Upgrading memory - Questions on actual performance increase

[glennc]

Hello to all,
Recently upgraded my system to 8 GB dual channel PC26400 (400Mhz) memory. Is there a significant increase in getting a faster, better DDR2 memory. Any opinions, suggestions or products appreciated. Thanks for any assistance!
Glenn

 

[Layback Bear]

http://ee.gigabyte.com/products/page/mb/ga-ma785gm-us2h_10/

http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Memory/mb_memory_ga-ma785gm-us2h.pdf
Answer is yes, 800 mhz is faster that 400 mhz, 1600 mhz is faster than both.
This sit will explain.

Hertz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[glennc]

http://ee.gigabyte.com/products/page/mb/ga-ma785gm-us2h_10/

http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Memory/mb_memory_ga-ma785gm-us2h.pdf
Answer is yes, 800 mhz is faster that 400 mhz, 1600 mhz is faster than both.
This sit will explain.

Hertz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks Layback Bear! Appreciate the information!
Glenn

 

[bobkn]

Lets be clear: PC2 6400 is the same as DDR2 800, which has an actual 400 MHz clock. (DDR transfers data on the up and down transitions, so two transfers per clock tick.)

The QVL link from Layback Bear includes PC2 9600 (DDR2 1200), but that may be hard to find at this date. (All of the PC2 9600 listings at www.newegg.com have been deactivated. PC2 8500 = DDR2 1066 is the fastest with active listings.)

I doubt that the real-world difference between PC2 6400 and PC2 8500 would be enough to justify the change. If your main interest was running benchmarks, you'd have moved on to a newer system with DDR3 long ago.

 

[glennc]

Lets be clear: PC2 6400 is the same as DDR2 800, which has an actual 400 MHz clock. (DDR transfers data on the up and down transitions, so two transfers per clock tick.)

The QVL link from Layback Bear includes PC2 9600 (DDR2 1200), but that may be hard to find at this date. (All of the PC2 9600 listings at www.newegg.com have been deactivated. PC2 8500 = DDR2 1066 is the fastest with active listings.)

I doubt that the real-world difference between PC2 6400 and PC2 8500 would be enough to justify the change. If your main interest was running benchmarks, you'd have moved on to a newer system with DDR3 long ago.

Thank bobkn,
For helping translate the numbers. So you are saying the my RAM is actually 800 MHz and CPU-Z is showing it as 400 MHz?!?? Also thanks for the real world translation. I guess I am good with 8 GB of 800 Mhz. Even when I had only 4 GBs the gadget rarely goes more than 60 %
Glenn