CPU/Mobo What is RAM Frequency? Is it related with processor.

H

Harinder Singh

Recruit
On various online shopping sites I had seen that they write the RAM frequency (such as 800MHz or 1600Mhz) while selling laptops. I want to know what actually it means. Is it related with processor speed (as processors had to read from RAM)?
Which is better lower or higher frequency RAM?
 
RAM has it's own frequency. Higher frequency is always good. If you mix two different frequency rams, then your system runs the ram on the lower frequency. Suppose you have 2 sticks of ram 667 MHz and 800 Mhz, then your system will run both ram at 667 MHz.
 
bigb123 said:
RAM has it's own frequency. Higher frequency is always good. If you mix two different frequency rams, then your system runs the ram on the lower frequency. Suppose you have 2 sticks of ram 667 MHz and 800 Mhz, then your system will run both ram at 667 MHz.
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I am getting two options in RAM. 1st is a 4gb RAM at 1600MHz frequency and the 2nd one is 8gb ram at 800MHz. So which one is good?
 
It's basically the speed at which the RAM operates.
Higher the speed the faster the read/write performance.
In theory faster ram should give better system performance but in the real world, performance increase is hardly noticeable unless you're using a memory intensive workload.

If all other specs are the same then i would suggest the 8gb model. More ram gives a greater benefit than ram speed.
Can you tell us which model #'s or post the links?
 
Crapmypants said:
It's basically the speed at which the RAM operates.
Higher the speed the faster the read/write performance.
In theory faster ram should give better system performance but in the real world, performance increase is hardly noticeable unless you're using a memory intensive workload.

If all other specs are the same then i would suggest the 8gb model. More ram gives a greater benefit than ram speed.
Can you tell us which model #'s or post the links?
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HP 15-g009AX Notebook (4gb ram) http://www.flipkart.com/hp-15-g009a...free-dos-2gb-graph-g8d85pa/p/itmdwz2gzgkac5fp

Lenovo G50-45 Notebook (8gb RAM) http://www.flipkart.com/lenovo-g50-...e-dos-2gb-graph-80e300rgin/p/itmefwzfvsfvrf5k

nRiTeCh said:
Post the exact ram model to comment further.
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Both are DDR3 RAM's.
 
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If both are DDR3, then both are most likely DDR3-1600.
A DDR stick has an actual frequency (800MHz) and a Double Data Rate (1600). Manufacturers keep using both specs interchangeably which causes the confusion.
Nobody makes DDR3-800 RAM anymore, you would be hard pressed to find anything below DDR3-1333 RAM these days.
 
Crazy_Eddy said:
Nobody makes DDR3-800 RAM anymore, you would be hard pressed to find anything below DDR3-1333 RAM these days.
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Yea, i asked for the model/links because i thought some shady dealer was trying to palm off an old ddr2 based system.

Both seem to have the same specs with the exception of more ram in the lenovo. The lenovo also seems to have an extra ram slot so you can add more later on. personally i think it looks better than the hp as well.
 
hmmm... There is a lot to be talked about RAM and FSB frequency and caching and L1 and L2 caches and wait states etc... or simply put faster RAM is good.
 
Harinder Singh said:
Is it related with processor speed (as processors had to read from RAM)?
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More than the processor, the memory you can use with a system depends on the RAM controller which is just like any other peripheral device. Most of the modern processors implement the controller on the die but there used to be a time when the controller was on a separate chip (North Bridge in case of Intel).

Pick up the larger RAM. Your programs will mostly be working out of cache. The effect of RAM speed will be marginal. However, if you run out of memory start swapping the degradation in speed can be severe. Some filesystems can use the extra RAM to prefetch/cache and improve your disk access.
 
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