Mixing CL 2.5 & CL 3

  • Thread starter Thread starter desertryder
  • Start date Start date
D

desertryder

I recently purchased 1 GB Dual Channel PC 3200 DDR 400 Geil memory, 2 x
512 MB rated at CL 2.5. I took out the original Nanya PC 3200 DDR 400,
2 x 256 MB rated at CL 3. The question I have is: I assume I can use
the Nanya sticks along with the Geil memory but will there be any
noticeable performance differences by mixing the 2 different CL
ratings? System runs fine with the 1 GB but it would be nice to utilize
the original memory if possible. I don't use the system for gaming,
video editing, etc. mostly for graphics using Photoshop. OS is a P4 2.8
Ghz 800 FSB running Win XP SP2. TIA for any comments.
 
I recently purchased 1 GB Dual Channel PC 3200 DDR 400 Geil memory, 2 x
512 MB rated at CL 2.5. I took out the original Nanya PC 3200 DDR 400,
2 x 256 MB rated at CL 3. The question I have is: I assume I can use
the Nanya sticks along with the Geil memory but will there be any
noticeable performance differences by mixing the 2 different CL
ratings?
Click to expand...

They'll all run at CAS3 if they're stable at all. By that I
mean that in a perfect world they will all run stable but in
the real world the more modules you add, the closer you get
to instability thresholds, so you have to try-it-n-see.
System runs fine with the 1 GB but it would be nice to utilize
the original memory if possible. I don't use the system for gaming,
video editing, etc. mostly for graphics using Photoshop. OS is a P4 2.8
Ghz 800 FSB running Win XP SP2. TIA for any comments.
Click to expand...

Well try it, and test overnight with memtest86.

However, you might want to do some of your common demanding
tasks then check Task Manager to see how much memory you're
using... if it never exceeds 800MB, you'd be better off to
leave the old CAS3 memory out and run the newer at CAS2.5.
I mention 800 rather than 1GB since there's always some use
for a bit of a filecache that isn't counted as used memory
as it isn't "required" to be used but is still of benefit.

Google for "CPU-Z" as it'll show you the timings used on
your modules and the ratings programmed into them. Could be
that even though your two new modules are rated as CAS2.5,
they might run at CAS3 regardless unless you manually set
your bios to overright IT'S defaults.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'll test it both with and without the old
memory. CL speed per CPU-Z below at end.
They'll all run at CAS3 if they're stable at all. By that I
mean that in a perfect world they will all run stable but in
the real world the more modules you add, the closer you get
to instability thresholds, so you have to try-it-n-see.


Well try it, and test overnight with memtest86.

However, you might want to do some of your common demanding
tasks then check Task Manager to see how much memory you're
using... if it never exceeds 800MB, you'd be better off to
leave the old CAS3 memory out and run the newer at CAS2.5.
I mention 800 rather than 1GB since there's always some use
for a bit of a filecache that isn't counted as used memory
as it isn't "required" to be used but is still of benefit.

Google for "CPU-Z" as it'll show you the timings used on
your modules and the ratings programmed into them. Could be
that even though your two new modules are rated as CAS2.5,
they might run at CAS3 regardless unless you manually set
your bios to overright IT'S defaults.
Click to expand...

CPU-Z showed the timings as 2.5-4-4-8 @ 200 Mhz, 2.0-3-3-7 @ 166 Mhz.
 
Back
Top