The Great Memory Myth concerning AMD processors.

robertk2012

Platinum Member
Dec 14, 2004
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Before you start flaming all I do is ask you to read this review and benchmark of a top notch ram. If you dont like that brand pick any that you like.

What I ask is that you show me where all of those performance gains come from. Im tired of people acting like im stupid when I post that spending a ton of money is not worth it and that bandwith is not that important. All that is needed is a good ram with solid timings than can overclock slightly for flexiblilty.

So let the games begin.
 

AkumaX

Lifer
Apr 20, 2000
12,643
3
81
Originally posted by: robertk2012
Before you start flaming all I do is ask you to read this review and benchmark of a top notch ram. If you dont like that brand pick any that you like.

What I ask is that you show me where all of those performance gains come from. Im tired of people acting like im stupid when I post that spending a ton of money is not worth it and that bandwith is not that important. All that is needed is a good ram with solid timings than can overclock slightly for flexiblilty.

So let the games begin.

who thinks youre stupid for not wanting to spend a lot of $$$ on expensive ram?

an even better example on saving your $$$ on LL vs high FSB ram
 

robertk2012

Platinum Member
Dec 14, 2004
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Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Bit apples to oranges there, 939 doesn't use DDR2 so it'd be rather silly using a review of DDR2 ram to justify spending money on DDR RAM.

Ummm thats DDR ram.
 

Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
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Originally posted by: robertk2012
Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Bit apples to oranges there, 939 doesn't use DDR2 so it'd be rather silly using a review of DDR2 ram to justify spending money on DDR RAM.

Ummm thats DDR ram.


Whoops so it is :D

*Goes to find bucket to drown himself in*
 

Furen

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2004
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Buying the most overclockable, lowest latency ram out there will not give you the best return on your cash investment but it will give you the best absolute performance. Personally, I think that this performance difference is negligible, but then again, I also think that the difference between 2.4GHz and 2.6GHz is negligible. Some people want the most performance out there regardless of the cost, so trying to convince them to save a few bucks (ok, more than a few) by sacrificing performance just wont work.
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
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Since no data yet exists on the performance of the AMD AM2/DDR2 platform, any and ALL arguments over whether or not S939/DDR1 is superior or most cost effective are irrelevent.

Once AM2 is released, and we can see the performance numbers, then we can bicker to our hearts content.
 

robertk2012

Platinum Member
Dec 14, 2004
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Originally posted by: Furen
Buying the most overclockable, lowest latency ram out there will not give you the best return on your cash investment but it will give you the best absolute performance. Personally, I think that this performance difference is negligible, but then again, I also think that the difference between 2.4GHz and 2.6GHz is negligible. Some people want the most performance out there regardless of the cost, so trying to convince them to save a few bucks (ok, more than a few) by sacrificing performance just wont work.

Well if you look at what the performace boost is when you increase the clock from 2.4 to 2.64 in the same link you will see that you get a much larger gain from the CPU increases.
 

robertk2012

Platinum Member
Dec 14, 2004
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Originally posted by: Bateluer
Since no data yet exists on the performance of the AMD AM2/DDR2 platform, any and ALL arguments over whether or not S939/DDR1 is superior or most cost effective are irrelevent.

Once AM2 is released, and we can see the performance numbers, then we can bicker to our hearts content.

Not sure what your talking about.
 

Cook1

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
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I'd have to agree, that right now with all the tests shown AMD does not gain a significant amount of performance to justify upgrading to their new platform. However, I'm pretty sure that in a few months (maybe even up to a year), we'll begin to see jumps in performance in increased RAM bandwidth as they begin to utilize the technology.

Now, with me just building a pretty slick S939 rig with an Opty 165, I would have prefered seeing them stick with 939 longer then what they have. But personally I don't see myself going to M2 anytime soon, even after a few months and the test results come out that DDR2 is teh win.
 

robertk2012

Platinum Member
Dec 14, 2004
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Originally posted by: Cook1
I'd have to agree, that right now with all the tests shown AMD does not gain a significant amount of performance to justify upgrading to their new platform. However, I'm pretty sure that in a few months (maybe even up to a year), we'll begin to see jumps in performance in increased RAM bandwidth as they begin to utilize the technology.

Now, with me just building a pretty slick S939 rig with an Opty 165, I would have prefered seeing them stick with 939 longer then what they have. But personally I don't see myself going to M2 anytime soon, even after a few months and the test results come out that DDR2 is teh win.

I agree with everything you said but im not talking about the new platform. Im talking current DDR.
 

Furen

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2004
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The data in the page you linked does not show the whole picture, though. 2-3-2 1GB dimms ARE low latency, so this, once again, turns into a low-clock, low latency VS high-clock, high latency discussion, not a cheap memory vs expensive memory discussion. I still think that cheap memory gives you more bang for your buck, but your comparison does not actually include any cheap memory to compare these to. Even so, my point remains. Everyone gives performance vs price a different weight, some people actually buy FX chips event hough the benefit from buying this instead of an X2 4800+ is less than 7% while the price premium is something like $400. If you take into account the whole system, the ~$100 price markup for the best memory out there compared to the cheapo brand is relatively minor compared to the 5% or so performance increase from going with it.
 

TrevorRC

Senior member
Jan 8, 2006
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Buying expensive computer hardware is like going into an expensive/nice restaurant.

You don't go in because the food is MARGINALLY better. (5-7%)

You go in for the experience, the atmosphere, the environment.

Buying that 20% more expensive set of RAM buys you hours of entertainment...
and a bigger e-penis.
:)
--Trevor

 

nyker96

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2005
5,630
2
81
I don't think low lat RAM itself will gain you much performace, last I heard is 3-5% on some apps. But it gives you head room to OC your CPU when you needed to. That might net you an extra 10-15% performance. However, all in all, most people don't buy them for the performance, they buy them for the fun of able to push the CPU to the limit. And I think for them the main objective isn't to save money.
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
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OFN.

Anyone knowledgeable here knows it's smarter to get 3-3-3 RAM with an X1900XT instead of 2-3-2 with a 7800GT, just as example.

But i still like my 2-3-2 RAM ;)
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,762
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Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Originally posted by: robertk2012
Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Bit apples to oranges there, 939 doesn't use DDR2 so it'd be rather silly using a review of DDR2 ram to justify spending money on DDR RAM.

Ummm thats DDR ram.


Whoops so it is :D

*Goes to find bucket to drown himself in*

Why a bucket? Go to the kitchen drawer and grab a sppoon! :D ....sorry, couldn't help it ;)
 

Cook1

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
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Originally posted by: n7
OFN.

Anyone knowledgeable here knows it's smarter to get 3-3-3 RAM with an X1900XT instead of 2-3-2 with a 7800GT, just as example.

But i still like my 2-3-2 RAM ;)

Oh but keep in mind that price between 2-3-2 w/7800GT is LESS then the 3-3-3/X1900XT...way less I might add.

I went with the GT cause I'm not supa rich?
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
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Blah, bite me :p

That was merely an example to make a point.
 

CheesePoofs

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2004
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:thumbsup: I'm the proud owner of 2 sticks of 512mb Corsair Value Select and 2 of 512mb G.Skill value ram (purchased at 2 different times) running on my 3000+ winny clocked at 2.45ghz. Ram's running at ~175 with 2T timings and lower than default latencies because there are 4 sticks, but its still way more worth it than 2 1gb sticks.
 

AkumaX

Lifer
Apr 20, 2000
12,643
3
81
Originally posted by: n7
OFN.

Anyone knowledgeable here knows it's smarter to get 3-3-3 RAM with an X1900XT instead of 2-3-2 with a 7800GT, just as example.

But i still like my 2-3-2 RAM ;)

i got 2-3-2-5 ram that won't do 2-2-2-5 :(
(how much of a difference you think it would be ;))
 

96redformula

Member
Dec 27, 2005
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NOTICE THIS: Go to QUAKE 3 and The game at the bottom, FRAMERATES in games are practically the Same at DDR400 and DDR533!! This coming from a person that has Crucial Ballistix.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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bleh, i know my ram is expensive, and i know it was a poor investment, but for once, i wanted to build something using premium parts and not value parts. Its true, if on budget, you dont need 300 dollar ram modules, but i think my computer would look kinda funny if i bought cheap ram that didnt have heat spreaders, yet when u looked inside it was running 2 6800GT's in SLI.

BTW 1 of the 6800GT's was the only thing that i recycled from my old to new. :X
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: aigomorla
bleh, i know my ram is expensive, and i know it was a poor investment, but for once, i wanted to build something using premium parts and not value parts. Its true, if on budget, you dont need 300 dollar ram modules, but i think my computer would look kinda funny if i bought cheap ram that didnt have heat spreaders, yet when u looked inside it was running 2 6800GT's in SLI. :X
Please don't be offended, but that is just silly. You can add heatspreaders to value ram for very little money.

I was preachin' the gossple about "value" ram for A64 2 yrs ago *breaks arm patting self on back* I did get some interesting responses though, as not everyone fits in the same niche. Some were coming from P4 where the primo ram was offering better bang-for-buck@the time, others stated they had invested in primo ram, and the equity came from getting to keep it build after build.

If building new, and like many, need to carefully select components to get best price-to-performance ratio due to budget constraints, then I too believe ram is the best place to skimp on the system, to free up cash to sink into a quality PSU or better vid card, ect. Since 1gb sticks took over, the 512mb primo has been going for pretty cheap used too.