Different timings

igorm · 5 Feb 2013 at 14:30

Hello all, again.

I am looking at upgrading my RAM (from 2x2gb to 4x2gb). Currently I have 2x ddr2 Kingston 2gb pc2-6400 (800MHz) sticks with 5-5-5-18 at 400 Mhz and I would like to double it to 8gb in total, but it seems that all ddr2 2gb ram sticks are with 5-5-5-15 at 400MHz only, would it work together (2 sticks with 5-5-5-18 and 2 sticks with 5-5-5-15)?

Is 5-5-5-15 will be downgrated to 5-5-5-18?

Or should I get new 4 pc2-8500 sticks all with 5-5-5-15? And how much that will make of a difference (considering its twice the price of buying 2 sticks)?

Thank you.

Sir SpankalotUK · 5 Feb 2013 at 14:47

I highly doubt you will be able to notice a difference except looking at results from a benchmark. It's really the very first number that makes the real life difference, not so much the others.

If you added more ram, I would set to the weakest timings, just to keep all sticks running the same, i.e. 5-5-5-18. I would also try to make sure I get ram to work on the same voltage, to help avoid any issues.

troops · 6 Feb 2013 at 02:14

Also depends what your motherboard chipset is aswell for 8500 speeds with 4 sticks.
More likey your sticks you mentioned will all run at 5-5-5-18 if set to auto.

Blue160 · 6 Feb 2013 at 07:40

All the sticks will run at the slower timings, which isn't a difference you'll notice.

I would say that if you are using a rig old enough to still be on ddr2 it might be worth putting the money towards a platform upgrade rather than more memory.

igorm · 7 Feb 2013 at 17:21

That is what I thought going to happen (timing will drop)

Blue160 said:
All the sticks will run at the slower timings, which isn't a difference you'll notice.

I would say that if you are using a rig old enough to still be on ddr2 it might be worth putting the money towards a platform upgrade rather than more memory.

I have a long-term plan to upgrade my PC, new motherboard is not going to happen soon