# 4GB 1600MHz or 8GB 1333MHz ?



## HookeyStreet (Jan 24, 2010)

Im putting together a gaming rig for a friend but Im not sure how much RAM to install  Which would be the best: 

4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 or 8GB (4 x 2GB) of 1333MHz DDR3 

I thought that 8GB of RAM would be the way to go because I want the system to last him a good while before it needs upgrading.

This system will be mainly for gaming and surfing the net.  No encoding or anything like that.

PS: CPU used will be Phenom II X4


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## Wile E (Jan 24, 2010)

Depends on timings. I'd rather have the faster ram.


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## HookeyStreet (Jan 24, 2010)

Wile E said:


> Depends on timings. I'd rather have the faster ram.



Well, I was looking at either - 

8GB of this: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/179278

or

4GB of this: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/177345


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## hat (Jan 24, 2010)

As a gamer, I would rather have 4GB of the faster ram. I had 8GB ram once, but I sold half of it cause I didn't come anywhere near close to using it... 4GB is just fine for today's games (and tomorrow's)


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## Kantastic (Jan 24, 2010)

Go for the Crucials (and keep it at 4GB), AMD likes tighter timings and 1600 CAS 9 isn't impressive, heck it's not even average for the price you're paying whereas 1333 CAS 7 is the usual.

Those Crucials can probably do 1600 without breaking a sweat.


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## Wile E (Jan 24, 2010)

HookeyStreet said:


> Well, I was looking at either -
> 
> 8GB of this: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/179278
> 
> ...



If only from those two, the 1333 ram. It has better timings per clock. It will likely easily do the same speed and timings as the 1600Mhz ram you listed. 

That 1600Mhz ram is pretty poor, tbh. There's an OCZ kit just above it with CAS7 timings at 1600Mhz, and it's 4 quid less.


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## HookeyStreet (Jan 24, 2010)

Wile E said:


> If only from those two, the 1333 ram. It has better timings per clock. It will likely easily do the same speed and timings as the 1600Mhz ram you listed.
> 
> That 1600Mhz ram is pretty poor, tbh. There's an OCZ kit just above it with CAS7 timings at 1600Mhz, and it's 4 quid less.



Oh, the OCZ Obsidian?  I was considering that tbh (I used to only use OCZ myself back in the day lol)

So maybe go for 4GB of 1600MHz DDR3 with some good timings and forget about the 8GB 

What would everyone recommend (from ebuyer) out of the 1600MHz 4GB range?


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## jjFarking (Jan 24, 2010)

The speed difference between the 1333 & 1600 isn't going to be noticeable in anything but benchmarks, or major video editing.
Latency, on the other hand, _will_ make a difference.
Get low latency - the lower, the better.
Also, if you're not going to be installing a 64-bit OS, there's no point getting more than 4GB 

EDIT:
If you're going to get 1600 anyway, then the suggested OCZ would be the way to go


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## HookeyStreet (Jan 24, 2010)

jjFarking said:


> The speed difference between the 1333 & 1600 isn't going to be noticeable in anything but benchmarks, or major video editing.
> Latency, on the other hand, _will_ make a difference.
> Get low latency - the lower, the better.
> Also, if you're not going to be installing a 64-bit OS, there's no point getting more than 4GB
> ...



Yep, Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit is going to be used 

I know its better value to grab the 1333 and OC to 1600, but I dont really want to get into OC on this system as its not going to be mine


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## jjFarking (Jan 24, 2010)

HookeyStreet said:


> Yep, Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit is going to be used
> 
> I know its better value to grab the 1333 and OC to 1600, but I dont really want to get into OC on this system as its not going to be mine



No point, honestly.
Just get 8GB at 1600 then, at the lowest latency that you can afford. You may still be able to drop the latency a tad by increasing the voltage a smidgen 
Also, you can then easily set the NB to 2400MHz (RAM x3 = NB setting, ideally), also with a tiny voltage increase


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## ZenEffect (Jan 24, 2010)

id say, go for the 4gb 1600 w/ tighter latenceys... and wait for the ram to go on sale somewhere... i managed to pick up some dom gt 7-7-7-20 for $120 @ frys a while back... now nicely clocked to 6-7-6-14 @ 1600 1.65v

the gskill eco's look very nice as well


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## erocker (Jan 24, 2010)

Kantastic said:


> Go for the Crucials (and keep it at 4GB), AMD likes tighter timings and 1600 CAS 9 isn't impressive, heck it's not even average for the price you're paying whereas 1333 CAS 7 is the usual.
> 
> Those Crucials can probably do 1600 without breaking a sweat.



+1,000,000

Crucials work great with AMD. You can do 1600mhz cas 7 with those sticks at around 1.7v which is perfectly acceptable. If you are lucky, you could possibly do 1600mhz at cas 6 with a little more voltage. There is absolutely no need for 8gb's of RAM for gaming as gaming won't utilize that ram. You will get better performance with two sticks running at tighter timings and higher frequencies. Don't bother with OCZ ram with AMD unless it can run at a higher voltage or is specifically designed for AMD boards. RAM in AMD systems have to utilize lower cycle times. RAM not designed for AMD sometimes cannot do that.


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## overclocking101 (Jan 24, 2010)

wow thats an old pic of crucial ram ebuyer has. crucial ram hasnt looked like that since back when ddr2 first came out. yea go with the ocz's unless you can find some dominators with cas7 1600mhz on there i know they make them


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