Sandy Bridge Memory Scaling: Choosing the Best DDR3
by Jared Bell on July 25, 2011 1:55 AM ESTTest Configuration and Settings
For our testing, we used the following system.
| Memory Benchmarking System Configuration | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K (Stock with Turbo Boost enabled: 3.5GHz - 3.8GHz) |
| Motherboard | ASUS P8P67 Pro - BIOS version 1502 |
| Memory | Patriot Viper Extreme Division 2 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3-2133 Kit |
| Graphics | MSI GTX 580 Lightning - Stock clocks (832MHz/1050MHz) |
| SSD | OCZ Agility 2 120GB |
| PSU | Corsair HX850 Power Supply |
| OS | Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit |
You’ll notice that we list only one specific set of memory; I don't have specifically rated modules for each of the memory speeds tested. Instead, I used a pair of DDR3-2133 modules that worked flawlessly at all of the lower speeds. Thanks to Patriot for supplying the DDR3-2133 4GB kit used for today's testing. To ensure my results weren't skewed, I tested a pair of DDR3-1600 CL9 modules against the DDR3-2133 CL9 modules running at the lower DDR3-1600 CL9 speed. The results of this test were identical. There may be minor variations between memory brands, but as a baseline measurement of what to expect our testing will be sufficient. We then used the following clock speeds and timings:
| Tested Memory Speeds | |
| DDR3-1333 | 7-7-7-18-2T |
| 8-8-8-18-2T | |
| 9-9-9-18-2T | |
| DDR3-1600 | 7-8-7-21-2T |
| 8-8-8-21-2T | |
| 9-9-9-21-2T | |
| DDR3-1866 | 8-9-8-24-2T |
| 9-9-9-24-2T | |
| DDR3-2133 | 9-11-9-27-2T |
Testing Procedures
Each of the tests were performed three times with the average of those three runs used for the final results. However, there were a few exceptions to this. First, PCMark 7 was only ran once because it loops three times before providing its score. Second, the x264 HD Benchmark was only ran once because it looped four times in a single run. Third and finally, the LINPACK Benchmark was looped twenty-five times because it was also used to test for stability. And with that out of the way, let’s get to the test results.
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Black1969ta - Monday, July 25, 2011 - link
This article ignores a very important factor in choosing RAM, that is overclocking ability, sure the delta between 1333 and 2133 is not very large within the same stick of RAM that is down-clocked but what about a 1333 stick that is overclocked. Can the $50 stick of 1333 perform at 2133 or even 1866, etc... that the $150 DDR3-2133 does with no problem.I would like to get a i7-2600K and overclock it to 4.8GHz, but I wanted to know the cheapest stick of RAM that will allow that with no compromise, this article doesn't tell anything useful, sure a good expensive stick is a good expensive stick at any speed, but what about a cheaper stick?
compudaze - Monday, July 25, 2011 - link
That's a chance you just have to take youself. Just because my brand X model Y value DDR3-1333 ram will run at DDR3-2133 CL9 at 1.65V doesn't mean that you're guaranteed to get the same results if you buy the same make/model value DDR3-1333 ram. Same with CPU's & GPU's.xsilver - Friday, August 5, 2011 - link
but for someone not in the know, how well generally does 1333 ram overclock. Some generations the bargain basement ram has no headroom at all and some generations, most basement ram has enough headroom to get where you need.Also, as an addendum, maybe you could also test ram size scaling as well as speed. I as well as others maybe contemplating 16gb ram and wondering if its worth it.
Chris383 - Monday, July 25, 2011 - link
I think you guys are missing the point of faster memory. It just depends on the work load most applications are written for linear code or at least i am guessing so. But what happens when you add more than one program at the same time or 3-5 programs at the same time i think then you would start to see why memory performance really does matter. And some games not most but some games will start to show a very big increase in performance with faster memory. Example FarCry2, GTA4, Starcraft2, now some of this maybe caused by poor memory management of the video card or lack of vmem but from my findings even with enough vmem you still will see some very big changes in FPS with faster/tighter memory speeds (provided your not cpu or gpu limited)That being said for most people playing games at lower resolutions like 1080 and below memory speed is really not needed 1333 will suffice plenty good but when your doing 3,4+MP screens you will defiantly want to take into consideration some faster memory for your rig.
ypsylon - Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - link
I don't get it why home users are so over-excited about memory over 1600 MHz? For gaming buying e.g. 2133 memory is as wise as buying Mercedes Maybach for trips to local grocery store.Fast memory has very limited usage (medicine, NASA etc...) and certainly home desktop/gaming rig doesn't qualify for that. Furthermore if you want to OC system, then whole point of OC is to buy cheap [read: cheap doesn't = crap] and squeeze every little bit of performance out of it. Stay at 1333/1600 level. 2000 or more is for [beeep!] with humongous e-penis running benchmarks 365/24/7. Biggest advantage of 1333/1600 range is that by default pretty much every chipset and motherboard support it right now.
Running perfectly standard Kingstons 1333 at 1800 without any fancy cooling or changed timings, just bumped BClk on my x58. Even with current prices I'm 100$+ up just by doing this (2 triple sets). And RAMDisk created on that memory certainly isn't slow and eats every SSD for breakfast.
Hrel - Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - link
SO happy you posted this. I JUST ordered a new laptop, didn't upgrade the RAM at all cause it was overpriced. Now I know I'm going to order 2 4GB DIMMS of DDR3 1600 for it, Cas latency 9 be damned, haha. Thanks so much!I was apparently giving way too much credit to CAS latency, I was going to get 1066 Cas 7. Didn't realize pure bandwidth was so important nowadays. I remember an old memory article like this comparing DDR3 for i7 920's and such, whatever that family is called. 1600 cas 7 came out on top their. Odd that Sandy Bridge changes that, but I'm glad I know.
I'd like to see more articles like this, and less articles about EVERY stupid smartphone under the sun.
Rick83 - Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - link
7/1,066,000,000Hz = ~6.56 e-9 s9/1,600,000,000Hz = 5.625 e-9 s
So in fact, the 1600Mhz CL9 RAM has a one nanosecond lower effective latency.
Always remember that CAS latency is in cycles, which take a different amount of time according to the clock speed.
schulmaster - Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - link
Tests are not 'ran', tests are 'run.' You can say we ran tests, but you must say we have run them. This site is way to technically proficient and intelligent for glaring mistakes in homepage articles. I know for at least some of you, English is a second+ language; if that's the case, send me your articles and I'll proof them for free.Black1969ta - Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - link
"This site is way to technically proficient"to here refers to excessive, like too much but you left out the extra "o" so the means something totally different.
If you want to be a Grammar Nazi, use proper English, especially when you are using it as an advertisement.
schulmaster - Thursday, July 28, 2011 - link
my man.