DDR PC2100 CL2 vs DDR PC2700 CL2.5?

[wcowper]

I've been reading the boards to find an answer to a question I had in relation to whether CL2 PC2100 or CL2.5 PC2700 memory was quicker. I could not find a definite answer so here for anyone else is the answer!

Having had SDRAM CL2 and been impressed with that I suspected that CL2 PC2100 was better than CL2.5 PC2700. My suspicions were correct - the results were done using 3D mark 2001 SE - I hope they help someone else with the same question:

System

MSI KT3 ULTRA motherboard (via 333 chipset)
Athlon XP 2400 (standard 133 FSB)
MSI TI4600
Promise IDE RAID ARRAY.

With 1GB PC 2100 CL2.5 RAM (generic):

3D MARK SE 2001 with 1024 x 768 @ 32bit:

12,000 marks maximum score.

With 3D MARK SE 2001 with 1GB Kingston PC 2100 CL2 RAM:

3D MARK SE 2001 with 1024 x 768 @ 32bit:

12,224

Of course some people will say well 200 marks so what?

Depends if performance is everything to you.

When you consider that it's only around £40 or £50 more for CL2 Ram it makes sense - that's how motherboards were supposed to run with quality components.(my opinion!)

Not only this but it also increased stability on my system -of course this may be because the generic ram was cheap and nasty but it does show what can happen.


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by wcowper on 11/16/02 09:38 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[fastingsetiman]

Hi. Oh my poor dude. How I pity thow. Go with the 2700 and run the memory bandwidth test using SisoftSandra and then kiss my butt.

 

[wcowper]

I don't doubt you are correct about the bandwidth test - the problem is that I'm only interested in realworld visible performance and stability. Based on observations 2700 CL2.5 doesn't cut it.

I am sure the bandwidth is greater but the 25% performance increase is not observed during general use. CL2 2100 performs better - and that's what I'm interested in.