New system, question # 48: RAM

[01Boxer]

I just ordered a i7 950 and the ASUS Sabertooth X58 looks like a solid choice for a motherboard.
Now comes the fun part: the memory.

I don't plan to overclock but i have to say that all the options are confusing:
DDR3 1866/1800/1600/1333/1066: which one is sufficient at stock speeds?
CAS latency: what is that? I guess that lower is better?
Timing: what do those numbers mean? 7-7-7-24, 9-9-9-24, 8-8-8-28?

Are there brands to avoid?

[MobsterOO7]

DDR3 1866/1800/1600/1333/1066: which one is sufficient at stock speeds?

Honestly, I'm still using DDR2 memory, and I find them more than adequate; so I'm pretty sure that any of those choices will be fine for you. But those numbers refer to speed, so the higher they are the faster your memory will be. Keep in mind though that your motherboard can only go as fast as your motherboard's specs; so if you buy 1866 RAM and put it in your motherboard which can only handle 1066, then that's how fast your RAM will go.

CAS latency: what is that? I guess that lower is better?

Yes, the lower the better.

Timing: what do those numbers mean? 7-7-7-24, 9-9-9-24, 8-8-8-28?

The first number in the timing sequence is the CAS latency. The other numbers IIRC refer to other latencies in the RAM, once again lower is better.

Are there brands to avoid?

I recommend OCZ (I have had two sets of their Reaper Edition) and mushkin RAM.

[01Boxer]

Honestly, I'm still using DDR2 memory, and I find them more than adequate; so I'm pretty sure that any of those choices will be fine for you. But those numbers refer to speed, so the higher they are the faster your memory will be. Keep in mind though that your motherboard can only go as fast as your motherboard's specs; so if you buy 1866 RAM and put it in your motherboard which can only handle 1066, then that's how fast your RAM will go.

The ASUS Sabertooth X58 does support 1866 RAM but i think it's only useful for overclockers.

[MobsterOO7]

That may be so, I have no idea because I've never used a computer with RAM that fast; stock or overclocked. But also consider this: How long do you want this computer to last vs. budget. Faster RAM may not seem so necessary now, but who knows what's going to happen next year or the year after that? (Crysis 3 probably) :lol:

[Gilly]

CAS latency doesn't make much performance difference, and neither does the expensive super fast memory.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/memory/2009/11/02/intel-lynnfield-memory-performance-analysis/1

Quite simply, if you have i7 and want to raise the BLK, you need faster than the 1333MHz RAM, you really need 1600MHz to get the BLK up, without have to reduce the memory strap to 6x, reducing the frequency, but IMO anything above that is a waste. CL6 memory would be nice, but don't expect it to be a cheap option, or give you much more. Only unless you were pushing the BLK past 205 say, and had "only just" rated 1600MHz Ram, would you need more.

[01Boxer]

Thanks for the link! It answered my questions perfectly.