Windows 7: What's your memory assessment speed?

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Perhaps try clicking the pics...

@ smarteyeball: Got a bit of a random question for you; I was looking at your winsat stats on the previous page (above my first post in this thread), and I can't help but wonder something... Which would you say contributes more to the access speed of your memory, the fact that it's DDR3 or that it's in triple channel?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm already starting to plan my next PC build, even though I'm not quite finished with my current machine, but I'm a big fan of AMD, so (Unless I'm mistaken and they do support it on AM3 for example) I'll lose out on the tri-channel setup...

Have you ever checked your RAM access speeds in dual-channel mode on your current setup?

AM3 is dual channel and no, I haven't tested mine in dual channel.

Basicaly I would say DDR3 contributes more to the overall 'speed' simply because it is capable of achieving a higher clockspeed over DDR2. Cas Latencies also play a big part in it too.

There is still some debate to whether tri-channel actually offers any 'real world' performance advantage over dual-channel and the general consensus is that it doesn't.

So if it's access speed you are concerned with, basically go for the highest mhz you can afford with the lowest stock Cas Latencies. ie 1333mhz CL7 or 1600mhz CL7/8


If you plan to overclock, you will have more 'head room' with a higher rated mhz ie 1600mhz

Going Above 1600mhz, is really only for those aiming for very high OC's.

Outside of mega-overclocks, the only real advantage to buying a 2x2GB DDR3 2000mhz kit would be to run them at a lower speed with tighter timings.

I wouldn't be too concerned about dual vs tri channel.

The only 'real' difference so far, is in synthetic benchmarks.

Hope that helped

That it did, thanks... Reading reviews is all good and well, but not all of them actually give people's personal opinions on matters, that's why I like to ask around.

No worries mate, happy to help

@ smarteyeball: I only meant that there is no need for a screenshot if the only information is a number, people can as well paste the score so it's directly readable in the post, rather than forcing readers to click on the picture of each post. I don't see anything of value in the screenshots other than the score, unless I am missing something? Not a big deal, though, that was just my 2 centavos.

@ ZaLiTH: Thanks, I just checked CPU-Z. Seems to be a little buggy, though, it reports 4 modules installed in slots 1 to 4, when I definitely have only 2 x 2GB DDR2 modules (G-Skill PC2-6400 @ 400MHz).
I'll check my mobo manual to see if I can boost this memory score in winsat & WEI, 400MHz seems pretty slow, but then, it's a 3yo computer.

No worries mate. I understand where you are coming from. You do have a point when it comes to winsat scores.

However when coupled with screenshots of other apps, it's sometimes it's easier and beneficial for others to 'see for themselves'. Plus it negates any 'fake scores' that the occasional person likes to post

(P.S I find it's actually quicker to right click on the pic> and open in new tab)

Where is it being reported as 400mhz? Don't forget that DDR2 is Double Double Rate so therefore 400*2=800mhz actual.

Dang... You beat me to it. I had already opened up a quote in a new tab when I scrolled down and saw this... Lol.

By the way Chimel, just to set your mind at ease, CPU-z isn't actually that buggy... It shows mine as 440MHz for my RAM (DDR2-800 over clocked from 400MHz). But as smarteyeball said, being DDR the effective speed is twice that.

@ZaLiTH: I didn't mean buggy about the speed, just about the slots:
I have 2 modules in 2 slots, leaving 2 slots empty, but CPU-Z says all 4 slots are used.
When I select Slot #1 to #4 in the CPU-Z drop-down list (attached), it shows 2GB in each.

@smarteyeball, ZaLiTH: You're right about the DDR2 actual speed, but CPU-Z says only 400 MHz (in the "Max Bandwidth" field attached), I would expect such a system tool to do the computation for me. Now, let's see, 2 times 400, where's my calculator? ^-^

here is some for comparison.

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