Low latency problem

[sa_ill]

Just bought a new stick of RAM. Its an OCZ 6400 DDR2 800Hmz Gold Edition.
Its rated latency is 5-5-5-15.
CPUZ and CPUID show 6-6-6-18

How do I get it to 5-5-5-15? I cant find any RAM settings in the BIOS. I'm using Gigabyte G31-S2c Motherboard.

 

[JDocs]

Well then you might not be able to set it. Is it a 2gb stick? From what I've seen most 2gb DDR2 sticks are rated for CL5 but the spec seems to be CL6 so the motherboard will default to that. Normally a quick trip to the BIOS would fix it but I'm not aware of any G31 motherboards that allow you to.

 

[astrotrain1000]

I have some OCZ ram with the same ratings, the 6-6-6-18 is the jedec rating and the 5-5-5-15 is the epp.

 

[Zorg]

At the Main BIOS menu press [CTRL] + [F1] go to MIT and scroll down. If the timings settings exist, and they probably do, they will be there.

 

[sa_ill]

In MIT I cant see any timings settings.

 

[JDocs]

sa_ill, not surpising. Only the 35+ and 45+ chipsets (in their respective ranges) really support OCing or custom settings of that nature. I've tried quite a number of things with my spare G33 motherboard.

Sorry man.

 

[Zorg]

That is so weak. Like it costs them one penny to leave that in the BIOS. That's why I hate those budget mobos.

sa_ill, don't be too upset there isn't much difference between 6-6-6-18 and 5-5-5-15 with the core 2 CPUs, in real world apps. You probably wouldn't even notice the difference.

 

[JDocs]

@sa_ill. Zorg is right. I run a much higher end system and the difference between CL6(6-6-618) and CL5(5-5-5-15) is nominal at best. Many memory benchmarks don't even pick up a noticeable difference.

@Zorg They need to create a market. If all the boards they sold had all the features enabled we'd have G31(with X8/X8 Crossfire) and X33(full X16 Crossfire)... Great for us but not for the designers, research, manufacturers and so on. As much as I love cheaper good quality hardware but I understand they need to survive as well. At least they're doing affordable hardware these days and not charging $500 for the single motherboard design of the generation eh?

 

[Zorg]

You have a point, but I'm only talking about timings not adding all the additional features.

I'd rather spend the extra $20-$30, the semi budget mobos are vastly superior IMO.

That's what Intel is going through with the core 2, all the chips just binned to high.

 

[sa_ill]

aww man.....the RAM with 6-6-6-18 cost half the price...
are you sure I can change the latency, even with some third party software?

 

[JDocs]

@Zorg again agreed but that us. Alot of people shouldn't be allowed near their BIOS yet alone things like memory settings. Also the OEMs prefer boards like this, less tech support for "things in the BIOS that didn't look right so I fixed them" issues... Everything is locked into settings for maximum compatibility. Sadly OEMs push more sales than us.

 

[Zorg]

Yeah the OEMs have the stripped BIOS but they have custom BIOSs. I hate them with a passion, but I certainly understand their point. It did irritate me when I had to install SpeedFan to raise the fan on a Prescott in an HP machine, but such is life.

sa_ill, there is a program called Memset that will do it, but it is temporary only and used for tweaking.

Even if you could change the timings you probably wouldn't notice, so let it go. If that was the most money I burned by mistake/"accident" I would be happy. I could tell you some expensive, computer unrelated, stories.

Chalk it up to experience, at least that's what I always tell myself.

 

[sa_ill]

OK one last question
I have to buy another 2GB stick........do I buy the same one, or do I buy the one with the lower latency? Will they work together?
And will it affect overclocking?

 

[JDocs]

@sa_ill I'm sure Zorg will agree that if they both require the voltages for the same speed at the lower latency they'll work together. Thats why we have the JEDEC memory standard. Luckily it also specifies voltages

 

[sa_ill]

OK thanks....thank god I was a little short of cash for buying the second stick! Now I can buy the cheaper one....although...what about overclocking? Increased RAM speed decreases the latency timings...so will the cheaper RAM affect that?

 

[Zorg]

Here's what I would do. Hold off on the second stick. Send an email to OCZ and give them the model numbers of the RAM and the mobo. Explain to them that the mobo doesn't have the ability to change timings and that the RAM is being auto detected at 6-6-6-18. Ask them what timings will be auto detected with the cheaper RAM.

I checked the mobo manual, when you OC you can adjust the memory multiplier so you are not OCing the RAM.

 

[sa_ill]

hmm ok....so as I understand....the cheaper RAM wont affect oerclcoking...so I'd rather go for the cheaper one....thank a ton

 

[Zorg]

I modified my post instead of adding one. OOPs. Follow that one and see what OCZ says.

 

[sa_ill]

ok i used memset
I can set it to 6-5-5-15 and not 5-5-5
Why so?

 

[sa_ill]

also...memset shows my RAM as 667MHz, while its 800MHz

 

[Zorg]

What does CPU-Z show in the memory tab?

 

[sa_ill]

cpuz shows 6-5-5-15

 

[sa_ill]

and the memory frequency is 400

 

[Zorg]

I would believe CPU-Z. I don't know why Memset can't get 5-5-5-15, but the RAM speed is 800 not 667.

I would call OCZ and try to confirm the mobo auto timings and decide what to do based on that.

You have learned a valuable lesson, don't go for the cheapest mobo/chipset out there, get the lower middle one.