Any significant benefit to going from mem divided DDR400 to non-divided DDR500?

[flashbacck]

Basically, I'm wondering whether it'd be worth it to upgrade my memory to a DDR500 kit so I could run my system without using a memory divider. I'd appreciate any opinions from people who have done similar upgrades. Thanks.

Current system:
Athlon 64 3000+ (1.8@2.3)
DDR400 (@DDR333)
FSB: 255mhz

 

[DrMrLordX]

If you achieve a higher RAM speed, at similar timings, yeah you'll see some benefit. The divider itself doesn't amount to a large performance hit on an Athlon 64 though.

 

[F1shF4t]

A64 has no divider as such, in fact its always running a divider cause the mem controller is running at cpu speed. Either way there will be no performance diff, as there were benchmarks and the only thing the extra mem speed did was give some better scores in only a few benchmarks. Ur looking at like 0 - 1% performance diff overall.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

I remember seeing several gaming benchmarks (PC Stats, I think) comparing
DDR400 @ 2-2-2-5 vs. DDR500 @ 2.5-3-3-7 for 1GB kits
DDR400 @ 2-3-2-5 vs. DDR500 @ 3-4-4-8 for 2GB kits

Differences were minimal (the two parameters - bandwidth/latencies - seemed to negate/compensate for the other), although Unreal Tournament 2004/Doom 3 seemed to like higher bandwidth as opposed to tighter latencies. Then again, we are talking 1-3% or so. SuperPi likes bandwidth, though ;-)

Performance advantages only show up in low-res, minimal-quality testing. When you up IQ to levels you play it, you'd be hardpressed to notice any differences.

 

[Noubourne]

You might be able to loosen your timings to get more speed out of your current RAM. If it runs DDR400 at 2-2-2-5 (ala OCZ EL Plat), then it's likely to do higher DDR speeds at looser timings.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: Dark Cupcake
A64 has no divider as such, in fact its always running a divider cause the mem controller is running at cpu speed. Either way there will be no performance diff, as there were benchmarks and the only thing the extra mem speed did was give some better scores in only a few benchmarks. Ur looking at like 0 - 1% performance diff overall.

Exactly: your memory speed is always a divider of your full cpu speed. It's convenient to run at an effective 1:1 when overclocking, and you gain in memory bandwidth = small performance increase, but there is no intrinsic penalty in using another divider to get a lower memory speed, unlike architectures that derive memory speed directly from FSB (or a divider thereof).

FWIW, my Venice-E3 3000+ is running at 2.4GHz (9x 267HTT). Selecting memory at 1:1 or 400 in BIOS results in CPU-z showing a memory speed of 2400/9 = 267. Selecting memory at 5:6 or 333 in BIOS results in CPU-z showing a memory speed of 2400/11 = 218; selecting 4:6 or 266 in BIOS gives 2400/14 = 172. My Ballistix DDR500 handles 267MHz well, so I have the convenience of running 1:1 memory speed, rather than sub-par 172MHz if I had budget DDR400 RAM. This big difference in memory speed looks good in benchmarks (3dMark, Sandra) but only makes a noticeable difference in a few apps (WinRAR/WinZip, some games).

 

[Duvie]

There is possibility of enhancements in some games, but if achieving DDR500 causes you to run worse timings they often negate the advanatges of the speed alone....


Some of the only apps I saw bandwidth (IE raw speed increase) made a diff was superpi 32mb, winrar, 3dmarks, etc....since I dont game a lot one should look at Zebo's old ram testing he did back in early 2005

 

[dandragonrage]

Originally posted by: Noubourne
You might be able to loosen your timings to get more speed out of your current RAM. If it runs DDR400 at 2-2-2-5 (ala OCZ EL Plat), then it's likely to do higher DDR speeds at looser timings.

But don't loosen the timings too much for speed, this isn't a P4 we're talking about...

 

[flashbacck]

thanks for the replies. Sounds like (at least with the A64's) any benefit from getting higher mem speeds wouldn't be worth the $100.

edit: so unless you are a hardcore enthusiast are you wasting money by buying ddr500?

I'm not sure loosening the timings would help me get higher speeds since I'm using corsair value ram.