• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

CL3 and CL2 RAM? Someone care to explain the diff?

N

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Hey all, sorry if I am being "dumb", but what is the main difference on these. As I see it, A PC133 chip rated at 133 at CL2 (or CAS2 I think is the same thing) can go higher than a CL3 chip rated at 133 correct? I checked my system out with SiSoft and it said both my chips are rated at CL3 133.

Thanks!
 
ahh, I see...thanks!

Another question. Do most 128mb dimms have chips on both sides of it or typically only on one side? I just got a 128mb dimm in the mail and the chips are only on one side, it looks like my 64mb dimm, but my other 128mb dim has chips on both sides...

The one I got in the mail posts on startup as a 128mb chip just seemed odd especially since it has "64 133" written on it with some sort of gold pen.

(sorry for sounding dumb again)
 
If you're acually think'n about changing b/c of the "better performance", I wouldn't even bother. For most people CAS3 is fine for them. and for your second question..... it should be a 128... b/c if u think about it... they can fit the 128 on one side very economically, that's how u get 256 dimms. Its just that the technology has grown. 😉
 
CAS stands for Column Address Strobe

It refers to the number of cycles that need to occur between sending the first part of the address to the memory chip and then sending the second part. It's measured in clock cycles - so CAS3 memory requires 3 cycles delay while CAS 2 requires two. Performance-wise, running with CAS2 memory will enable a system-level speedup of approx. 3-5% over CAS3- although in certain apps (RC5) you will see virtually no speedup and in others (DiVX encoding) you will see more like 8%.

Running CAS2 memory with CAS3 in automatic mode (ie. the settings are read from the SPD contained on the memory DIMM) will have the effect of running both memory sticks at the slower speed (CAS3). If you override the settings and run both sticks at CAS2 then you are effectively overclocking the CAS3 memory.

Depending on who you talk to and what they are running the speed difference between CAS3 and CAS2 is 0% (for example, any apps that runs totally in the CPU's cache) to 10% (something that doesn't use the cache at all), but it's usually around 3-5%.

Borrowed from Crucial.com
 
who said cl3 is more stable?
that's not right,
if the ram is spec at cl2, it's stable at cl2 as cl3.
if the ram is spec at cl3 and you overclock it to cl2, that may be not so stable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top