Which DDR2 for best performance?

duffbeer666 · 12 Sep 2008 at 16:45

Which would give better reults for gaming?

DDR2 PC2-6400 4-4-4-12

or

DDR2 PC2-8500 5-5-5-15

In the past I have always gone for the lowest possible latency ram believing that it makes games better.

Have I been mislead?

duffbeer666 · 13 Sep 2008 at 09:55

Anyone?

What is more important - latency or bandwidth?

tigerstyle · 13 Sep 2008 at 11:52

Also very interested in this question!

Google found this old post on a forum, possibly still relevant as the basics are still the same.
http://www.xoxideforums.com/ram/75586-latency-vs-bandwidth.html
rather inconclusive but possibly a start, annoyingly the verdict is 'happy medium' is best =/

jbloggs · 13 Sep 2008 at 12:27

Generally you can loosen the timings on DDR2 PC2-6400 4-4-4-12 to DDR2 PC2-8500 5-5-5-15, or do the reverse, but using PC2-8500 5-5-5-15 will give you the ability for a better o/c, which will then (I would think) give a better gaming performance...

tigerstyle · 13 Sep 2008 at 12:50

Is it at all possible to tighten the timings on PC2-8500 5-5-5-15 as well? Perhaps get the best of both worlds, the faster ram overclocked, and then tighten the timings after?

kitfit1 · 13 Sep 2008 at 14:05

thepedster said:
Is it at all possible to tighten the timings on PC2-8500 5-5-5-15 as well? Perhaps get the best of both worlds, the faster ram overclocked, and then tighten the timings after?

Yes it is. I used to have 2x1gb of Crucial Ballistix PC8500, that ran at 1060 with 4-4-4-12 timings and 2.2vdimm. Of course being Crucial, they did'nt last very long. But it is possible, it means that you may have to go through a lot of ram until you find some that will do it.

jbloggs · 13 Sep 2008 at 14:34

thepedster said:
Is it at all possible to tighten the timings on PC2-8500 5-5-5-15 as well? Perhaps get the best of both worlds, the faster ram overclocked, and then tighten the timings after?

you can loosen the timings on DDR2 PC2-6400 4-4-4-12 to DDR2 PC2-8500 5-5-5-15, or do the reverse

That is what I mean't by "or do the reverse" ie. tighten the timings on PC2-8500...

tigerstyle · 13 Sep 2008 at 20:53

jbloggs said:
That is what I mean't by "or do the reverse" ie. tighten the timings on PC2-8500...

I mean PC2-8500 5-5-5-15 and then tighten the timings to 4-4-4-12 and the overclock it as well, I think I kind of just thought a question I already knew the answer too aloud

yeah all good here..... I guess a lot more volts there will help with that!