RAM Timings vs. RAM Speed

[mfas]

I would like to know if you would have any idea which of the configurations would be the faster one?

QX6700@3300 (300 * 11)
Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400C4D @900 4-4-4-12-1T

or:

QX6700@3330 (333 * 10)
Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5D @1000 5-5-5-18-2T

Which is the most important in this setup for speed - is it the ram timings or is it the bus speed? My motherboard doesn't support 1:1 fsb/memory timings, so 1.33/1 is the best option I have (Intel D975XBX2).

 

[BenchZowner]

The first config ( 900 4-4-4-12 1T ) will be faster only in...some benchmarks.

In real-life ( except WinRAR and some other archiving utilities ) memory performance doesn't change anything.
For example in gaming, having a C2Q @ 4GHz with RAM @ DDR2-1000 3-3-3-4 1T , doesn't differ than having the same config C2Q 4GHz & RAM @ DDR2-1400 5-5-5-15 2T.
You can check the first DDR-2 memory roundup on my site, where we tested various memory kits under various frequencies & timings in various apps, while keeping the CPU frequency stable.

 

[nullpointerus]

Cool!!

It's great to see confirmation on this because it was really bugging me for a while.


Besides, I have value RAM coming in the mail.

 

[mfas]

Thanks BenchZowner for your answer - I've been doing some testing last night, in trying to get a faster pc, but I don't think I can crank more juice out of it without serious overvolting the components.

I tried the following settings, with only minimal differences (All configurations have the CPU@1.375V and 4-4-4-12-1T RAM timings):

FSB 300 * 11 QX6700@3300, DDR800@900 2.2V
FSB 333 * 10 QX6700@3330, DDR667@825 2.2V
FSB 370 * 9 QX6700@3330, DDR667@925 2.28V

I run with the first setup now, as the last setup only gives about 1.5% increase in performance.

 

[nefariouscaine]

I have to confirm this also from my own personal testing of a couple of ram kits at various speeds timings settings. I have 2 tasty kits, one from micron and one from crucial. The one kit does DDR-800 at CAS 3 T2 and does DDR2-1150 at CAS 5 T2 - not too much of a difference in points on benchies with 3DMark06 - something to the effect of 1-3%, if that even. I score 11230 with it at ddr2-800 and 11450 at DDR2-1150 - all other settings the same. Sure its 200 points, but I get that same 11400 score at ddr2-900 at cas 4-4-4-4 t2 with less voltages. Seems the cpu speed makes a bit more of a difference, at least to me and my system.