The Perfect Memory For Socket AM2

[AMD K5]

This tread is for finding the best DDR2 Memory for AMD's AM2 Platform.

Discussing.

CAS Latency.

Memory Timings.

Memory Clock Speed.

Memory Size.

 

[AMD K5]

I know that AMD's Switch to DDR2 has not really helped performance at all because of high CAS latency and timings. But these RAM sticks just might do the trick.

With a little manual settings', like manually setting the memory to CAS latency 2,
An manually setting the timings to 2,3,3,6 or something along those lines.

Plus over clocking the CPU so it will take advantage of DDR2?s Added bandwidth. Because it was shown with higher clock speeds the AM2 CPU?s uses more of DDR2?s Bandwidth.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820178090

 

[HamidFULL]

Windows Vista need 2GB of Ram for Performance mod then we should think about 2GB Modules I think Best way for OCing M2 is Buy X2 3800+ 35W(EE) or 65W and OC it to higher than 2.5GHz for this Work we need DDR2 memories that provide at least 720MHz or higher Frequency with CL3 or CL4
I think best way is going with Crucial Ballistix PC2-5300 (DDR2-667) or go with OCZ Modules

 

[uOpt]

I just got the SuperTalent DDR2-1000 in preparation for the new platforms. Kinda silly since I have no DDR2 board whatsoever but hey I didn't want to be the ****** soup chicken when the prices explode after AM2 and Conroe launch

 

[AMD K5]

The reason I suggested the PNY Modules is because they are the closest thing I have seen to DDR. Cas Latency and Timings I have seen with DDR2. I know they are only 512mb apiece but if you have 4 dimm slots then the 2gb for vista isn't a problem and you would have the high speed of DDR2-667-Cas-2 with (2,3,3,6) timings.. + Dual channel.

 

[JAG87]

dont worry so much about timings and frequency. buy good ram for gods sake. Start thinking 2GB+. instead of thinking about getting 512 x 4, think more in the order of 1GB x 4. Thats what you will need to run vista smoothly. For now just get a 2GB kit, and then get another when u get vista.

The only brands you should be looking at are Corsair, Crucial, and OCZ. Kingston kinda of caught up now, then lowered theyr latencies on their kits, so they are in competition too now. If you are planning for an nvidia board start thinking about EPP. For now only corsair offers it, but soon others will too. The speeds you should be looking at are 667 and 800. nothing less (******) nothing more (uber expensive).

 

[HamidFULL]

Originally posted by: AMD K5
The reason I suggested the PNY Modules is because they are the closest thing I have seen to DDR. Cas Latency and Timings I have seen with DDR2. I know they are only 512mb apiece but if you have 4 dimm slots then the 2gb for vista isn't a problem and you would have the high speed of DDR2-667-Cas-2 with (2,3,3,6) timings.. + Dual channel.

your PNY advice is 3-3-3-6 not 2-3-3-6! DDR2 Dont Support CL2!
2x1GB are more performance than 4x512

 

[dguy6789]

For now, you would want 2 1GB sticks of PC2 6400. This will allow you to run at the maximum officially supported memory speed of AM2 and in dual channel while having a sufficient capacity of memory. Memory timings do not matter. The color of your memory alters performance more than memory timings do.

 

[robertk2012]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
For now, you would want 2 1GB sticks of PC2 6400. This will allow you to run at the maximum officially supported memory speed of AM2 and in dual channel while having a sufficient capacity of memory. Memory timings do not matter. The color of your memory alters performance more than memory timings do.

WHAT? Memory timings matter alot to amd chips. Much more than bandwith does.

EDIT: I mistyped here. Im trying to say timing matter more than bandwith. Neither mean much to real world performance.

 

[Venomous]

2 gigs of ram is basically standard nowadays, however... I'm curious as to where you got your info of needing 2 gigs alone going to vista? I run 5381.1 32 bit and 5219 64bit ultimate with 2 gigs perfectly fine. Show me where your getting this info?

 

[dguy6789]

Originally posted by: robertk2012

Originally posted by: dguy6789
For now, you would want 2 1GB sticks of PC2 6400. This will allow you to run at the maximum officially supported memory speed of AM2 and in dual channel while having a sufficient capacity of memory. Memory timings do not matter. The color of your memory alters performance more than memory timings do.

WHAT? Memory timings matter alot to amd chips. Much more than bandwith does.

You seem to be misinformed. Allow me to enlighten you. On the Athlon XP and the Pentium 4, memory timings mattered by quite a bit. You could get sometimes as much as 10% more performance by having really tight memory timings. However, with the K8 architecture, this changed. As you are likely aware, the K8 has an on die memory controller. This dramatically reduces the latency at which the processor accesses memory. It does it by such a factor that it literally makes memory timings settings useless. Due to the extreme efficency of this on die memory controller, the K8 also has a very light requirement for bandwidth as well.

With an Athlon 64, dramatically increasing memory clocks does not net you much performance. Maybe 5% in Sisoft Sandra, and 1-2% in pretty much everything else. Going from timings of like 3 5 5 12 to 2 2 2 5 with the same clocks also does not give you much of a net gain performance increase. Perhaps 3-4% in Sandra, and 0-1% in everything else.

There are two points in this post that I am stating.

1. Memory configuration means next to nothing on an Athlon 64. If I had two systems, one with single channel PC2700 memory and another with dual channel PC4000 memory, both would be within 2% performance of each other 99% of the time. This is due to the efficiency of the on die memory controller. The only reason that I suggested running in dual channel with PC2 6400 is because that is what AM2 officially supports.

2. Sisoft Sandra is a useless benchmark for the most part. Everything it shows is far more exaggerated than it would be in any real world benchmark.

 

[dguy6789]

Originally posted by: Venomous
2 gigs of ram is basically standard nowadays, however... I'm curious as to where you got your info of needing 2 gigs alone going to vista? I run 5381.1 32 bit and 5219 64bit ultimate with 2 gigs perfectly fine. Show me where your getting this info?

If you are curious to what the real requirements are, then here they are.


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx

 

[Bateluer]

These are the sticks I've been leaning towards.

OCZ PC2-6400 5-5-5-10 2x1GB

or

Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400 4-4-4-12 2x1GB

Leaning heavily towards the OCZ modules though becauase their cheaper cost.

 

[secretanchitman]

how about the G Skill DDR2-800 2GB kit on newegg? would that be sufficient for AM2 (maybe even core 2 duo)?

timings are 4-4-4-12. priced at $250.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: secretanchitman
how about the G Skill DDR2-800 2GB kit on newegg? would that be sufficient for AM2 (maybe even core 2 duo)?

timings are 4-4-4-12. priced at $250.

Not familiar with the G Skill brand. I am familiar with OCZ and Crucial, and know them to be of the highest caliber.

 

[dguy6789]

I can vouge for G.Skill. I bought a 1GB stick of their PC3200 and ran it for over a year without problems. Passed any number of memtest tests and all stability tests. I have since sold it to a friend as I now run on a DDR2 platform. Said friend has also had no problems. I recommend G.Skill.

 

[robertk2012]

Originally posted by: dguy6789

Originally posted by: robertk2012

Originally posted by: dguy6789
For now, you would want 2 1GB sticks of PC2 6400. This will allow you to run at the maximum officially supported memory speed of AM2 and in dual channel while having a sufficient capacity of memory. Memory timings do not matter. The color of your memory alters performance more than memory timings do.

WHAT? Memory timings matter alot to amd chips. Much more than bandwith does.

You seem to be misinformed. Allow me to enlighten you. On the Athlon XP and the Pentium 4, memory timings mattered by quite a bit. You could get sometimes as much as 10% more performance by having really tight memory timings. However, with the K8 architecture, this changed. As you are likely aware, the K8 has an on die memory controller. This dramatically reduces the latency at which the processor accesses memory. It does it by such a factor that it literally makes memory timings settings useless. Due to the extreme efficency of this on die memory controller, the K8 also has a very light requirement for bandwidth as well.

With an Athlon 64, dramatically increasing memory clocks does not net you much performance. Maybe 5% in Sisoft Sandra, and 1-2% in pretty much everything else. Going from timings of like 3 5 5 12 to 2 2 2 5 with the same clocks also does not give you much of a net gain performance increase. Perhaps 3-4% in Sandra, and 0-1% in everything else.

There are two points in this post that I am stating.

1. Memory configuration means next to nothing on an Athlon 64. If I had two systems, one with single channel PC2700 memory and another with dual channel PC4000 memory, both would be within 2% performance of each other 99% of the time. This is due to the efficiency of the on die memory controller. The only reason that I suggested running in dual channel with PC2 6400 is because that is what AM2 officially supports.

2. Sisoft Sandra is a useless benchmark for the most part. Everything it shows is far more exaggerated than it would be in any real world benchmark.

Your example is showing bandwith and not timings. Real world is only a small gain for timings but its even smaller for bandwith. Im not really sure why I said timing meant "alot" I was trying to say they meant more than bandwith.

Edit: I just want to be a little clearer in what Im saying. - Neither matter much at all but unless AM2 has surprise and is bandwith hungry the extra bandwith wont be needed since it wont mean a thing performance wise.

If AMD releases a 4 core processor or you ever switch to intel then you might want the added bandwith.

 

[robertk2012]

repost

 

[AMD K5]

It seems AM2 has problem with getting DDR2's Clock Speeds correct....

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31874

I know I know its the inquirer.....

 

[Venomous]

Originally posted by: dguy6789

Originally posted by: Venomous
2 gigs of ram is basically standard nowadays, however... I'm curious as to where you got your info of needing 2 gigs alone going to vista? I run 5381.1 32 bit and 5219 64bit ultimate with 2 gigs perfectly fine. Show me where your getting this info?

If you are curious to what the real requirements are, then here they are.


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx

Like i said, where are you getting 2 gigs just for the OS?

 

[pcoffman]

Originally posted by: AMD K5
It seems AM2 has problem with getting DDR2's Clock Speeds correct....

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31874

Could this be that problem, when Socket-AM2 CPUs use an odd number (as opposed to even number) for the clock multiplier, as in the case of the A64 X2 5000+, 4400+, & 4200+?

See here for more information.

All other AM2 CPUs shouldn't have this problem.

 

[soydios]

The odd multiplier issue with running memory below its maximum rated speed:
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2762&p=10
Very straightforward explanation from Anand.

Impact of timings on Socket939(DDR) and SocketAM2(DDR2) from XBit Labs:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-socket-am2_11.html
Timings matter. DDR2 does have a significantly higher bandwith (go figure), which improves the synthetic benchmarks. Realworld benchmarks are pretty much unchanged.


How about this memory for AM2:
OCZ DDR2-800 2GB(2x1GB) 4-5-4-15
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227089

Also, has anyone done any tests to see if the AM2 memory controller can run 4x double-sided DIMMs at DDR2-800 1T?

 

[imported_wolf359]

I've run most of the vista builds via VMware with 1Gig allocated without any problems at all, I think all this 2Gig stuff is just scare monguring (sp?) or sales hype!