2-3-2-5 V 3-3-2-8 (Gaming Difference)

Nelly

Nelly

Nelly

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Just curious regarding timings, I wonder how much difference timings make in regards to Frames per second etc, are we talking 2-3fps or more?

I have tried looking for the info but there was nothing particular that acknowleged what I was looking for. :rolleyes:

So. . . how much do timings really make in gaming???
 
dont mean to be sounded cheeky but how come you dont just do a benchmark with css or ut2004 or something with the lower timings then try it again with the higher ? or can your memory not do that slack a timing?
 
very little if anything

and also the last number, is normally motherboard dependant.

DFI NF4's like the 6-8 range. :)

Tom
 
sja360 said:
dont mean to be sounded cheeky but how come you dont just do a benchmark with css or ut2004 or something with the lower timings then try it again with the higher ? or can your memory not do that slack a timing?
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No problem, wasnt really referring to my own memory just various ram in general, a lot of people are saying that AMD64 rigs benefit from tight timings, but how does this relate to gaming?

I've got a friend interested in buying my G.Skill 2GB DDR ZX PC3200 at a good price, anyway I coudnt resist the temptation of buying some OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC4000 Dual Channel Platinum Series, which from what I've read from various forums as well as some of the chaps on here will run tight timings like the ZX as well as high FSB, so I've got the best of both worlds?? I will be investing in a new processor eventually so hope I've made a good choice. :confused:
 
I saw a review of some memory on the a64 at toms hardware. They Cant remember the exact timings but think it was 2,2,2,5 @ 200mhz against 3,3,3,8 @ 275mhz and it came out about equal so that shows you need an extra 75 on fsb to get the same times. Best just to bench yourself.

Im unsure whats going to be best when my fx60 arrives - keep cpu at 200 with mem at 200 on 1:1 and just raise multi or run mem on divider and use high fsb.
 
i have recently gone from 1 gig of corsair pro at 2-2-2-5 to 2 gig of mushkin red at 3-3-2-8 the corsair was on a divider with the timings as above and mushkin on 1:1 at ddr 520 and tbh the corsair performed better in benchies . if anything in games the mushkin is smoother but there isnt much in it
 
It does make a difference of a few percent, but not worth the extra cost IMO. By which I mean that a 2gig set of RAM costing say £120 will only be a few percent slower than a 2gig set costing say £200.

You get much better value for money by spending £80 extra on a graphics card than £80 extra on memory, as far as gaming goes.

I have actually done some gaming benchmarks in the past (using quake3 to make it more of a cpu/memory benchmark) and found that changing the timings made maybe a 5% difference to framerate.
 
ted34 said:
I saw a review of some memory on the a64 at toms hardware. They Cant remember the exact timings but think it was 2,2,2,5 @ 200mhz against 3,3,3,8 @ 275mhz and it came out about equal so that shows you need an extra 75 on fsb to get the same times. Best just to bench yourself.

Im unsure whats going to be best when my fx60 arrives - keep cpu at 200 with mem at 200 on 1:1 and just raise multi or run mem on divider and use high fsb.
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Mate, I cant resist. Are you actually getting an FX60 for £750 or will you get an Opty 165 for £260? I did the latter and urge you to do the same as I run it above FX60 speeds :D In other words I got a FX60 for a 3rd of the price.
I run 1gb of BH-5 with this monster cpu. 295HTT, ram at 195mhz@2-2-2-5.
It's pretty amazingly quick :) And I am yet to start pushing the ram.
 
Not a lab result but gives you a clue as to what to expect

GeilvGskill.gif


Top result = G.skill pc4000 2x1gb
2nd result = Geil Ultra Platinum pc3200 2x512mb
 
Okay my next question in relation to timings/gaming, I see a lot of people recommend using PC3200 ram & using a divider to keep the tight timings, so whats the point in buying PC4000 ram which in most circumstances is around £70 more expensive?

I'm not really into overclocking but whats the major advantage of using the PC4000 ram over using PC3200 using a divider?

Someone please enlighten me. . .

Appreciate the info.
 
there isnt a lot of point, when your using an a64 at least. its true they DO like tight timings, and they are happy with 200-220mhz ram which most pc3200 will do with easy. the extra money is better spent elsewhere:)
 
Okay thanks James, well I know this sounds very dense to most of you overclockers but take for example an Opteron 170 or say X2 4400, would I still be able to reach 2.6/2.8/3.0 ghz using PC3200 ram with a divider?

A few opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
 
yup, no problems. that's the whole idea behind using a devider. It keeps your memory in sync letting you push the fsb higher.

I run a 3ghz opteron with pc3200 on a devidor:)
 
Wow! <not being sarcastic> that means I'll save myself a good £200+ on NOT! changing ram!!! :) :) :)
 
If this is all true then why are people overclocking with the PC4000 if it costs £70 more say & you can have the same results with the PC3200?? Come on whose got the PC4000 lets hear your side of things! :)
 
Main reason i went for the pc4000 was i wanted 2gb and fancied a change!, so for about £40 more than Geil Value i got the faster stuff and as the benchy shows it works out the faster stuff is a tiny bit faster with slacker timings and run 1:1 with FSB/HTT, i'm happy with that result for a slight increase in cost, no way would i go for the top of the range pc4000 stuff with tight timings like the OCZ Platinums @ £234 :eek:
G.Skill pc3200 ZX's are the same cost as the HZ's i'm sure the results would be very close to those above, pick whatever best suits the your current overclock, if my chip went to 2.9 then i may have picked the PC3200 and used a divider, as it is its max is 2.8 at a push which the HZ's will do 1:1 i suppose you could say the pc4000 is for the lazy overclock :o less agro not fiddling with dividers.

Is the speed noticeable in games ?? about as noticable as going from 2.6Ghz to 2.7Ghz . . . . hardly if at all.

Thats my take on ram speeds anyhow.
 
Mate, I cant resist. Are you actually getting an FX60 for £750 or will you get an Opty 165 for £260? I did the latter and urge you to do the same as I run it above FX60 speeds In other words I got a FX60 for a 3rd of the price.
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What heatsink and fan did you have to buy to get those speeds? Or does it just do them like the celeron 300 did 450 etc...
 
same thing really. we all use decent heatsinks, like the thermalright si-120's, thermaltake big typhoon's, scyth ninja's ect.... my single core opteron 148 (stock 2.2ghz) does 3ghz with a scyth ninja cooling it down:)
 
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