Difference between CAS2 and CAS3 ram

[gplracer]

How much of a difference is there really between CAS2 and CAS3 ram? I am building a computer for someone. Personally I always get CAS2. Would the user really be able to tell the difference?

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

what does this "user" do?

 

[thorin]

How much of a difference is there really between CAS2 and CAS3 ram?

1ms

Would the user really be able to tell the difference?

Does the user know what CAS is? What are they upgrading from?

Thorin

 

[Sheriff]

In SiSoft there may not be much of a difference between Cas2 and Cas3, but in real time you can notice it in applications and CAS-3 rarely does CAS-2 in the BIOS setting

 

[sellmen]

Originally posted by: thorin

How much of a difference is there really between CAS2 and CAS3 ram?

1ms

Isn't it 1 cycle, not 1ms?

 

[gplracer]

The user is a teenager that will be playing counterstrike and other games.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: sellmen

Originally posted by: thorin

How much of a difference is there really between CAS2 and CAS3 ram?

1ms

Isn't it 1 cycle, not 1ms?

Nope RAM access times are spec'd in ms, CAS stands for Column Access Strobe there is also RAS (Row Access Strobe) the total of the two equal the access speed of the ram ie: 10ms.

Thorin

 

[etech]

FAQ

"CAS => 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. ....
...
Bear in mind, a clock cycle for a PC100 module is 10 nanoseconds so you probably won't notice a significant performance difference. Most systems will accept either latency part. However, there are some systems that require either CL2 or CL3 parts.
..."

 

[pillage2001]

Originally posted by: thorin

Originally posted by: sellmen

Originally posted by: thorin

How much of a difference is there really between CAS2 and CAS3 ram?

1ms

Isn't it 1 cycle, not 1ms?

Nope RAM access times are spec'd in ms, CAS stands for Column Access Strobe there is also RAS (Row Access Strobe) the total of the two equal the access speed of the ram ie: 10ms.

Thorin

How did you come out with 1ms without knowing the access time of the RAM?

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: etech
FAQ

"CAS => 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. ....
...
Bear in mind, a clock cycle for a PC100 module is 10 nanoseconds so you probably won't notice a significant performance difference. Most systems will accept either latency part. However, there are some systems that require either CL2 or CL3 parts.
..."

Hmmmm my bad I knew it was column access strobe but I was sure that it was ms based not cycle. My Bad

How did you come out with 1ms without knowing the access time of the RAM?

Because I was going based on a seemingly incorrect notion that CAS and RAS were time based measurements not cycle based. (Didn't you read the thread?)

However 3-2 is still one so whether it's ms (ns) or cycles my answer is still 1.

Edit: And yes I should have been saying ns all along not ms

Thorin

 

[chocoruacal]

Originally posted by: gplracer
The user is a teenager that will be playing counterstrike and other games.

Okay then, the answer is no, yes, maybe. On a tired machine, yeah, 'faster' RAM might be noticable. On a 'current' machine with a fast CPU and fast GPU then no, s/he probably wouldn't notice any difference between CAS's.

 

[ThatDumbGuy]

From what I understand CAS isn't as important as some of the timings, you might be interested in the following article:
Memory Timings Explained and Tweaked at Tom's Hardware

There are many other articles, try a google search. Good luck to you.

 

[pelikan]

Since its for gaming I'd get Cas 2 ram. Games just keep getting harder to run at high detail level. You need to get performance in every area possible.