Best Memory type for BS

[kirrasdad]

Can I get some thoughts on the best Memory types to Use? I am purchasing a new MoBo and I see DDR2@ 800, 1066, 1200,1333....:wacko: Obviously I guess higher is better but to what degree does it factor into our game performance?

[NullCharacter]

You need to buy the type of memory that the motherboard you are purchasing supports.

[rapid]

1st thing first i think you posted in the wrong section of the forums and 2nd as NullCharter says it really does depend on what your mother board can support.

[TX-EcoDragon]

Can I get some thoughts on the best Memory types to Use? I am purchasing a new MoBo and I see DDR2@ 800, 1066, 1200,1333.... Obviously I guess higher is better but to what degree does it factor into our game performance?

 

There is no way to answer you without knowing the system you are building, as well as if you plan to overclock or not. The motherboard will dictate if you need DDR2 or DDR3 and to a lesser degree, the speed of the RAM. The CPU you select will also be a big factor.

 

In a generic sense, memory clocks have minimal performance boost in most games and sims. . .most overclockers are running between 800 and 1066 MHz RAM. The big deciding factor is the CPU you use, and what FSB speeds it will be running at. For my E8400 overclocked to 3.96 GHz, I need the 1066. Someone with an E8600 won't need that given the the higher CPU multiplier allows lower FSB speeds. RAM is SO cheap right now, you can get 4 gigs of DDR2 1066 for 32 bucks. The same in 800 MHz might be 20.

[kirrasdad]

Thanks Dragon, I appreciate the feedback. I know I need to get the memory the motherboard supports my thought was: in deciding which board to get what memory support would be preferable for Black Shark. Obviously the game is CPU dependent and probably Caches loads of game data to the RAM So I would think speed was an issue. My question is to what degree my spending $100.00 more for a board that supports 1333mhz vs 800mhz factor in to a performance increase. I think this is a great forum for this question due to the volume of dedicated players viewing it at anytime, BTW.

[kirrasdad]

BTW here is the board I am considering: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188024

[MAThrasher]

If you click the specifications tab, it says the memory standard is DDR2-800.

[Groove]

the faster your FSB is, the better. strive for 1333

[TX-EcoDragon]

Well, first comment I'll make is that SLI doesn't do much in most sims. . .in fact if you use FSX it will drastically LOWER performance. The fastest video system in FSX is still the 8800GTS 512!! Sims are strange like that.

 

I play some "games" but my focus is flight sims, and the intel chipset generally is the better overclocker than the SLI boards are, and since sims make so much use of CPU power, and since SLI is a no go for many of them, I would stick with something like a P35/P45 motherboard (that uses DDR2) unless you are an fps type game player and know you want to SLI.

 

One of the better ones you can get is also a lot less cash than that eVGA board: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

 

Also, the listed "DDR standard" really doesn't matter all that much in most cases. . .generally any good overclocking mobo that says "DDR2 800" will be able to run higher DDR2 speeds and high FSB speeds. . .the only potential problem is that many 1000+ MHz DDR2 kits run at voltages like 2.0-2.2 volts, and most of the older DDR2 800 motherboards will need you to change this in the BIOS, since they are probably setting DDR2 voltage to 1.8, while those that say 1333 might be better able to set higher voltages based on the SPD settings on the sticks. Either way, most modern boards should be at 1333 anyway.

 

This depends on the board. I've used Gigabyte and Abit boards that spec DDR2 800, and had no problems with my Ballistix 1000MHz or my OCZ 1066 kits.

 

Oh and if you are looking at 4 GB 1066, here's two (I own the OCZ)

 

OCZ Reapers

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227289

 

Corsair Dominators:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145214

 

The Gskill kits are nice too:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

 

Of course you can also pay a premium for 1100 MHz or faster memory, but I for one think that's a waste of cash. Any of those kits will exceed 1100 MHz, and that's "fast enough". Only way to see a difference will be in dedicated memory benchmarking software, BlackShark will be the same if your CPU clocks stay the same. . .what you want your RAM to do, is tolerate any expected CPU/FSB overclocks, that is where the performance is.

 

From my own benchmarks I ran in Black Shark going between 800 MHz and 1100 MHz itself has next to no effect on fps. In fact neither did going from 2 to 4 (err 3) gigs of RAM (3 since I'm running XP).

 

Here are some benchmarks dedicated to comapring DDR2 800 to 1333. . .it once again shows that there is little difference at all, as long as you can get the desired CPU and FSB overclocks you want without being limited by the RAM (which you wont with good 1066, or even good 800)

 

http://www.breakitdownblog.com/ddr2-800-vs-ddr3-1333-does-speed-matter/

Edited January 9, 2009 by TX-EcoDragon

[dragonhammer]

Memory speeds hardly have any effect at all on perfomance no matter what application or game you run.

This is because 90% off all instructions that run on your ALU are handled thru your cache memory (SRAM) thats build into your CPU.

The only way to increase perfromance is to get a faster CPU

[okolovos oko]

well all people think that fastest memory would work best..it might not be true it depends of your mobo and your cpu..both work togheter with memory and when u plug all togheter your memory might be fast with high latency and it wont bring your expitrience smooth as for example 800 memory module.

I got mobo paid 299 $CAD and wanted to get fastest memory but i couldnt because my cpy would limit it in work and as a result ud have not so smooth play..

CPU and 10xx memory would not match..so i decided to go DDR2 800 low latency modules from kingston and comp works like charm..

So its tough call but in general no matter what you use just get enough of it..

Higher memory modules id use with pentiums for shure..with amd not so much.

[Prophet]

Memory speed and latency hardly effect performance in any app or game. You only need memory that is fast enough to support your FSB.

 

So if you have a CPU with a 1333 FSB rating, you get 333FSB or DDR2-1333 memory. But if you want to overclock that CPU to 400FSB, you need DDR2-1600.

 

FSB x 4 = DDR2 rating and CPU 'FSB' for the S775 systems. Not sure about AMD. The Core i7 is x8.

 

Its about the CPU not the memory. So conversely if the Mobo supports 1333, its supports a CPU that has a default FSB of 1333 like E8400. If you only get MoBo that supports DDR2-800 memory, Then you can only use a CPU such as teh E4600 or the C2D Celerons.

 

It has been proven time and again. Only benchers need 'fast' memory. Its may help a few seconds in some hour long coding/encoding/ripping.

Edited January 10, 2009 by =Prophet=