4-4-4-12 versus 5-5-5-15

[djdano]

Hi guys,

I'm new to the forums, been watching and reading from the shadows for quite some time. Usually I find the answer to my questions without the need to open a new thread, but this time it's different apparently. Or maybe I just need a new pair of glasses...

Anyway... currently I have 2 x 512 Mb Geil Ultra PC6400 4-4-4-12 which OC very well, up to 900 MHz with the same timings.

I want to go for 2 x 1 Gb of cheap memory since I am on a very tight budget. Since cheaper memory works at relaxed timings, will I see a major difference between 4-4-4-12 and 5-5-5-15 at DDR2 800?

Also, which value RAM do you recommend? I need something cheap that OC's at least 10% since I want to keep my X2 3800+ at 2700 MHz.

Thanks.

 

[GSTe]

No, I doubt anybody could perceive the difference. Not sure about overclocking value RAM, but for rock solid stuff I'd go for Corsair Value Select.

 

[subtlewordplay]

It really depends on what you're overclocking for. But of course, if you can pull off the lower latencies without risk of stability go for it. You should notice some difference as lower latiencies are harder to pull off than higher MHz. IMO.

 

[GSTe]

Sorry to contradict you, but you won't notice any difference. I couldn't on my system, whether at 375MHz cas3 or 550MHz cas5. The performance difference will be somewhere on the order of <5%. The only way you could tell the difference would be with some sort of benchmarking software, like PCMark, Sandra, etc.

 

[skyguy]

Cheap RAM for no overclocking = ValueRAM.

Cheap RAM for overclocking = G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 5-5-5-15 (the red heat spreader ones).

 

[jeremyrailton]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227139

Check it out, ocz, cheap, fast.

 

[subtlewordplay]

No doubt with Memory at low speeds 533, you won't see a difference. But I thought the question was their a noticeable difference at 800 MHz, which is a yes at that speed. Maybe marginal, but noticeable.

Like SkyGuy pointed out there is a difference between cheap ram and cheap ram for overclocking.

 

[GSTe]

When I said 375MHz that means DDR750... not sure how you would notice...? The human eye certainly can't comprehend the difference between 55 and 60 FPS. Maybe if you were getting 28 FPS to begin with and it went up to 33..? Or using some other type of application?

 

[subtlewordplay]

If you phrase it that way you're right. I misunderstood the question. :roll:

 

[djdano]

Thanks for all the replies.

What I'm looking for is 2 x 1 Gb of DDR2 800 memory that I can overclock to ~880 MHz at 5-5-5-15.

I have an X2 3800+ (2000 MHz) which I like to keep overclocked at around 2700 MHz (drop the memory at 667, drop the multiplier at 4x, then raise the FSB at 260-270 => memory runs at 870-900).

G.Skill is hard to find here (I'm from Eastern Europe)... also OCZ.
What I can get is GEIL, A-Data, Kingmax, Corsair and Kingston (also some low-end brands like Elixir, Sycron, Umax).

 

[GSTe]

Geil is quite cheap here in the UK.... some geil ultra like you already have would probably be your best bet, depending on the price there. This company should ship to your country I think.... what about this GSkill? It is supposedly a good overclocker:

http://www.memory-configurator.com/products/description/2Gb_G_Skill_DDR2_PC2_6400-4_4_3_5-HK_Series_Dual_Channel_kit/index.html

 

[counterc]

I just got done reading a good article from Toms that discusses what i think you are looking for. I thought I would pass the link along and see if this helps any.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/21/overclocking-9-value-priced-ddr2-800-kits/

 

[djdano]

I just got done reading a good article from Toms that discusses what i think you are looking for. I thought I would pass the link along and see if this helps any.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/21/overclocking-9-value-priced-ddr2-800-kits/

Thanks, mate.

I've already read this article, but unfortunately brands such as Mushkin, Patriot, Wintec, Crucial Ballistix or Buffalo are impossible to get here. What I can get is Corsair, Geil, A-Data, OCZ, Kingston and some low end brands.

I think I will go for a pair of A-Data Vitesta Extreme 4-4-4-12. They are good overclockers and can be found here for 125 Euro (160 USD). This a good price considering that here you can almost always apply the formula:

PC component price = Newegg price + 40-50%

Cheers!

 

[mak1skav]

Hello
I have a P4 805D overclocked from 2.66 to 3.5 and i am using some Corsair's XMS memory that it is rated for 675Mhz FSB and 4-4-4-12.Now I have them running at 701Mhz and 3-3-3-9 and my score at PI for 8M is 6 min 41 sec. Yesterday i was testing some cheap memory from Twinmos company for a friend.The memory was rated as 800Mhz FSB and 5-5-5-15 i have tested it as 701 Mhz FSB and 4-4-4-12 and the score in PI was 6 min 43 sec. So as i can see from this home made test tight timings don't have such a difference.

 

[pshrk]

Why don't you run your own tests by setting the timings of your current ram manually (to either 4-4-4-12 or 5-5-5-15) and running some benchmarks. It'll probably make the biggest difference in super-pi, and almost no difference in games.