Most Recommended Ram?

[Gabb]

I notice the most recommended ram isnt the corsair xms2
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

but the G skill brand of ram, however I cant seem to find it on newegg and dont think this is their "extreme" version because its really cheap
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

Also what are timings and is it true the lower the timing numbers generally the better?

 

[Jumping_Bean514]

This is the stuff. Timings aren't that important for the core 2 duo, this RAM is great for its overclockability

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

 

[Nagasama]

Also what are timings and is it true the lower the timing numbers generally the better?

timings are difficult to explain. but, yes indeed lower numbers are better.
there are a lot of variables that determine wether timings or speed is more important.
as a general rule, if you are not overclocking, lower timings are preferrable.

 

[Gabb]

This is the stuff. Timings aren't that important for the core 2 duo, this RAM is great for its overclockability

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

Thanks for the link, that was what I was thinking about. I read a lot of corsair xms2 bad reviews by newegg customers but that was back in the start of the year and newegg said they shipped their quantities to corsair and corsair replaced em all with tested products. Nice of corsair after their mess up...but still this G skill ram does have some good user reviews...

 

[Gabb]

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

Er whats the diff between this ram?

I heard one of the users say this is the ram comptable with the p5b but what about the p5n boards?

 

[b1gapl]

They're different models. I think the big difference, is that the HZs have D9 chips. Which make them highly overclockable. I think higher speed is more important to ram, than timings. I could be wrong....because the average user won't notice the change in timings, as much as the speed in ram.

 

[darksideleader]

i like OCZ memory but just the refresh rate is little slower than G Skill. but i like it mostly cuz its cheapest ocable memory in canada

 

[RGELLIS]

With timings - imagine a huge Spreadsheet with all your data stored in the cells, the timings are how many clock cycles to takes to retreive the data from a specific location. The Lower the better basically!

The G.Skill HZs are mostly Micron D9GMH or some are D9GCT which are amazingly good clockers - but just be VERY careful when increasing the voltages to the DDR with the D9s as they have a terrible tendancy to die when the voltages are increased above ~2.2V.

 

[baron5]

with my hz's i did not bother to try get higher mhz im just interested in gettin my fsb:ram ratio as good close as i can to 1:1. with my q6600 @ 3.2 its 9:10. i think its better to have lower timings my hz's are at 4-4-4-5 from 4 12 stock.

 

[joshd]

Timings aren't that important for the core 2 duo

Very much depends what you are doing. If you are trying for good Pi runs, timings are the way to go

@baron5: 4-4-4-5 is an interesting timing... I would concentrate more on getting the CAS down, it would make more difference performacnce wise than dropping the TRAS. Try for CAS 3 maybe? (if you are lucky ) What freq is it running at?