Hardware & Technical New RAM or stay the course?

[Broon]

Other than being something shiny, would new RAM sticks be of any real benefit to a system?

From what I can gather from reading on the interwebz, motherboards are rather picky as to the timing of their installed RAM so if I were to replace my existing modules with the same timings/latency (in my case 11-11-11-28) would new RAM perform any better?

Or, as the case may be, would matching the RAM up by brand have any benefit? For instance, G.Skill Aegis fits my system parameters. Currently I have 8GB DDR3 (2 4GB) of Hyundai Electronics (upgrade) and 8GB DDR3 (2 4GB) of Kingston (factory RAM) installed.

Hmm, wait a tick....CPU-Z says my RAM is running max bandwidth PC3-12800 (800MHz) yet the docs I can find on my board (Dell 0KWVT8) says it supports DDR3 at clocks of 1333 and 1600MHz. Should I assume that I have slow RAM installed? Maybe an upgrade really would be in order then?

My BIOS is pretty genericly laid out without lots of options for any modifications that I saw browsing through it. It just has the bare bones options for assigning boot order and such. I don't recall seeing anything relating to RAM speed or overclocking anything.

Advice?

 

[IPFreely]

Other than being something shiny, would new RAM sticks be of any real benefit to a system?

From what I can gather from reading on the interwebz, motherboards are rather picky as to the timing of their installed RAM so if I were to replace my existing modules with the same timings/latency (in my case 11-11-11-28) would new RAM perform any better?

Or, as the case may be, would matching the RAM up by brand have any benefit? For instance, G.Skill Aegis fits my system parameters. Currently I have 8GB DDR3 (2 4GB) of Hyundai Electronics (factory RAM) and 8GB DDR3 (2 4GB) of Kingston (upgrade) installed.

Hmm, wait a tick....CPU-Z says my RAM is running max bandwidth PC3-12800 (800MHz) yet the docs I can find on my board (Dell 0KWVT8) says it supports DDR3 at clocks of 1333 and 1600MHz. Should I assume that I have slow RAM installed? Maybe an upgrade really would be in order then?

My BIOS is pretty genericly laid out without lots of options for any modifications that I saw browsing through it. It just has the bare bones options for assigning boot order and such. I don't recall seeing anything relating to RAM speed or overclocking anything.

Advice?

Mixing brands, types and/or speeds of ram will actually slow the machines' ability to process information and storage of the "next move" type of info transfer.
If you decide to replace the ram make sure you use all of the same type and speed more than the same brand, but optimally, consider all 3 aspects for best results.
If you have 2 banks of ram slots on the motherboard, the nearest to the CPU is bank one, the other is bank 2, If you have 4 ram slots, its 1,3,2,4 in order from the CPU in most cases.
The average set up now is 16g of ram, with a possible max of 32g for most motherboards.
The general thinking is, the more ram, the faster machine access to next info needed with less harddrive activity.
Disabling unneeded activity will also increase machine performance due to increased space for loading next info for the prgm in use.
Keep in mind that not only is the desired prgm info loaded, the OS and Sound, Anti-virus, and other Critical System Functions are also loaded into ram during a typical user profile. Make sure that only those prgms not needed are unloaded - not those that are required for optimum operation of the machine.

 

[Broon]

Mixing brands, types and/or speeds of ram will actually slow the machines' ability to process information and storage of the "next move" type of info transfer.
If you decide to replace the ram make sure you use all of the same type and speed more than the same brand, but optimally, consider all 3 aspects for best results.
If you have 2 banks of ram slots on the motherboard, the nearest to the CPU is bank one, the other is bank 2, If you have 4 ram slots, its 1,3,2,4 in order from the CPU in most cases.
The average set up now is 16g of ram, with a possible max of 32g for most motherboards.
The general thinking is, the more ram, the faster machine access to next info needed with less harddrive activity.
Disabling unneeded activity will also increase machine performance due to increased space for loading next info for the prgm in use.
Keep in mind that not only is the desired prgm info loaded, the OS and Sound, Anti-virus, and other Critical System Functions are also loaded into ram during a typical user profile. Make sure that only those prgms not needed are unloaded - not those that are required for optimum operation of the machine.

Yes, I knew about mixing speeds as in the slowest stick "wins" the race so to speak.

Mixing brands I was under the impression that it was a lesser evil yet still sometimes detrimental.

I'm just wondering if matching all four modules up by speed, type and brand will be of any benefit.

Actually my system runs really good especially after putting the OS on an SSD but things could always be better. I don't think I have actually ever used all of the 16GB of RAM installed but I have it anyway (system came stock with 8GB) so I will keep that level even though I could go to 32.

One day I will build a better rig but until then I will keep tweaking this one until I can't tweak it anymore.

 

[NascentChemist]

I think that desktop RAM is still ridiculously overprice right now. I built a system 6 months ago with the intention to expand my RAM kit (from 8gb 2400 DDR4 to 16gb), but the cost was always too high.

The SSD that you installed is probably the most valuable upgrade you can get without a partial re-build. Given that you are still using DDR3 RAM, I'd suggest you wait until you can buy a new CPU, MOBO, and RAM kit. I'd worry that you wouldn't see any tangible benefits, otherwise.

 

[the100thmonkey]

CPUz is correct - your RAM is running at 800MHz. It's DDR though (Double Data Rate), so the RAM is sending data twice for every "tick" of the clock. 2x800=1600.

You have nothing to worry about with regard to RAM speed. Even if you did, there's not much you'd be able to do about it given that PC manufacturers like Dell often use locked-down BIOSes, as you've found.

 

[Patrick_68000]

CPUz is correct - your RAM is running at 800MHz. It's DDR though (Double Data Rate), so the RAM is sending data twice for every "tick" of the clock. 2x800=1600.

You have nothing to worry about with regard to RAM speed. Even if you did, there's not much you'd be able to do about it given that PC manufacturers like Dell often use locked-down BIOSes, as you've found.

Yes do not forget the DDR

A RAM at 1866 is = 933 x 2

 

[Patrick_68000]

For the OP, to change of RAM in the same category will not bring you much. However check in the bios the option "Command rate (CR)" of your RAM.

Often this option is set on 2 cycles (2T)

Place on 1 cycle (1T)

You should notice a real difference of reactivity (if your RAM accepts)

 

[Broon]

CPUz is correct - your RAM is running at 800MHz. It's DDR though (Double Data Rate), so the RAM is sending data twice for every "tick" of the clock. 2x800=1600.

You have nothing to worry about with regard to RAM speed. Even if you did, there's not much you'd be able to do about it given that PC manufacturers like Dell often use locked-down BIOSes, as you've found.

Ah, now DDR makes sense. I honestly never associated the acronym that way. Thanks for helping me learn something today!

For the OP, to change of RAM in the same category will not bring you much. However check in the bios the option "Command rate (CR)" of your RAM.

Often this option is set on 2 cycles (2T)

Place on 1 cycle (1T)

You should notice a real difference of reactivity (if your RAM accepts)

Thanks for the tip but unfortunately my BIOS is not friendly enough to give me that option. It was worth a shot though.


+rep to all.

 

[the100thmonkey]

Ah, now DDR makes sense. I honestly never associated the acronym that way.

Well... the alternative is Dance Dance Revolution.

Thanks for helping me learn something today!

You're welcome!

 

[Broon]

Well... the alternative is Dance Dance Revolution.

Too funny!

 

[Porina]

Other than being something shiny, would new RAM sticks be of any real benefit to a system?

It can make a difference, but for most things it is pretty small and insignificant effect. I wouldn't bother on a system like this. Wait until you replace the whole system and get something shiny then.

 

[Broon]

Cool. Thanks all for the responses.

Maybe I'll look into more physical storage instead. At least that will be useful, along with my GPU (and maybe my PSU), when the time comes to move to a newer system.

I'm just not ready to take the step to Win 10 yet and dropping $150 on a new copy of Win 7 for a new build just to have it "die" in 2-ish years isn't cost effective IMO.

 

[the100thmonkey]

I'm just not ready to take the step to Win 10 yet and dropping $150 on a new copy of Win 7 for a new build just to have it "die" in 2-ish years isn't cost effective IMO.

Actually, if you can stomach a watermark telling you to "activate Windows," Win10 is basically free.

The watermark doesn't show in games, only in the bottom right corner of the desktop.

It's also easy to DL one of the several programs to neuter the telemetry features that bother so many users.

*edit*

With regard to the original question, Elite won't care if you slap on 16GB or RAM. Nor does it particularly care about RAM bandwidth. It's not a particularly intensive game in that respect. Other games do care though.

 

[ilmostro]

OP - what motherboard / CPU do you have?

 

[Cmdr-Wotherspoon]

Can I just say, now is a really bad time to buy RAM, with prices (in the UK at least) more than 50% up on this time last year. Sooner or alter the bitcoin bubble will burst and RAM prices will descend back to normality (minus any Brexit penalty we may incur due to exchange rate fluctuations).

 

[GJ51]

Yes, I knew about mixing speeds as in the slowest stick "wins" the race so to speak.

Mixing brands I was under the impression that it was a lesser evil yet still sometimes detrimental.

I'm just wondering if matching all four modules up by speed, type and brand will be of any benefit.

Actually my system runs really good especially after putting the OS on an SSD but things could always be better. I don't think I have actually ever used all of the 16GB of RAM installed but I have it anyway (system came stock with 8GB) so I will keep that level even though I could go to 32.

One day I will build a better rig but until then I will keep tweaking this one until I can't tweak it anymore.

If you're at 16GB and things run well, it's unlikely that investing in new ram will give you much ROI. I doubt that you would see any visibly noticable speed impact. I'd save that money toward a new rig. but I wouldn't spend it now. Prices are high and Meltdown/Spectre hardware fixes are still not clearly known. Add to that the miners driving GPU prices through the roof and spending on new hardware, with perhaps the exception of monitors and other peripherals, just seems like wasting money at present assuming you have a system that currently meets your needs.

YMMV - but I'm still running my desktop on a Corei7-950 (Gen 1 i7 ?) with 24GB ram, 1TB SSD, GTX-980Ti and it runs everything with remarkable stability and speed. I'll be waiting until things get better sorted on the hardware side and the cycle clearly demonstrates it's a buyer's market before dumping cash.

HTH

 

[Broon]

Actually, if you can stomach a watermark telling you to "activate Windows," Win10 is basically free.

The watermark doesn't show in games, only in the bottom right corner of the desktop.

It's also easy to DL one of the several programs to neuter the telemetry features that bother so many users.

*edit*

With regard to the original question, Elite won't care if you slap on 16GB or RAM. Nor does it particularly care about RAM bandwidth. It's not a particularly intensive game in that respect. Other games do care though.

I am having trouble stomaching Win 10 period.

I looked into it when it came out and saw things I didn't like. And I have even had a handful of friends/fam come to me asking for help reverting back to their old OS's because they didn't like Win 10 either.

I will go there if I have to in the future, or do a dual boot machine in the future but I am not ready to accept Win 10 quite yet. Maybe a better OS will come out before Win 7 dies.

I know, I can dream right?

OP - what motherboard / CPU do you have?

Dell XPS 8700 (Dell mobo 0KWVT8)
Core i5-4460 @ 3.2GHz
16 GB DDR3 1600MHz
Gigabyte Radeon RX 480 8GB
Win 7 Pro

If you're at 16GB and things run well, it's unlikely that investing in new ram will give you much ROI. I doubt that you would see any visibly noticable speed impact. I'd save that money toward a new rig. but I wouldn't spend it now. Prices are high and Meltdown/Spectre hardware fixes are still not clearly known. Add to that the miners driving GPU prices through the roof and spending on new hardware, with perhaps the exception of monitors and other peripherals, just seems like wasting money at present assuming you have a system that currently meets your needs.

YMMV - but I'm still running my desktop on a Corei7-950 (Gen 1 i7 ?) with 24GB ram, 1TB SSD, GTX-980Ti and it runs everything with remarkable stability and speed. I'll be waiting until things get better sorted on the hardware side and the cycle clearly demonstrates it's a buyer's market before dumping cash.

HTH

Yeah like I said before, the machine runs quite fine at the moment. I was just looking at shiny things and wondering if a ram upgrade would be worth the cost. It seems that it wont be.

Sure I would love to jump into a new rig, but I'm waiting mainly due to OS reasons. I figure a half decent chip and mobo plus 16gb DDR4 will set me back $6-700-ish plus a build OS. A new GPU is not on the table right now since my RX 480 does a fine job. Besides, a 1080 is just insane right now.

And the wife would flip her lid if she saw a box of new parts show up!

 

[Porina]

Can I just say, now is a really bad time to buy RAM, with prices (in the UK at least) more than 50% up on this time last year. Sooner or alter the bitcoin bubble will burst and RAM prices will descend back to normality (minus any Brexit penalty we may incur due to exchange rate fluctuations).

The mining craze is hitting GPU availability and pricing, but it isn't impacting ram directly. Ram is just expensive regardless of that. I wouldn't expect relief on that front for a long time.

 

[Caramel Clown]

It is speculated that RAM prices went up because of all the demand for fast memory from smartphone manufacturers. No idea if this theory holds much water.