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TheGingerbreadGenius

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I've been reading about around here and I've seen a fair few conflicting opinions on what makes good RAM. Is good RAM for OCing necessarily different to good RAM for gaming? How big is the difference between the hyper expensive DDR RAM and the value stuff?

I flicked through Corsair's slideshow on RAM, but I'd appreciate it if someone could explain what CAS Latency and stuff like PC3200 means in laymen's terms. Also, what do people mean when they talk about dual channel RAM, and what does the rating in Mhz affect?

Links/ specs for stuff like 'good gamer' and 'standard' RAM would probably help me understand here as well, because I feel like I'm drowning under naming terms and all the rest.
 
Originally posted by: tweekah
http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2223&p=1 should explain things to you fairly well.

Difference between value/performance ram is about 2-5% and an arm/leg. Is it worth it? For people with e-penises and bragging rights. It's up to you and your wallet which route you want to go. It's good you're doing your homework! =)
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It's also all about the sales. I was going to pick up 2GB of Value ram (higher cas latency but the same PC3200 speed) but the lower latency ram was only $10 more so I figured why not. I am not willing to spend $300+ for 2gb but $220 for 2-3-2-5 ram is good by me.

-spike

PS For the OP, if you have a A64 setup and are not a hardcore overclocker then value ram is a great buy. Running a memory divider works really well so you can keep your ram at stock or close to stock speed yet overclock the snot out of your CPU. In that case a pair of 512mb value ram sticks is awesome and can be had for $75-85 depending on brand. The normal reccomendation is Corsair value PC3200 2x512mb. It's hard to explain without specific questions to answer.
 
Originally posted by: Spike

It's also all about the sales. I was going to pick up 2GB of Value ram (higher cas latency but the same PC3200 speed) but the lower latency ram was only $10 more so I figured why not. I am not willing to spend $300+ for 2gb but $220 for 2-3-2-5 ram is good by me.

-spike
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That's the job of marketing/sales, create a need for everything to make extra money. There is a "best bang for the buck" for everything. Paying the extra $10 to go from CAS-3 to CAS2.5 would be worth it. But to goto CAS-3 to 2 for an extra $80, No thanks =P But that's just my opinion.
 
Can someone please explain what a Memory divider actually is and what it does? I've heard them mentioned before, but I'm not sure how they help anything.


I wanted to get 2x1Gig RAM, would that still be OK for OCing my CPU if I used a divider? I'm just shocked that you get such a small performance increase for so much extra cash.

Does having dual channel RAM have much of an affect over single channel RAM? Also, does OCing RAM actually do any good in real world terms? I'm guessing at no from what I've read but I'd like an opinion from someone who knows more than I.
 
Originally posted by: TheGingerbreadGenius
Can someone please explain what a Memory divider actually is and what it does? I've heard them mentioned before, but I'm not sure how they help anything.
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It's the ratio between your core/memory speed. Example. If your memory can only dance at 200mhz and your core runs at 250, you'd used a 5/4 divider ratio. It's not too commonly used.

Why don't you post your specs and we'll try to give you our best input.
 
I haven't got any specs as of yet, I'm wondering what RAM to put in the PC I hope to be building. So far we're looking at:

AMD 3800x2.
BFG 7800GT.
Probably a Western Digital 160Gig HD.
Anything else you want me to include which'd be important?

Not sure about Mobo, I haven't looked into those yet. I like to be vaguely clued up before buying. I'd like to be able to OC the CPU to at least 2.4Ghz and maybe leave room for a little more later if I felt like it.

Cheers for the advice btw.
 
Originally posted by: Spike
It's also all about the sales. I was going to pick up 2GB of Value ram (higher cas latency but the same PC3200 speed) but the lower latency ram was only $10 more so I figured why not. I am not willing to spend $300+ for 2gb but $220 for 2-3-2-5 ram is good by me.

-spike
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Which 2-3-2-5 sticks did you get for $220, and where?
 
Originally posted by: Maluno
Originally posted by: Spike
It's also all about the sales. I was going to pick up 2GB of Value ram (higher cas latency but the same PC3200 speed) but the lower latency ram was only $10 more so I figured why not. I am not willing to spend $300+ for 2gb but $220 for 2-3-2-5 ram is good by me.

-spike
Click to expand...

Which 2-3-2-5 sticks did you get for $220, and where?
Click to expand...

here

Oops, I lied, now they are $226.50 AR for two 1GB OCZ Plat 2-3-2-5. I had a pair of the Patriot 1GB sticks on order from outpost.com for $199 but after tax and shipping it came to $227 and I had an order in for over two months and they still did not have them in.

To the OP the ram I linked would be awesome ram for your system. If you want to save a few bucks, here and here are good options. (And by no means do you have to go through newegg, they just have a great site for searching and looking up products and specs)

-spike
 
It has to do with OC potential. The expensive Kingston Hyper X / Corsair Platinum / All other RAM =< 2.5 CL. These ones usually come with heatspreaders and other mods.

Thus, if you wanted to take these babies from DDR 400 to DDR 1000000, or so, it would stand a better chance of doing so, because it dissipates heat better. This probably isn't so much an issue with A64s, but since I've never used one, I can't really tell you for sure. But I do know for P4s, you have to understand, to OC the CPU, you must raise the FSB, which means you must raise the DDR speed as well. You can use a memory divider to some degree to keep your DDR speed at stock, while OC the CPU, but it still sometimes it helps to at least have the option of raising your RAM speed as well.

To some people who OC alot, the extra $80 might be worth it. It might mean the difference between OCing by 2 Ghz, instead of 1 Ghz extra.

If you are not going to OC though, just go for value RAM...to do otherwise is just a waste. You won't see a performance increase with Kingston Hyper X, OCZ gold, etc because 99% of the benefit of expensive low latency RAM is OC potential.
 
Originally posted by: bladephoenix
It has to do with OC potential. The expensive Kingston Hyper X / Corsair Platinum / All other RAM =< 2.5 CL. These ones usually come with heatspreaders and other mods.

Thus, if you wanted to take these babies from DDR 400 to DDR 1000000, or so, it would stand a better chance of doing so, because it dissipates heat better.
Click to expand...

This is not really the case as most heat spreaders just contain heat instead of doing any good. IF you have a fan blowing across them then they do a great job dissapating heat but unless this is the case they mostly do nothing but add good looks.

If you are not going to OC though, just go for value RAM...to do otherwise is just a waste. You won't see a performance increase with Kingston Hyper X, OCZ gold, etc because 99% of the benefit of expensive low latency RAM is OC potential.
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This is the truth. If you are not overclocking there is no real reason to get high end ram. The value ram is great and will work rock solid and stock speeds, what more could you ask?

-spike
 
Cheers, I read Zebo's thread about value Vs high-end RAM, helped a lot and I just need to recap etc:


So, if I want to become a really hardcore OCer, then the High-end stuff is worth it, but if I just want to OC at a 'normal' rate (I was going to aim for getting the 3800x2 up to 2.4Ghz), then stuff like the Corsair Value Select is fine and won't hold my CPU back when I try to OC?

And these Memory dividers, is it a programme you download, or something you can edit in the BIOS?

If getting cheap RAM isn't going to nail me then it's a huge advantage because I'm on a budget here.
 
Originally posted by: TheGingerbreadGenius
Cheers, I read Zebo's thread about value Vs high-end RAM, helped a lot and I just need to recap etc:


So, if I want to become a really hardcore OCer, then the High-end stuff is worth it, but if I just want to OC at a 'normal' rate (I was going to aim for getting the 3800x2 up to 2.4Ghz), then stuff like the Corsair Value Select is fine and won't hold my CPU back when I try to OC?

And these Memory dividers, is it a programme you download, or something you can edit in the BIOS?

If getting cheap RAM isn't going to nail me then it's a huge advantage because I'm on a budget here.
Click to expand...

It is an option in the bios of most "good" motherboards. Ask others about what it looks like though as I don't have that option in mine.
 
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