Which RAM should I buy ?

[akshayt]

I want to buy buy minimum 1gb ram in dual ch .
i stay in delhi . i have amd 64bit 939 winchester with asus a8n-e . tell shop name , ph no, price,latencies etc for ddr 400/433/450/466/500/533 or other frequencies.
for 512mb and 1gb modules

Tell which is better by how much:

Hynix D43 chips
Corsair Value Select
Corsair 3200C2
Transcend
Kingston PSC

for :
performance in gaming and 3ds apps
stability
overclocking(optional)
longer life and warranty

the cost of both modules together,advise under 8k.

[theraven]

corsair
if u find it too expensive .. corsair value select
then kingston
then transcen
then hynix
in that order

kingston offers gr8 value for money and even good overclockability

[akshayt]

but isn't nowadys kingsotn considered not even as good as hynix d43 and also kingston doesn't it give no oc now?

also,i have returned corsair value slect ,had it earlier ,probs with this mobo or something.

will transcend be compatitible.

should i take ddr 533 ram will it work at ddr 533 without ocing my cpu or increasing fsb

corsair for 2800 + tax that time

[theraven]

transcend would be ur choice then
i myself am gettin a pair of transcend stickd for my friend

533 isnt worth it ... u need to OC

[akshayt]

What do you mean I need to OC?
Can't I keep ram speed at 533 and cpu speed at 200mhz fsb.

[rohanbee]

I have always used kingston. Really good ram and good support too. Plus you can easily verify it online for genuinity.
Als gives good latency and timings with comparisons to other value rams.
If you want to go for really good memory which can also be easily oc's then OCZ is the one.

[akshayt]

does kingston even compete corsair or ocz
kingston hyper x if you wanna take performance ram then why not corsair xms

also,in ddr normally no manufaturer gives worse than 3-3-3-8,does kingston give any better

also,kingston may have many chips like those by hynix etc the one by infineon may be crap
hynix may be better buy orignal hynix d43(not of kingston , the own manufacutrer ) may be even better
also,with mosel ships my mobo might not have support

the one in delhi maybe using psc chips

also,when did you last buy kingston,as earlier it used to be better amaybe

[magnet]

only i bet is that stay away frm corsair value select...... i hav seen 1 mor guy facing a prob and having asus a8ne board... so strictly avoid it....

for other try transcend.....or kingston....if possible try to get original hynix...

[akshayt]

i have been offered price of 2400 for hynix d43 , 512mb ddr 400
TA 512mb ddr 533 for 2750 or something sorta tat

[Chirag]

Corsairs r the best

Transcend r second

[Mahesh Babu]

go in this order

hynix
trascend
corsair
kingston

i.e. the more the price the better the popularity

[darklord]

Go for Hynix D43 based generic chips.Most of them are based on Brainpower PCB these days.

They OC like hell too.

Mine did 280 @ 3-4-4-8
and 240 @ 2.5-3-3-7

I wouldnt go for Transcend,Corsair value select....

[imjimmy]

[quoteI have always used kingston. Really good ram and good support too. Plus you can easily verify it online for genuinity[/quote]

How can it be verified online?? I recently bought
2 chips of 512 MB DDR 400 KVR.. Can i see online if it's genuine?

[rohanbee]

does kingston even compete corsair or ocz
kingston hyper x if you wanna take performance ram then why not corsair xms

also,in ddr normally no manufaturer gives worse than 3-3-3-8,does kingston give any better

also,kingston may have many chips like those by hynix etc the one by infineon may be ****
hynix may be better buy orignal hynix d43(not of kingston , the own manufacutrer ) may be even better
also,with mosel ships my mobo might not have support

the one in delhi maybe using psc chips

also,when did you last buy kingston,as earlier it used to be better amaybe

Firstly kingston always made good ram and they still do. Corsair is also not as good as ypu think it is. It suffers from a lot of problems too. OCZ is a different league and the price differences between a value ram and ocz are obviously no comparison.

Secondly, does not mean that since hynix might supply the chips that they automatically become the best (they are hardly popular abroad) just like ati supplies the gpu on a graphics card so why aren't their branded cards the best why do leadtek and others make better ati chipset based cards??

Third my kingston values ram pc3200 gives back a timming of 3337 so whoever told you that it gives worse than 3338 is highly mistaken.

I have always used kingston. Really good ram and good support too. Plus you can easily verify it online for genuinity

How can it be verified online?? I recently bought
2 chips of 512 MB DDR 400 KVR.. Can i see online if it's genuine?

Go to the kingston website......search for online verification and then follow online steps indicated. Also note that you will have to note some numbers which will be present on your ram module. So better note down all these before you go online otherwise you will have to shut down everything take out your ram dimms and then start the process of verification over.....[/quote]

[akshayt]

Just bought 512mb ddr 400 hynix d43 for 3025 each
bought 2

ram timing default- 3 4 4 8
also,in ut04 and chronciles of riddick it was a bit slow today
why so?

brand name of ram is not written in cpuz

are they genuine?

[AlienTech]

The default timing is given on the ram board in an EEPROM. Its 3-3-3-8@200MHZ, 2.5-3-3-7@166MHZ and 2-2-2-6@133MHZ. This is just cheap hyundai PC3200 or 400DDR ram modules. I would think all hyundai would use the same timings. I also have DDR266 which is much slower, I get 2700Meg bandwidth with them, while I get 4300 with the DDR400's. The cache gets 15000. 3-4-4-8 would mean you get around 4000...

Are you running the RAM @ 200MHZ FSB?

[rohanbee]

try the everest home edition software to check wether it still displays your ram name. Otherwise i would suspect its genuinity. I was in singapore and you would not believe how many fake nokia and sony ericsson phones are easily available there and you cannot even make out the difference.

[cybershastri]

Please can anyone explain what does 3338 mean?

[AlienTech]

3-2-1-4 means 3 clocks CAS # latency, 2 clocks RAS# to CAS# delay, 1 clock RAS# precharge and 4 clocks cycle time. DRAM is forgettable memory :) if you don't keep on reminding it that it needs to store such and such info, it forgets it... And it is rather slow and needs extra time to get it from way back in its brain and you need to wait until it goes and gets it. You also need to make sure that you don't confuse it too much by telling it to store something and then turning around and asking it for something else entirely without waiting. SRAM used in cache memory is much faster because it does not need all this waiting. But SRAM uses transistors instead of capacitors and so will be at least 4 times as expensive as well as using 4 times as much power and space... If you look at a CPU dye, the ones with large caches you can readily make them out since they will take up more space than the CPU stuff itself. Like when a CPU runs @ 2000MHZ, the cache would run most likely at 500MHZ or higher... While the DDR/SDRAM will be running at 200MHZ and it would be even slower because of all the delays you need to add and the waiting...

:idea: :twisted:

[akshayt]

with cpu x ram timings are 3-4-4-8 then maybe 12-16
no brand name of ram in cpu z

[imjimmy]

The Kingston KVR PC3200(DDR 400) that i have found- come sealed in a pack with a kingston seal. Also there is a white colour sticker on the RAM saying KVRx64AC3/512- giving the model number, Serial no etc etc..

However when u look at the actual RAM chip..it's by Hynix..I mean Hynix D43 is written etc..?

Why is that.. Is Kingston KVR rebadged Hynix? Or is this fake Kingston floating around in the market?

[akshayt]

take corsair value select if your mobo supports(avoid 2 of them with asus nforce 4 )
etc

[rohanbee]

Funny but i checked my kingston and it does not say hynix................ i think i will re-check. Hynix does supply to a lot of memory manufacturers though.

[drvarunmehta]

Just bought 512mb ddr 400 hynix d43 for 3025 each
bought 2

ram timing default- 3 4 4 8
also,in ut04 and chronciles of riddick it was a bit slow today
why so?

brand name of ram is not written in cpuz

are they genuine?
I got 2x512 mb Transcend DDR400 running at 3 3 3 8 for 4500 just 2 weeks ago. I think you paid too much for 512 mb hynix

[akshayt]

which mobo do you have
also transcend in delhi from media man for 2750 + tax per module

did you get box packed, there are/were fake transcends too

check with cpu-z for manufacturer name

my manufacturer if 000000 ,actually a number of 0s , maybe more than the abv figure
everst ,giving serial as none

[AlienTech]

very good explanation here on RAM timings...

RAM Timings/options

Key


*Star= slight influence Bandwith
**Star= Very influential Bandwith
star*= Slight influence stablity
Star**= Very influential Stabilty
*star*= Sligth influence in both stabilty and bandwith
**Star**= Very infuential in both stability and Bandwith

DRAM Timings

**Dram Frequency Set(Mhz)**= 100(Mhz)(1/02), 120(Mhz)(3/05), 133(Mhz)(2/03), 140(Mhz)(7/10), 150(Mhz)(3/04), 166(Mhz)(5/06), 180(Mhz)(9/10), 200(Mhz)(1/01).

This option sets the Dram ratio. with a64, the ratios are not always writen in stone, for example 166(5/06) isnt always 5/6 ratio. you can refer to this chart for the exact ratios(they may not all be right, and thanks to Oskar_WU for his help with the chart)

**Command Per Clock(CPC)**= Auto, Enable(1T), Disable(2T), this is also called Command rate.

It is best, in most cases to use Disable(2T) with 2x1gig, 2x512, or 1x1gig Ram modules for the best stablility. 1T yeilds better performance, and 2T usually yeilds the best stabilty/overclock

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE USING A "CO" REV. CPU THIS OPTION(CPC) WILL NOT APPEAR IN BIOS. THIS IS BECAUSE "CO" REV. CPU'S DO NOT SUPPORT 2T TIMING, ONLY 1T. IF YOU HAVE A "CG" REV. CPU, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SELECT EITHER AUTO, 1T, OR 2T.

*Cas Latency Control(tCL)**= 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5. I would suggest only using, 2, 2.5, and 3..

This is the first timing that most ram companies rate there ram with. For example, you might see ram rated at 3-4-4-8@275mhz. this is the 3, in than situation.

2 yeilds the best performance, but, unless you have either Winbond BH-5, or BH-6, it is unlikely you will beable to reach you maximum overclock at CAS2. CAS3 is usually yeilds the best stablility/overclock.

PLEASE NOTE, IF YOU HAVE WB-BH-5/6, YOU MOST LIKELY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE CAS3, AND SOME MAY NOT BE ABLE TO USE CAS2.5, MY BH-6 WILL NOT POST AT CAS2.5, OR CAS3, IT WILL ONLY POST AT CAS2.

**RAS# to CAS# delay(tRCD)**= 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. I would suggest only using 2-5

This is the second timing that most ram companies rate there ram with. For example, you might see ram rated at 3-4-4-8@275mhz. this is the 4, in than situation.

2 yeilds the best performance, and 4-5(5 is usually overkill) yeilds the best overclock. Most rams will not be able to use 2, and reach there max OC.


*Min RAS# active timing(tRAS)*= 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

This is the forth timing that most ram companies rate there ram with. For example, you might see ram rated at 3-4-4-8@275mhz. this is the 8, in than situation.

This is a very debated timing. Some may argue that 00, 05, or 10 is the faster/most stable. but i really think there isnt a right anwser for this one, it all depends on your ram. But, if you need a good starting point, usually most/all rams can accieve there max OC on 10 tRAS, even if one of the other setting is faster.


**Row Precharge timing(tRP)**= 0,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. I would suggest using only 2-5.

This is the third timing that most ram companies rate there ram with. For example, you might see ram rated at 3-4-4-8@275mhz. this is the 4, in than situation.


2 yeilds the best performance, and 4-5(5 is usually overkill) yeilds the best overclock. Most rams will not be able to use 2, and reach there max OC

**Row Cycle Time(tRC)**= 7-22 in 1.0 increments.

7 yeilds the best performance, 15-17(i think 17 is overkill) yeilds the best stability/overclock. i would start at 15, and work your way down from there. Also, 7 is usually much to tight, for most ram.

**Row Refresh cyc time(tRFC)**= 9-24 in 1.0 increments.

this timing is usually always set to 2-4 clocks higher that the tRC.

10 yields the best performance(well 9 would, but 9 is to tight), and 17-19(i think 19 is overkill) yields the best stabiltiy/overclock. i i would start at 17 and work your way down

*Row to Row Delay(also called Ras to Ras delay)(tRRD)*= 0-7 in 1.0 increments.

00, or 2 seems to yields the best performance, and 4-6 yeilds the best stabiltity/overclock. i know that 00 sounds odd, but it works great for me, even at 260mhz

*Write Recovery Time(tWR)*= 2, 3

2 yeilds better perfomance, and 3 yields better stability/overclock.

*Write to read Delay(tWTR)*= 1, 2.

1 yeilds better perfomance, and 2 yields better stability/overclock.

*Read to Write delay(tRTW)*= 1-8 in 1.0 increments.

1 yeilds better perfomance, and 4(i think any above 4 is overkill) yields better stability/overclock.


http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=329627

Another thing I noticed, My 256MB ram is PC2100 DDR-266 and my 512MB ram is PC3200 DDR-400. Both are J chips. Yet they are both using the same timings (the J's and D43). The bandwidth difference is almost double. The J's are not even specied ot run @ 400MZH. But the D43 DDR-400 are run @ 3-3-3. IE The J's are not designed to run @ CL3 only the D43's are. I suspect they are overclocking the chips. But these was sealed packages from Simmtronics USA.

http://www.hynix.com/datasheet/eng/dram/details/dram_02_HY5DU56822AT.jsp

[AlienTech]

with cpu x ram timings are 3-4-4-8 then maybe 12-16
no brand name of ram in cpu z

Only the HY5DU56822AT -D4 - 200MHz DDR400 (3-4-4) can run @ 3-4-4, the HY5DU56822AT -D43 - 200MHz DDR400 (3-3-3) run @ 3-3-3.

http://www.hynix.com/datasheet/eng/dram/details/dram_02_HY5DU56822AT.jsp

I have to study the spcs to figure this out, been out of the technical loop for too long now http://www.hynix.com/datasheet/pdf/dram/HY5DU564(8,16)22A(L)T(Rev0.4).pdf

[rohanbee]

Thanks alientech good and easy to understand explanation of ram and its timmings! Cleared quite a few doubts.

[AlienTech]

DRAM control (A-B-C-D numbering) Percent Change
(A)CAS (2 to 2.5) -0.89%
(B)TRCD (2 to 3) -3.5%
(C)TRP (2 to 3) -2.29%
(D)TRAS (5 to 6) 0.21% (Should be (A) CAS latency + (B) TRCD + 2 cycles)
Command rate (CR: 1T to 2T) -2.68%
Change all at once -5.38%

The changes are all in the direction you would expect except for TRAS. In their order of importance is TRCD => CR => TRP => CAS => TRAS. Also, the total effect of changing all settings at once is not the sum of the individual settings and is on the order of 5.5%. Thus you see a 5.5% improvement in system performance between the less aggressive memory settings to the most aggressive.

For example, the most aggressive memory timing settings at a FSB of 190 will provide the same level of performance as the least aggressive settings at a FSB of 200.

TRAS should be TRCD+CAS latency + 2 cycles. This is why TRAS=6 performs better in the above comparison.. Basically smaller isn't always better.

http://www.deep-powder.net/OC_Guide/Mem_Mobo_CPU_Overclocking_Guide.htm

[AlienTech]

According to this, the default timings and speeds etc only matter for the specified numbers. IE for regular users! Not power users and over clockers.

http://www.lostcircuits.com/memory/ddr400/2544275.gif

http://www.lostcircuits.com/memory/ddr400/sisoft3.gif

As you can see.... The slowest memory had the highest bandwidth when over clocked. And DDR266-PC2100 performed 20-30% better than DDR400-PC3200 or even DDR466-PC3500. At 300 MHz FSB with the memory at the 320 MHz setting for a total of DDR480 it gets 6422MB/S which is 50% faster than even Dual channel setup.

http://www.lostcircuits.com/memory/ddr400/10.shtml

Oh yea its running @ 2.5:4:4:8

Of course running it at the default standard speeds, these memory would be 10-20% slower than the high performance ones.

So over clockers buying those high performance high cost ram dont really have the fastest ram or the widest bandwidth :)

[sunmysore]

Hmmm....saw some gr8 ram last week...

tehre was this 512MB sticks of Winbond UTT CH-5.....and there was Winbon UTT BH-5 256MB sticks...

i got a couple of the BH-5 sticks...they do 260MHz 2-2-2-5 at 3.3V , memtest stable on the DFI nf4 ultra...wonderful....

would like to get the CH-5 too, but no cash :(