What's better 2 GB @ 1066 or 3 GB @ 800 ?

[Shadow_ID]

Hi, i was just wanting to know what would be better

3GB of RAM running at 800MHz 5-5-5-15 or 2GB of RAM running at 1033MHz 5-5-5-15?

im running Windows Vista Ultimate SP1
Q6600 @ 3GHz
BFG 8800 GTX OC2
3GB of RAM @ 800MHz

 

[tzitzibp]

I believe is a matter of need... I mean, what do you need? speed of resources?
From I can see you have a 768mb gfx card so you don't really need any memory allocation from the system memory to the card operation, during gaming. (I assume that is a main concern)

If you OC then go for the 2gb 1033mhz, if not... option 1 is better....
At least thats what I think!

hope I helped!

 

[Shadow_ID]

Thanks for the info (nice rig btw)

I have been testing the two configurations and found that my games load time (Using TES Oblivion to test speed of loads when free roaming) and with the 2GB the loads are faster that with the 3GB

Also with the 2GB Vista seems to run a little slower, but im guessing that is because Vista uses alot of ram when its just running. so after using the OS it should speed up.

the 3GB is very usful when running crysis but i dont play that much.

Last thing is this Vista rating actualy any good, i mean is it a good thing to go by? with the 2 GB i get 5.5 or 5.6 for the RAM, everything thing else is 5.9
but with the 3GB i can get 5.9?? any ideas?

 

[Error 404]

If you get 3 GB, make sure that you get 2x 1 GB sticks and 2x 512 MB sticks so that you can still run in Dual Channel mode. It may cost a bit more, but you'll have better performance than with a 1 + 2 GB setup.

 

[B1gg3stN00b]

I'd recommend getting better timings, I just went from 5-5-5 timing 2gb of RAM on my desktop, and just upgraded to 4-4-4 on my laptop, even though everything on the laptop is slower, the startup and everything on it is much faster with the quicker timing'd memory.

 

[farlex85]

Thanks for the info (nice rig btw)

I have been testing the two configurations and found that my games load time (Using TES Oblivion to test speed of loads when free roaming) and with the 2GB the loads are faster that with the 3GB

Also with the 2GB Vista seems to run a little slower, but im guessing that is because Vista uses alot of ram when its just running. so after using the OS it should speed up.

the 3GB is very usful when running crysis but i dont play that much.

Last thing is this Vista rating actualy any good, i mean is it a good thing to go by? with the 2 GB i get 5.5 or 5.6 for the RAM, everything thing else is 5.9
but with the 3GB i can get 5.9?? any ideas?

The Vista experience index was more useful when the OS was first released, and less powerful hardware was the norm. These days, most any modern hardware will get you very near a 5.9, which basically means your system should run it fine. 5.6-5.9, you probably won't notice much difference in actual experience. Is this a 64-bit vista your running? If so, I would eventually move to 4gb, the os uses however much you have, but I have found 4gb to be pretty advantageous w/ vista.

 

[Shadow_ID]

No i'm running the 32 bit version, i moved from the 64 bit OS just before the SP1 came out and never moved back, i had 4 gig installed when i was using the 64bit.

do you recon i should move back to the 64bit with 4GB @800MHz 5-5-5-15?

 

[Xazax]

What type of ram you got? 800mhz 5-5-5-15 is pretty weak, ram should be @ 4-4-4-12 800mhz or 5-5-5-15 is your doing 1066mhz, if your ram is like mine Microns D9GMH's these bad boys do 5-3-3-12 2T 1066mhz, im sure they can do more but since im running 4x1GB config and a Nvidia 780i the motherboard is limiting...

 

[Shadow_ID]

the 800Mhz ram runs at 4-5-5-15

i have now installed the 64 bit and im running 4 gig @800 and 4-5-5-15

you recon i should just get some new RAM?

 

[Xazax]

Try 800mhz 4-4-4-12, it should easily be able to do that if it can do CAS 4-5-5-15, because the most important i've found is really the first number the CAS# also make sure you Voltage for the RAM is 2.0/2.1

 

[Shadow_ID]

I forget to say that the 4gig of RAM i have is 2GB is the 1066MHz 5-5-5-15
and 2GB 800MHz 4-5-5-15

which according to cpu-z is all running at 800MHz 4-5-5-15

is having two different speed RAM chips like this going to effect performance?

 

[Shadow_ID]

well iv just got myself 8GB @800 4-4-4-12

that should do it i think

 

[CrackerJack]

Hi, i was just wanting to know what would be better

3GB of RAM running at 800MHz 5-5-5-15 or 2GB of RAM running at 1033MHz 5-5-5-15?

im running Windows Vista Ultimate SP1
Q6600 @ 3GHz
BFG 8800 GTX OC2
3GB of RAM @ 800MHz

If you do any benchmarking or editing (audio or video) the 1033mhz help alot. But for normal use the 800mhz will be fine. Is the 3GB 2x1gb and 2x512mb?

 

[Shadow_ID]

No it WAS 3x 1 gig chips

i have just upgraded to the 64bit OS and installed

4x 2gig chips (8gig total) running @800 timmings 4-4-4-12 @ 2.1v

load times all seem to be alot faster.

Thanks for the help everyone