Would combining ram with different timings affect my performance a great deal?

[dude_56013]

Well currently in my maching (should see in my sig.) has 2gb of patriot ddr2 800 RAM with CAS 4 timings 4-4-4-12...just running stock as of now. I want to add 4 more GB of RAM for a total of 6GB, but I'm trying to decide what ram I want. My budget is at most spending 100 bucks, but i'm not sure i wanna spend that much. I was looking at 2 different patriot rams, one is cas 5 with 5-5-5-12 and one was cas 4 with 4-4-4-12....the first set is only like 70 bucks, the second about 95 bucks...would the first set, the cas 5, slow down my other 2gb of ram, or be slow in general since they only have a cas of 5 instead of the faster cas 4?

also if anyone has suggestions of good ram, much appreciated....i was also looking at some ocz reapers for about 100 bucks but these are 4-4-4-15...any big difference?

also if someone could briefly explain how to change timing settings and ram voltage in bios..that'd be superb!

thanks
Zac

 

[sek3o1]

i think if its duel channel it will run at the slower case latency

 

[BrynF_UK]

also if someone could briefly explain how to change timing settings and ram voltage in bios..that'd be superb!

thanks
Zac

On the Asus P5N-E (great motherboard btw! especialy since i have one too lol) the options to change timings etc are under:

Advanced

- Chipset

- Memory Timing Setting

you should only need to change the tCL, tRCD, tRP and tRAS ( in that order, going down, i.e. 5-5-5-12) and Command Per Clock (CMD) on mine is 1 Clock, and when i had it on Auto it kept giving me a blue screen, but i guess it depends on your setup.

Advanced memory settings should be auto unless you know what your doing (i dont, lol)

also, on mine, i had to increase the memory voltage since my memory was rated at 2.1v, but the chipset was only giving 1.8v.

to change the memory voltage, go to JumperFree Configuration in the Advanced menu, and change AI Tuning to [Manual].

Then go to voltage control, and Memory voltage then change it to whatever you need (usually specified on the website you got it or on the packaging) mine is set to 2.178v, but it shows up as 2.1v.

 

[dude_56013]

thanks all....so does anyone know how much of a decrease in performance that would be because im guessing that i would have to decrease my original 2gb of cas 4, 4-4-4-12 down to cas 5, 5-5-5-12 timings in order to match the new 4gb of cas 5, 5-5-5-12?..im guessing that you probably couldn't over clock the new 4gb THAT much to get it from cas 5, 5-5-5-12 down to cas 4, 4-4-4-12 eh?

 

[BrynF_UK]

the reviews for the RAM i bought, a matched pair of 1Gb, said that some had managed to overclock from 5-5-5-12 to 4-4-4-12 with cas 5 sticks, so it could be possbile, but it might involve lowering the FSB or changing the advanced memory settings in not sure myself though

 

[dude_56013]

yeah so i'm thinking there is not going to be a big boost in performance from 4gb to 6gb so maybe i'll just get another 2 x 1gb sticks of the same patriot ram i've got..its on sale for 33 bucks not anyways...i have xp so i'm not concerned with any vista mem problems and what not..i just like to play games once in a while and have things load quickly...im glad i invested in a good system!

 

[dude_56013]

brynf_uk--yes probably something like that and i dont really wanna drastically oc anything as of yet..maybe as my system approaches age and new things start being release but i figured it could be done..just wondered if anyone had heard

 

[BrynF_UK]

to be honest mate in the end you wouldnt notice much of a difference even if it was lowered to 5-5-5-12 timings @ cas 5 latency, since it still awfully good