Corsair (XMS) PC3200 performance gain?

[lorlabnew]

Hello all,

I've got question regarding quality DDR RAM and would be glad to hear some advice on this before I'd go ahead and purchase something what I may not really need...

here is the deal: I bought recently 2 sticks of Corsair VS256MB333 CAS 2.5 (ValueSelect) and running it on new P 2.4B/D845PEBT2, below is Sandra 2003 Memory Bandwidth result (default on everything):

Int Buffered iSSE2 (Integer STREAM) Results Breakdown
Assignment : 2533MB/s
Scaling : 2538MB/s
Addition : 2526MB/s
Triad : 2529MB/s
Data Item Size : 16-bytes
Buffering Used : Yes
Offset Displacement Used : Yes
Bandwidth Efficiency : 95% (estimated)

Float Buffered iSSE2 (Float STREAM) Results Breakdown
Assignment : 2537MB/s
Scaling : 2536MB/s
Addition : 2530MB/s
Triad : 2531MB/s
Data Item Size : 16-bytes
Buffering Used : Yes
Offset Displacement Used : Yes
Bandwidth Efficiency : 95% (estimated)

Test Status
Memory Used by Test : 255MB
SMP Test : No
Total Test Threads : 1
SMT Test : No
Dynamic MP/MT Load Balance : No
Processor Affinity : No

System Chipset
Model : Intel Corporation 82845PE Brookdale Host-Hub Interface Bridge (B0-step)
Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 133MHz (532MHz data rate)
Max. Bus Bandwidth : 4256MB/s (estimated)

Logical/Chipset Memory Banks
Bank 0 Setting : 256MB DDR-SDRAM 2.5-2-2CL
Bank 2 Setting : 256MB DDR-SDRAM 2.5-2-2CL
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 166MHz (332MHz data rate)
Max. Memory Bandwidth : 2656MB/s (estimated)


Now, my question is: if I buy a single stick of Corsair (XMS) PC3200 CMX512-3200C2 512MB, what kind of gain I could expect? I should be able to set agressive memory timing in BIOS, which in conjunction with activated +4% "Burn-in mode" should give me some performance kick with still decent stability I'd hope..... or am I wrong?

I can't really crank up my current RAM refresh timing (7-2.5-3-3) settings in BIOS, the system locks up ( but it handles higher frequency, runs OK at 340MHz, reached with +2% "Burn-in"; I didn't try higher yet. I actually tried CAS 2 , which it surprisingly accepted, but the gain was really minimal, some 50MB/s difference if I recall it right.


OK, does it make sense to get the mentioned PC3200, set up agressive timing in BIOS and hope for the best, or my gain won't be really noticeable? The new heatsink-equipped chip would cost me some $200 bucks.... so I want to ask experts here before I'll perform unneeded upgrade (could definitely use the $$$ elsewhere for other parts I urgently need as well, R9700Pro for instance).

Sorry for longer post & thx for advice .
dave

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

Cas 2.5 vs Cas2, not much difference (a couple frames in games perhaps), especially if you're not overclocking (see that you have an Intel board). The gains are not worth the cost outlay.

 

[lorlabnew]

Thx for reply, PeeluckyDuckee.

OK, guess really not worth then? I think I'll get the good videocard instead, and can play with faster memory chips later when I'll have some extra spare cash....

dave

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

yes you cant overclock right now and i doubt the board has an option of runnig ram async to cpu freq., but even if it did it still wouldnt make much of a diff

imo, get the videocard and wait for upgrading until you can do the ram and mobo (or just wait longer for newer stuff to come out)

 

[lorlabnew]

Originally posted by: ChampionAtTufshop
yes you cant overclock right now and i doubt the board has an option of runnig ram async to cpu freq., but even if it did it still wouldnt make much of a diff

imo, get the videocard and wait for upgrading until you can do the ram and mobo (or just wait longer for newer stuff to come out)

Yeah, I'm going to - was just curious since I've seen in the Sandra bench comparable results with PC3200U 2CL (around 2900MB/s), and was thinking if I could select the aggresive memory timing, I could get closer to 3000MB/s bandwidth.... anyway the rig is fast enough with current RAM; I really need the videocard more urgently.... my Radeon7500 is nice, but not for 3D gaming, I got it only to get me over the period of time to decide on the high-performance card; guess it was a waste, since the only thing to get currently is probably r9700pro, which of course stubbornly stays at the same high price

thx
dave

 

[KingofFah]

guess it was a waste, since the only thing to get currently is probably r9700pro, which of course stubbornly stays at the same high price

thx
dave

Actually, I was pretty surprised at how fast the r9700 pro dropped. The ti4600 took forever to get below 300$'s, but the r9700 pro is available for 278 already.

edit - OEM of course.

 

[KingofFah]

I can't really crank up my current RAM refresh timing (7-2.5-3-3) settings in BIOS

Those are some pretty sad timings for corsair ram, are you sure there isn't something wrong with them?
I bought generic 2700 (upgrading to xmscas2 2700 for a better overclock), and I run stable at 5-2.5-2-3 (locks at 5-2.5-2-2)@166FSB synchronous

 

[maleh]

There is a review that tests different Corsair memory sticks. It shows how the XMS3200 really rocks. here

 

[lorlabnew]

Originally posted by: KingofFah

I can't really crank up my current RAM refresh timing (7-2.5-3-3) settings in BIOS

Those are some pretty sad timings for corsair ram, are you sure there isn't something wrong with them?
I bought generic 2700 (upgrading to xmscas2 2700 for a better overclock), and I run stable at 5-2.5-2-3 (locks at 5-2.5-2-2)@166FSB synchronous

Those values I posted (7-2.5-3-3) are readouts from BIOS chipset configuration :

Active to Precharge Delay 7
CAS 2.5
RAS to CAS Delay 3
RAS Precharge 3

Sandra2003 reads it as 2.5-2-2CL, and when I'll set CAS2 in BIOS, it reports that as 1.5-2-2CL. ? Overall, I thing my memory bandwidth 2545/2547 MB (as measured yesterday again) corresponds to those in the memory tests from the link posted by maleh in the previous message above....

Is there some other program which would give me exact info on my memory timings? I checked AIDA:

--------[ AIDA32 (c) 1995-2002 Unlimited Possibilities ]----------------------------------------------------------------

Version AIDA32 v3.10
Author fiery@aida32.hu
Homepage http://www.aida32.hu
Report Type Quick Report
Computer P24B
Generator Dave
Operating System Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 5.0.2195 (Win2k Retail)
Date 2002-12-11
Time 08:30


--------[ SPD ]---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ Corsair VS256MB333 ]

Memory Module Properties:
Module Name Corsair VS256MB333
Module Size 256 MB (1 rows, 4 banks)
Module Type Unbuffered
Memory Type DDR SDRAM
Memory Speed PC2700 (166 MHz)
Module Width 64 bit
Module Voltage SSTL 2.5
Error Detection Method None
Refresh Rate Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh
Highest CAS Latency 2.5 (6.0 ns @ 166 MHz)
2nd Highest CAS Latency 2.0 (7.5 ns @ 133 MHz)

Memory Module Features:
Early RAS# Precharge Not Supported
Auto-Precharge Not Supported
Precharge All Not Supported
Write1/Read Burst Not Supported
Buffered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
Registered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
On-Card PLL (Clock) Not Supported
Buffered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Registered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Differential Clock Input Supported
Redundant Row Address Not Supported

Memory Module Manufacturer:
Company Name Corsair Memory, Inc.
Product Information http://www.corsairmicro.com/main/products.htm

Any other program you could recommend?

thx
dave

 

[CrazySaint]

Whatever timings it lists in the BIOS is what you've got. Its absolutely not worth spending all that cash on new RAM just to get faster timings. You'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference except in benchmarks, and even then, the gain wouldn't be huge. Its just not worth the expense.

 

[KingofFah]

As CrazySaint said, whatever is set in BIOS are your timings, but, CrazySaint, did you think I was telling him to buuy new RAM? I just thought something might be wrong with his RAM and he could return/exchange it.

 

[lorlabnew]

Originally posted by: KingofFah
As CrazySaint said, whatever is set in BIOS are your timings, but, CrazySaint, did you think I was telling him to buuy new RAM? I just thought something might be wrong with his RAM and he could return/exchange it.

I think the RAM is worth what I paid for it ($59 + tax) per stick, don't expect miracles to happen for this price

Anyway guys, thx for help with that again; I'll get better RAM chip(s) only when I'll not know what else to do with the extra cash - heading for new videocard today instead (either r9700pro or Ti4600, whatever I'll find suitable; if there will be a killer deal somewhere on Ti4600, all grab it - otherwise r9700pro seems to be the best choice, after all can afford it now, since I saved $200....

regards
dave