Does low latency RAM effect FPS / Graphics?

PikKOn · 16 Jul 2009 at 15:25

Hi all, I was just wondering whether the latency of RAM effects the frame rate in games? I remember seeing a benchmark and it stated how the lower the latency of RAM the higher FPS count it had. I would imagine quality of RAM does effect games in a massive way.

Additionally, I was thinking of building a new rig but the idea of this triple channel memory is annoying me. I mean does VISTA or any games or applications use 6GB RAM? Is it ideal to wait for Windows 7 before building such a monstrous rig?

JonJ678 · 16 Jul 2009 at 16:25

Your two points contradict each other.

The first states that more memory performance has a massive effect on games. The second states that trichannel with its enormous improvement in memory bandwidth is annoying.

PikKOn · 16 Jul 2009 at 17:02

I thought it was better to have faster speed RAM than a lot of RAM? i.e. better to have 2GB of 2000MhZ FSB than 6GB RAM running at 1300MHZ...

JeremyW · 16 Jul 2009 at 17:34

Personally I'd take the 6GB of slow over 2GB of quick any day.

A lot of the tech sites have recently done i7 Memory scaling articles, have a read of those e.g. Anandtech's.

HTH
Jeremy