DDR2 1066 VS DDR2 800 WHICH is better

NYXX

n00b
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Messages
59
So I'm buying a new computer coming this June. The only reason why I pushed it back was because Intel descides to ship their E8000 and Q9000 series later.

So I'm planning to buy an Intel Core 2 Dual E8500 OR a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650. Also I'm planning to buy a Asus Asus Rampage Formula x48 only because DDR 3 is still not yet fully developed and is quite exepnsive.

Let me know your thoughts.

Mushkin XP PC2-8000 Redline 4GB 2X2GB DDR2-1000 CL5-5-5-12 240PIN Dual Channel Memory Kit

or

OCZ (OCZ2RPR10664GK) DDR2 PC2-8500 1066 MHz Reaper HPC Edition 4GB(2x2048) Dual Channel Kit EPP 5-5-5-18
 
You actually have 1000MHz and 1066MHz RAM listed there.
Performance should be very similar between the two so I would go for whichever is cheaper.
 
Unless you're actually going to overclock enough to have the RAM run @ those kind of speeds, and you have money to burn, go ahead and get DDR2-800 ram. I'll give you some options.
Corsair XMS2 cas 5, 5-5-5-12 - $51 before $25 MIR.
Wintec ampx cas 4, 4-4-4-12 - $45.
Crucial Ballistix cas 4, cas 4-4-4-12 OOS but $49 w/ free shipping and before $30 MIR.
Corsair XMS2 w/ DHX. 5-5-5-18 - $58 w/ free shipping and before $25 MIR.
Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4-4-4-12 - $61 w/ free shipping and before $30 MIR, $25 off the normal price of $80-something atm.
Some DDR2-800 ram can OC to 900+ mhz with relaxed timings, some with normal timings(some cas 4 ram).
 
Just run the calculations on what overclock you will be happy with and get sticks of ram that have a little head room. The less components you have to overclock the better.

I just bought some sticks of 1000mhz G.Skill for my Q9450. I will never be able to run those sticks at their full potential unless they come up with some new motherboards that can handle extremely high fsb speeds. However, I want to overclock my Q9450 past 3.2ghz which is why I went a step above 800mhz ram and bought 1000mhz ram for only 15 bucks more. In my case 1066mhz ram is totally uncalled for because a Q9450 processor will not reach 4.2ghz unless you have some serious cooling and a serious motherboard.
 
Faster RAM speed with the same CAS latency would obviously be faster. However, the 66MHz difference would not be noticable. Overclocking however might be different...
 
I might do some research to find out which OC's better. I'm sure there are some great sites that can review these better than we can. No one seems to have had trouble with either of those sticks. I say the good thing to note is to stick to 2x2 for 4 GB's. People have some trouble going with 4x1 for stability and voltage reasons.
 
Back
Top