RAM - 1600MHz vrs 1866MHzz vrs 2133MHz

[Rawns]

Do you think there would be any noticeable, significant performance increase between 1600MHz, 1866MHzz or 2133MHz DDR3 RAM? Looking at pricing a rig together but can't decide on RAM speed...

[SHimmer45]

if your benchmarking it then you would see an increase, in day to day running (depending on what your actually doing) maybe less so.
and to be fair alot of the lower speeds can be tweaked to run slightly faster if you required it.

[Michael]

Check whether your motherboard actually supports the higher clocked memory first, unless you're planning on overclocking the faster rated memory may come in handy.

1600MHz and 1866MHz are going to be priced similar, but it really depends how much more 2133MHz memory is.

[sonofsanta]

It makes bugger all difference in real world terms. Timings are more important, although their impact is still not that great, and sheer capacity is most important of all. Get the fastest you can within reasonable expense because hell, you may as well, but there's no point in spending extra on fancy looking RAM with weird heat-spreaders (that might interfere with any CPU cooling towers) and supposed overclockability. Better spending the money on your CPU/GPU/SSD (you are getting an SSD, right?)

Sources: AnandTech - Sandy Bridge Memory Scaling: Choosing the Best DDR3
Conclusion : Tom's Ultimate RAM Speed Tests
http://techreport.com/review/20377/e...-performance/4
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mem...andy-bridge/12
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mem...3_8.html#sect0 - relevant quote there would be "we believe that inexpensive DDR3-1600 SDRAM with not very aggressive timings would be the most reasonable choice for contemporary LGA1155 systems: in our opinion, memory like that offers the best price-to-performance ratio today."

[Rawns]

Check whether your motherboard actually supports the higher clocked memory first, unless you're planning on overclocking the faster rated memory may come in handy.

1600MHz and 1866MHz are going to be priced similar, but it really depends how much more 2133MHz memory is.

It's an extra £50 roughly between 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz and 4GB DDR3 2133Mhz.

Just over £25 to between 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz and 4GB DDR3 1866Mhz.

[sonofsanta]

It's an extra £50 roughly between 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz and 4GB DDR3 2133Mhz.

Just over £25 to between 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz and 4GB DDR3 1866Mhz.

For that money, 1600MHz is plenty, your £25 is better spent on improving other components. Use it to justify getting a decent PSU or case instead.

[Rawns]

Thought as much, thanks for the conformation.

And yes, SSD is on the cards.

[Michael]

It's an extra £50 roughly between 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz and 4GB DDR3 2133Mhz.

Just over £25 to between 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz and 4GB DDR3 1866Mhz.

If in doubt, just go in the middle with 1866MHz I agree with the above though that the saved cash may go towards a better CPU or GPU.

[SYNACK]

If using Intel you need a K series CPU and non business chip set like the z77 to actually really use it, as above timing is more important but the whole lot is unimportant if the rest of your system is not up to driving it fast enough.

[chazzy2501]

if you have CPU graphics the RAM speed can help the graphics card alot. (I noticed huge changes on the AMD IGPs; 1333 vs 1600)

[Rawns]

if you have CPU graphics the RAM speed can help the graphics card alot. (I noticed huge changes on the AMD IGPs; 1333 vs 1600)

No, will be running an Nvidia card of some sort.

[nephilim]

Difference between 1066 and 1333 is barely noticable
Difference between 1333 and 1600 is noticable
Difference between 1066 and 1600 is very noticable

Difference between 1600 and 1866 is barely noticable
Difference between 1866 and 2133 is barely noticable
Difference between 1600 and 2133 is noticable

I would say the performance vs price, it is better economy to get the 1600mhz RAM compared to any other, but RAM cooling also makes a difference IMO, but that is only if you are using RAM intensive programs such as Photoshop, CAD/CAM, Video Rendering ETC. If you are doing those, also worth remembering that GPU and GDDRx RAM on the GFX card is also of importance for performance. A 512MB GDDR5 Graphics card will outperform a 2GB GDDR3 Graphics card.

Hope that helps!

[Rawns]

Difference between 1066 and 1333 is barely noticable
Difference between 1333 and 1600 is noticable
Difference between 1066 and 1600 is very noticable

Difference between 1600 and 1866 is barely noticable
Difference between 1866 and 2133 is barely noticable
Difference between 1600 and 2133 is noticable

I would say the performance vs price, it is better economy to get the 1600mhz RAM compared to any other, but RAM cooling also makes a difference IMO, but that is only if you are using RAM intensive programs such as Photoshop, CAD/CAM, Video Rendering ETC. If you are doing those, also worth remembering that GPU and GDDRx RAM on the GFX card is also of importance for performance. A 512MB GDDR5 Graphics card will outperform a 2GB GDDR3 Graphics card.

Hope that helps!

It will be a rig for gaming mainly so my main focus will be on the CPU and GPU choice.

[OB1]

The graphs on this page make for interesting viewing. Every 100 points is a 10% performance difference. There's not a lot in it, and it's not something you're going notice. I'd get more slower ram rather than less faster ram.

[sonofsanta]

Post your speculative spec on here when you have it settled, then, I want to live vicariously through your new build