CAS Latency 3/4 or 800+ mhz

[commandercup]

Which is better?

Ive got crappy, PC-6400 5-5-5-15 mem

should I go for a higher frequency (1 gig right now) or should I go down to 667 mhz and have 4-4-4-15 or maybe even 3-3-3-15

 

[jfenwick]

Well, I'm no RAM expert but my ballistix did better with tighter timings but my my RAM speed is linked to my cpu speed so even when I bumped my RAM up to 677 to get it to run in the high 900s my cpu clock was lower to keep it stable, so that factor had to be accounted for...not sure if you have the same problem.

In the end I cranked the RAM up as high as it would go, benchmarked it, then tested it at lower speed with tighter timings, benchmarked it....tighter timings worked for me...but I've seen differences between the OCZ, g.skill and ballistix I've used so best to test for yourself.

Maybe someone else will have a more definitive answer for you....

 

[commandercup]

yeah, since I posted, I've done my own testing, my 3dmark06 score improved by like 20 when I tightened the timings, so I guess I'll stick with that, the speed of the ram is actually 800+ anyways since its linked with my CPU