An interesting read for Sandy Bridge memory choices

DBT85 · 11 Jan 2011 at 15:27

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/memory/2011/01/11/the-best-memory-for-sandy-bridge/1

Just seen this over at Bit-Tech. They tested a bunch of ram at different frequencies and latencies and came out with a bunch of charts showing the results.

An excerpt

As far as gaming goes, though, there's very little point in buying anything faster than 1,600MHz memory. Crysis couldn't care less about what memory you use, while Civ 5 ran equally as fast on the 1,600MHz kit at CL9 as the 2,133MHz at CL8. Only with the memory set to 1,333MHz did we see a slowdown, and even then by 1-3fps (around 5 per cent) at most.

roadie · 11 Jan 2011 at 16:10

Brilliant. I called for an update to their article on Lynnbridge which they did in 2009 last week, and they said check back this

Rofflay · 12 Jan 2011 at 09:31

+1 time to put the kettle on and read as i was hoping someone would show charts on weither or not i should go for frequency v capacity.toms have charts on GTA iv with ram speed v 8GB and the 12GB gives about 2fps over 6GB.

Voices · 12 Jan 2011 at 12:36

Great read

It certainly puts some of my questions to rest. Now it is just a matter of deciding what brand to go for later on.

roadie · 12 Jan 2011 at 12:59

Really does seem that 4Gb of the cheapest PC3-12800C9 RAM will do. That's what I'm going to go for, as by the time 8Gb is needed for my usage, prices should have dropped.

3t3P · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:23

good find thanks

still gonma go for 8gb tho

3t3P · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:25

good find thanks

still gonma go for 8gb tho

MumboJumbo · 12 Jan 2011 at 19:47

I too am going 8gb because it appears that games like metro are finaly starting to make an attempt and using more ram. Though I think the game is just badly optimised tbh.

On a complete side note, how does an SSD and 4gb compare vs mechanical hard drive and 8gb. Or even 3gb vs 8gb.

I ask because when the pc runs out of ram it uses the hard drive and SSD's are incredibly quick, I wonder if there is even much benefit to having more than 3gb when you have an ssd becuase the ssd may actually be faster than the ram its self? I'm not sure, i've never compared stats. If that was the case then it would suggest that ssd's would one day take over ram. Hah, there's a thought. Imagin ssd ram.

Rofflay · 12 Jan 2011 at 22:46

8igdave said:
I too am going 8gb because it appears that games like metro are finaly starting to make an attempt and using more ram. Though I think the game is just badly optimised tbh.

You going by the reccomended specs asking for 8GB? i heard its complete fubar as the game cannot address more than 4GB and uses only 2.5GB?

MumboJumbo · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:31

Rofflay said:
You going by the reccomended specs asking for 8GB? i heard its complete fubar as the game cannot address more than 4GB and uses only 2.5GB?

I was under that impression also as 32bit processes can't address more than 3.25gb or something like that. But a very small selection of games run 64bit. I don't really understand why the next os doesn't switch to 64bit. Can you even buy pc's without 4gb in any more really? Apart from the obvious tiny laptops etc. Well at least I'm presuming the next windows will be 32bit and 64bit. Which clearly is only holding the industry back while we are split between the two.

But back on track, I don't have any intention of buying the game, but it is at least a step in the right direction. There is a lot of pc power available now which isn't being utilised. Seems that only gpu's are really being utilised.