Memory timings. Is lower ALWAYS better?

CaxusCaxus
edited September 2004 in Hardware
Just curious if lower is supposed to always be better for each setting. Also, when people talk about memory timings, what order do they list them in? Because my motherboard goes CAS, TRCD, TRAS, TRP but i have a feeling that most people list the TRAS last since its always higher than the others.

So anyway, i can get mine down to 2-3-5-3 but i've noticed that its actually a bit faster when i go 2-3-6-3. Why do some people have a relatively high number in there sometimes even with high quality ram? I often see a 9 or an 11.

Comments

  • SmiGDigSmiGDig Albany, NY
    edited August 2004
    11-2-2-2 or 2-2-11-2, however you want to order it... gives the highest benchmarks in memory intensive tests liek on Sisoft Sandra's memory test. However, 2-2-5-2 or 2-2-2-6-2 will give you higher scores in general computing and all around applications such as gaming.

    People just type 2-2-2-11 to make it simple since you know that there will be three 2's and that the fourth one can't possibly be anywhere near 2 or 3 and it is just understood what it means.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited August 2004
    SmiGDig wrote:
    11-2-2-2 or 2-2-11-2, however you want to order it... gives the highest benchmarks in memory intensive tests liek on Sisoft Sandra's memory test. However, 2-2-5-2 or 2-2-2-6-2 will give you higher scores in general computing and all around applications such as gaming.

    People just type 2-2-2-11 to make it simple since you know that there will be three 2's and that the fourth one can't possibly be anywhere near 2 or 3 and it is just understood what it means.

    i thought these numbers were specific to the nforce2 chipset, and in all other applications lower actually WAS better
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    It makes a big difference on what kind of measurement you are going to use.
    Anand has done some nice work with their ongoing memory evaluations.
    1. Intel chipsets like lower TRAS, and are not very sensitive to the other values.
    2. NF chipsets run faster with low latancies and TRAS of 11.
    If you are going to use Sandra run the un-buffered tests. That way you are measuring memory speed and not chipset management.
    One thing that you will see from the Anand tests is that bandwidth rules. Especially for the P4, but for AMD also. If you can get some extra FSB speed by relaxing the timings it is probably worth it.
    http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2174
  • KINGPINKINGPIN PAKISTAN
    edited September 2004
    It is a general concept that nforce 2 likes 11 , but i have tested my ram at different values and found that benchmarking always give higher numbers with lower values although the diffence is very little , the first 2,2,2 make the big difference
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