Hi!
I have seen many people around with nForce4 boards using a ?tRAS? of 5, a few with a ?tRAS? of 8 and many others with a tRAS of 6 or 7, including me.
Several well known sites stated the best memory performance on nForce4 motherboards was achieved with a ?tRAS? of 7. Others stated that performance with a tRAS of 6,7 or 8 didn?t make any difference, was exactly the same.
I decided I had to test it by myself in order to see if that also applied to my nForce4 system. My Ram memory was running at 236.5 Mhz with 2-3-3-6 1T timings.
I wanted to test the impact on performance a tRAS of 5, 7 and 8 would have on my Ram memory subsystem.
IMO, the best tool for Ram memory performance comparison is RightMark Memory Analyzer. The actual version is this: 3.5 (bug fixed). You can download it here:
RightMark Memory Analyzer 3.5 (Latest version)
This tool is extremely accurate and offers some very nice features. The best one is the possibility to change your Ram memory timings ?on the Fly?. You can also test the Ram performance and stability.
Note: All these results were obtained under same circumstances (same processes running, 0% Cpu load at the beginning of each test, no reboots?).
Test Method: Every single test has been run 4 times each in order to get the most accurate to real performance average values (Ex: 2-3-3-x timings at 236.5 Mhz > I have run 4 times the ?float copy? test with a tRAS of 5, 4 times with a tRAS of 6 and so on?). So after each single test like 2-3-3-5 @ 236.5 Mhz I had 4 different (very close) average results/scores. To get the final constant average I discarded the highest and lowest result/score (bandwidth Mb/s) so that two average scores remained. With those 2 remaining scores the job is nearly done, just calculate the average value between them.
I think this is the fairest method to obtain real average values.
Ram performance test: Stream (Min 512Kb, Max 10.240Mb) > Selected tests > Float Copy (heaviest)
*All tests were run at 1T Command Rate*
*AVG value: Out of 4 average results, remember!*
*All Ram speeds/timings are stable (no errors) through Memtest+ 1.51 (Test 5 & 6)*
*My Corsair memory cannot run at 200 Mhz with 2-2-2-x nor 2-3-2-x timings on Asus A8N SLI Deluxe that?s why I had to find out the max stable ram speed at those timings. Results at higher speeds will be proportionally equivalent so do not worry about that. My Ram can go very high, past 300 Mhz at 1T (checked it out on the DFI nF4 SLI-DR a friend let me for a week time ago) but couldn?t test that because of the ASUS 1:1 ratio problem, it?s a pity!*
1) TEST 1: Ram at 2-2-2-x @ 168?4 Mhz (Cpu 2020 Mhz > 202x10, DDR333, LDT 5x)
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-5: 2726?5 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-6: 2722 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-7: 2730 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-8: 2690 Mb/s
The tRAS 7 wins here. However, what surprises me is the fact that a tRAS of 5 performs way better than a tRAS of 6. Honestly, I didn?t expect this, I thought 6 would perform better, but here the rule 6/7 tRAS breaks out. For 2-2-2-x timings, the rule seems to be 7/5 tRAS.
2) TEST 2: Ram at 2-2-3-x @ 219 Mhz (Cpu 2190 Mhz > 219x10, DDR400, LDT 4x)
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-5: 3342 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-6: 3351 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-7: 3354 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-8: 3314?5 Mb/s
tRAS of 7 and tRAS of 6: Clear winners here
3) TEST 3: Ram at 2-3-2-x @ 170 Mhz (Cpu 2040 Mhz > 204x10, DDR 333, LDT 5x)
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-5: 2726 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-6: 2735 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-7: 2728 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-8: 2701 Mb/s
Here, we can appreciate that a tRAS of 6 performs better than a tRAS of 7 and the difference is quite important if you compare it to the rest of the tests. I have run this particular test 4 more times just to be sure and results were proportionally the same.
4) TEST 4: Ram at 2-3-3-x @ 236?5 Mhz (Cpu 2601 Mhz > 289x9, DDR333, LDT 4x)
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-5: 3317?5 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-6: 3319 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-7: 3321 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-8: 3306 Mb/s
5) TEST 5: Ram at 2.5-3-3-x @ 240?3 Mhz (Cpu 2403 Mhz > 299x8, DDR333, LDT 3x)
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-5: 3333 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-6: 3333 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-7: 3333 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-8: 3288 Mb/s
In this case, we can see that 5, 6 & 7 Tras values have achieved the same final average result. In order to choose the best performer and second best performer I had to find out the Highest Min and Max bandwidth values those different tRas values got. Results revealed a Tras of 7 get the highest Min bandwidth value and an average Max bandwidth value. IMO, it is more important to keep high a minimum constant bandwidth than to get a Max value only once, that?s why I?ve chosen Tras 7 as the best performer.
Final Conclusions:
tRAS 7: Winner. Best one for top performance over all. (Recommended)
tRAS 6: Very close to tRAS 7 on performance, specially recommended for 2-3-2-x timings. (Recommended)
tRAS 5: Not good performance (Not recommended)
tRAS 8: Worst performance of all. Do not use it (Not recommended)
You should run this tests in order to find which tRAS value performs the best for your system/rig 'cause results may vary depending on your hardware/software.
If anyone wants me to run a test with different Ram timings like 2.5-4-4-x or so, please, tell me, I will post my results here.
Good Luck!
I have seen many people around with nForce4 boards using a ?tRAS? of 5, a few with a ?tRAS? of 8 and many others with a tRAS of 6 or 7, including me.
Several well known sites stated the best memory performance on nForce4 motherboards was achieved with a ?tRAS? of 7. Others stated that performance with a tRAS of 6,7 or 8 didn?t make any difference, was exactly the same.
I decided I had to test it by myself in order to see if that also applied to my nForce4 system. My Ram memory was running at 236.5 Mhz with 2-3-3-6 1T timings.
I wanted to test the impact on performance a tRAS of 5, 7 and 8 would have on my Ram memory subsystem.
IMO, the best tool for Ram memory performance comparison is RightMark Memory Analyzer. The actual version is this: 3.5 (bug fixed). You can download it here:
RightMark Memory Analyzer 3.5 (Latest version)
This tool is extremely accurate and offers some very nice features. The best one is the possibility to change your Ram memory timings ?on the Fly?. You can also test the Ram performance and stability.
Note: All these results were obtained under same circumstances (same processes running, 0% Cpu load at the beginning of each test, no reboots?).
Test Method: Every single test has been run 4 times each in order to get the most accurate to real performance average values (Ex: 2-3-3-x timings at 236.5 Mhz > I have run 4 times the ?float copy? test with a tRAS of 5, 4 times with a tRAS of 6 and so on?). So after each single test like 2-3-3-5 @ 236.5 Mhz I had 4 different (very close) average results/scores. To get the final constant average I discarded the highest and lowest result/score (bandwidth Mb/s) so that two average scores remained. With those 2 remaining scores the job is nearly done, just calculate the average value between them.
I think this is the fairest method to obtain real average values.
Ram performance test: Stream (Min 512Kb, Max 10.240Mb) > Selected tests > Float Copy (heaviest)
*All tests were run at 1T Command Rate*
*AVG value: Out of 4 average results, remember!*
*All Ram speeds/timings are stable (no errors) through Memtest+ 1.51 (Test 5 & 6)*
*My Corsair memory cannot run at 200 Mhz with 2-2-2-x nor 2-3-2-x timings on Asus A8N SLI Deluxe that?s why I had to find out the max stable ram speed at those timings. Results at higher speeds will be proportionally equivalent so do not worry about that. My Ram can go very high, past 300 Mhz at 1T (checked it out on the DFI nF4 SLI-DR a friend let me for a week time ago) but couldn?t test that because of the ASUS 1:1 ratio problem, it?s a pity!*
1) TEST 1: Ram at 2-2-2-x @ 168?4 Mhz (Cpu 2020 Mhz > 202x10, DDR333, LDT 5x)
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-5: 2726?5 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-6: 2722 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-7: 2730 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-2-2-8: 2690 Mb/s
The tRAS 7 wins here. However, what surprises me is the fact that a tRAS of 5 performs way better than a tRAS of 6. Honestly, I didn?t expect this, I thought 6 would perform better, but here the rule 6/7 tRAS breaks out. For 2-2-2-x timings, the rule seems to be 7/5 tRAS.
2) TEST 2: Ram at 2-2-3-x @ 219 Mhz (Cpu 2190 Mhz > 219x10, DDR400, LDT 4x)
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-5: 3342 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-6: 3351 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-7: 3354 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-2-3-8: 3314?5 Mb/s
tRAS of 7 and tRAS of 6: Clear winners here
3) TEST 3: Ram at 2-3-2-x @ 170 Mhz (Cpu 2040 Mhz > 204x10, DDR 333, LDT 5x)
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-5: 2726 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-6: 2735 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-7: 2728 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-3-2-8: 2701 Mb/s
Here, we can appreciate that a tRAS of 6 performs better than a tRAS of 7 and the difference is quite important if you compare it to the rest of the tests. I have run this particular test 4 more times just to be sure and results were proportionally the same.
4) TEST 4: Ram at 2-3-3-x @ 236?5 Mhz (Cpu 2601 Mhz > 289x9, DDR333, LDT 4x)
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-5: 3317?5 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-6: 3319 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-7: 3321 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2-3-3-8: 3306 Mb/s
5) TEST 5: Ram at 2.5-3-3-x @ 240?3 Mhz (Cpu 2403 Mhz > 299x8, DDR333, LDT 3x)
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-5: 3333 Mb/s
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-6: 3333 Mb/s (Second best)
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-7: 3333 Mb/s (Best performance)
Results with Ram at 2.5-3-3-8: 3288 Mb/s
In this case, we can see that 5, 6 & 7 Tras values have achieved the same final average result. In order to choose the best performer and second best performer I had to find out the Highest Min and Max bandwidth values those different tRas values got. Results revealed a Tras of 7 get the highest Min bandwidth value and an average Max bandwidth value. IMO, it is more important to keep high a minimum constant bandwidth than to get a Max value only once, that?s why I?ve chosen Tras 7 as the best performer.
Final Conclusions:
tRAS 7: Winner. Best one for top performance over all. (Recommended)
tRAS 6: Very close to tRAS 7 on performance, specially recommended for 2-3-2-x timings. (Recommended)
tRAS 5: Not good performance (Not recommended)
tRAS 8: Worst performance of all. Do not use it (Not recommended)
You should run this tests in order to find which tRAS value performs the best for your system/rig 'cause results may vary depending on your hardware/software.
If anyone wants me to run a test with different Ram timings like 2.5-4-4-x or so, please, tell me, I will post my results here.
Good Luck!
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