advantage of everything it can do. But if it can do even more, then I want to push it as far as I can.

PyjamasCat · Nov 7, 2013

Faster RAM would be beneficial, but to the extent of 2800MHz? I'm not entirely sure your getting your moneys worth there(very possible diminishing returns). I would say if you really need the RAM to be that fast for work applications or have money to spare, then go ahead. Otherwise it might be a bit of a waste. I've managed to pull 2400MHz from my 1600MHz Corsair Vengeance, but not while OC'ed to 4.8GHz (so far). So if your willing to OC your current RAM, try that first, see if there is a benefit and then decide if you want to splash out or not. Once again a say the performance gains are likely be a diminishing return at that speed (2800MHz and higher).

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

Right now I'm O.C.'d but only conservatively at 4.3GHz due to no liquid cooling solution for the CPU. I intended to move liquid cooler from last rig but realized it was an AMD (my absolute last one) and I accidentally threw out the Intel hardware for that cooler. For now using stock fan/heat block, but looking at a new much larger liquid cooler after which I'd like to push my O.C. to 4.8GHz or higher. At 4.3GHz I'm running 5 case fans with a near steady 103° degree temp.

Okay, maybe 2800-2933MHz is a bit aggressive so maybe I'll look at 2400MHz sticks. According to your assessment, you took the same 1600MHz Corsair Vengeance and pushed 'it' to 2400MHz clock speed. I wasn't aware I could do that. I assumed 1600MHz was it's top speed and that I'd have to purchase higher clock speed sticks for faster speed. I will need to do some research on how to O.C. my 1600MHz sticks to faster clock speeds because I don't believe ASUS AI 4-Way O.C. program I use does this natively. It only takes it from base clock of 1333MHz and pushes it to 1598MHz (1600MHz) and that is the highest I've seen it yet. Also the ASUS AI program only pushed my CPU to 16% at 43 steps above to reach it's final 4.3GHz rating. I've not had any luck getting it any higher. If you know of something I am doing wrong or should do differently, please share. I just want to unlock all the potential my system is capable of achieving.

PyjamasCat · Nov 7, 2013

jab8283 :

Wow that is hot. I wouldn't personally run that hot but if you want to risk it, okay (by risk I mean overheating then shutdown and loss of unsaved data).

I might be the same RAM. This is what I bought and it OC's like a beast. There are a few kits out there that can OC really well and this happened to be one. And yes, you can push RAM much further than the XMP profile or retailer/manufacturer suggests, but results will definitely vary.

Another thing about OCing. From the BIOS is preferred by many as software can produce some bad results (ie; too much voltage), and you have much more control.

If you want to get the most from your machine, a new cooler is required (but you probably knew that). RAM can be tricky to OC. As you increase the frequency, the latency has to be increased also. This may seem like it isn't achieving anything but the increased frequency improves overall bandwidth and performance in large tasks and applications requiring large amounts of RAM. Here is a guide to get you started (if needed)

http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/upgrades/how-to-overclock-your-ram-1030286

There are a lot of other guides out there, so read up! You might find tips and hints here and there that aren't included in other guides. You can also check out others results with the same RAM to see what your RAM could be capable of.

My best results:

2400MHz
CAS: 11
TRCD: 11
TRP: 12
TRAS: 41
CMD: T1 (Command Rate)

With these voltages on a CPU OC of 4.7GHz
DRAM 1.55V
IMC: 1.015V
Vtt: 0.975V

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

Might look at the GSkill Tridents in 2666/11 (an excellent set, am running the 32GB in my Haswell), should offer a good balance - they'll OC to 2800 and up and can always drop to 2400/10 or 9....The 2400/10 (have them in my IB) Tridents have OC room to 2666 and with a decent OC a little higher

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

I appreciate the heads up. I will research this further before doing anything but first move is to convert CPU and GPU to liquid cooling solutions to get temps under 80° degrees Fahrenheit. I am monitoring temps carefully and have had no issues in two-weeks since build. I never intended to build the type of PC that I did, only that I sought out specific parts to be part of this latest build and only after I had it together had I realized what sat before me. This is my very first Intel build since I began building computers in 1999. This is the most powerful and most stable platform I have ever built and am thrilled with the results.

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

Glad to hear, keep us updated

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

Also, just checked current temps and I am way inside my comfort zone. CPU @ 35°C / 95°F, MB @ 31°C / 84°F, and GPU @ 41°C / 110°F. Once I get a liquid cooling solution for CPU and GPU, this rig will be freezing cold LOL. With a higher clock on CPU and MEM, this should be a walk in the park.

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

Sounds like a plan - keep us updated

PyjamasCat · Nov 7, 2013

Wait, is that 103°C or F in your second post? If Fahrenheit then it's not that hot. 80°C is what you should try to stay under running at full load.

What happened to your third machine Tradesman? Or was I imagining it.

Also, now that you are posting here, what are the real benefits of RAM that fast? I thought it would be more work or enthusiast related as there is not a lot of benefit for gaming and general use. I have cut super pi times down (and minecraft no longer freezes loading 35 mods) on my machine, but other than that I can't see the benefit.

Another thing is (but could very well be a placebo effect) boot times seem faster as I am yet to time it.

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

Still have it, 2500K is still buzzing along, had some suggest adding GPU and cooler I use and it just got too big, also dropped the MS and Intel Partner, and am toying with another build, thinking a FM2+ and Kaveri, might be another mistake, built on BulDozer and PileDriver both when they were released and only kept them maybe a week to 10 days before selling them off at a loss...Kiveri might be different, a friend of my oldest son is looking for a reig to primarily do rendering and loves my son's new rig, which is pretty much like my Haswell, hooked him up with a 32GB DRAM set and GPU, he bought the Hero and a 4770K, the rest he already had, and his buddy loves it but ca't afford that much, so thinking a Kaveri and then sell it off to him at prob about cost or a little under, just going to be a starter, maybe a 660Ti and 16GB, but should make a nice rig - if I like it

I'll beef it up and prob keep it around and turn the 2500K into my server

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

Hey I know what my boot time is: 2.7 seconds. Don't know if memory has anything to do with that or not but I am booting Win8 from SSD with main storage on HDD. Just thought I'd throw that out there, LOL. The Win7 machine this one replaces was a bit over 2 minutes with HDD. So I rebuilt the old machine installing a SSD and now it's fully operational in less than 5 seconds. Mind you these times are from full off, to operational with network in that short bit of time.

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

SSD is the big speedster in boot, DRAM helps a lot though - you'll have to get some BMs going

if not to busy actual gaming

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

I haven't played a game since Pac-Man in the 1980's. But my new EVGA GeForce Nvidia card came with three games, two of which I've already installed and the third doesn't release for another three weeks yet. However I can't play Batman nor Splinter Cell yet because I just found out I need to purchase two XBOX 360 controllers for Windows but as soon as I can afford to I will. I've already installed my Flight Simulator with MS Sidewinder Force Feedback joystick, and with my GPU and setup, I got spatial disorientation on my first take off. I used Nvidia control panel to activate 'Game Surround 3D' across three monitors and it was so real that I became very ill. It's going to take some time to get used to the new feel of games because every time I launch a game, I become very sick and extremely dizzy. I can only imagine what it will be like with Nvidia G-Sync on three Asus VG248QE monitors. Even with my current DRam, the games and action are very smooth so maybe what I have is enough? BTW- What is BM?

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

BM - Short for Bench Marks - sorry ( I get on a roll and often use acronyms and slang terms like rig, sticks, etc, even on many of the DRAM models I use a lot like RJ X or Tri's for Ripjaws X or Tridents, the folkas that work for me and many of my clients are familiar with the terms but at times, here on the forums, I don't think and they just pop out -----I'll blame my fingers

they are who is doing the typing

jab8283 · Nov 7, 2013

Well the fault of not knowing acronyms is partially mine. Since 1999 I have built dozens of computers and serviced/rebuilt as many however my newest Intel build is the very first power PC (gaming). Until now I only built ordinary PC's for everyday use, but this time I accidentally built a gaming qualified rig. Before now I didn't care about benchmarks, overclocking, timing, heat management and the like. Today is a different story because this latest build required more investment of my time researching the right components for a rig to last many years from now. Until now I was an AMD man but after my last build it was a time to move on. Now my loyalty lies with Intel, Nvidia and ASUS and it's better than an Apple because I built it my way, I built it myself, with components I chose. I started building computers in the 1990's because I was not pleased with my WebTV unit. I am very happy with the PC's I build and many are still in use today by the people I built them for including my own. Now it's time for me to learn benchmarking, overclocking, timing, and heat management so I can build gaming rigs for people.

Tradesman1 · Nov 7, 2013

Sounds like a plan, and sounds familiar, started building a lot when I was with The Park Service both rigs for work (much cheaper than buying prebuilts) and for employees, then for other US Park Service units, then for friends of employees and others and it just grew and grew, had a few years where I was doing a couple builds a week and more, between work and at home...

jab8283 · Nov 8, 2013

I get a lot of enjoyment building computers then bringing them to life. Everything has to be researched to make sure components work together, then getting the parts and components ordered, receiving and assembling. Both the Newegg and Tiger-Direct companies love me. Speaking of, I just finished ordering the final parts for my latest gaming build from Newegg. The three Asus VG248QE gaming monitors are now on their way. As soon as Nvidia releases the G-Sync cards for purchase, I'll get those ordered and install myself. These monitors will go for $400 a piece complete with G-Sync but after this sweet deal I just got, my final cost will end up being around $170 less per unit doing the work myself. I figure I saved hundreds building this computer myself. That puts a huge smile on my face.

Tradesman1 · Nov 8, 2013

Always glad to see a happy camper (well, builder), keep us updated, look forward to hearing how it goes

What is benefit of DDR3 2800MHz ram vs DDR3 1600MHz ram?

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