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DDR2 533 vs. 667

post #1 of 14
2/23/06 at 9:43pm
Thread Starter 
I'd bought a 1GB DDR 533 SODIMM from newegg that was gonna go in the XPS M140 that I sent back. I'm now planning to get the E1505/i6400 in a few weeks when they come out. I noticed looking at the specs and manual for it that there's a DDR 667 option offered as well...

How exactly does this work as far as it relates to the CPU? I'm used to the typical FSB X clock multiplier = CPU speed system and I'm not sure how you can how two different RAM speeds offered without changing the speed of the CPU or bus...

I take it I'm gonna want the DDR2 667 for my system, but do I need to order it with that, or can I get it with the base level 533 and then put in a 667 DIMM from newegg that I'm gonna order? Just trying to make sure it isn't a different mobo or something depending on whether you get 533 or 667.

Thanks!
Ryan
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post #2 of 14
2/23/06 at 9:54pm
The FSB is 667, so you can keep the CPU busy with either a single stick of 667 or two sticks of 533 (effectively 1066MHz in dual channel mode).

The only thing that will slow it down is a single stick of 533.
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post #3 of 14
2/23/06 at 10:57pm
i read somewhere that the dothans never really took advantage of the dual channel setup.

im guessing the duo's will def. take huge advantage of that?
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post #4 of 14
2/23/06 at 11:09pm
Thread Starter 
So... if I buy it with the standard 533 sticks, can I just keep this 533 1GB stick I already have and install it along with one of the 256 or 512s that's in the system, or do they have to be identical for the dual channel mode to work? Is 667 dual channel not possible?
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post #5 of 14
2/23/06 at 11:09pm
It's not that Dothan's didn't take advantage of dual channel, it's that they didn't need it. Dothans have a 533MHz FSB, so if the RAM runs at 533MHz, that's as fast as the CPU can transfer.

The higher bandwidth dual channel provides is completed wasted on a Dothan, but it can help with Yonah's faster FSB speed (if you use slower RAM).

Edit: I'm pretty sure both sticks need to be the same speed and size for DC to work.
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post #6 of 14
2/23/06 at 11:20pm
Thread Starter 
Ok so dilemma then...do I send the stick back+shipping and restock fee or do I just buy another stick of it and have 2GB in the system hmm...

There's no difference between running dual sticks of 533 and dual sticks of 667?
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post #7 of 14
2/24/06 at 12:57am
SO then the question is really easy. I got 2 GB of PC 533 RAM in a Dell M70 I am going to unload at some point. So... Am I better off swapping the 1 GB of 667 into the M70 for resell and then using the 533 in the E1705 (and vice versa as I am sure the 667 would clock itself down without issue) or will there be a tangible difference between 667 and 533? I would love to know some benchies and or relevant tests that reveal the answer 1 way or the other...
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post #8 of 14
2/24/06 at 1:29am
You won't notice any difference between 2x533 and 2x667, but the latencies might be different. SI Sandra has a memory bandwidth benchmark.

CPU-Z or any util that reads the SPD can tell you what the latencies are at the different frequences supported by your sticks.
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post #9 of 14
2/24/06 at 1:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dellbert
You won't notice any difference between 2x533 and 2x667, but the latencies might be different. SI Sandra has a memory bandwidth benchmark.

CPU-Z or any util that reads the SPD can tell you what the latencies are at the different frequences supported by your sticks.
agreed, as long as they are dual channel you won't see much difference from533mhz to 667mhz coz dual core has 667mhz fsb anyways

Quote:
Originally Posted by operaman
SO then the question is really easy. I got 2 GB of PC 533 RAM in a Dell M70 I am going to unload at some point. So... Am I better off swapping the 1 GB of 667 into the M70 for resell and then using the 533 in the E1705 (and vice versa as I am sure the 667 would clock itself down without issue) or will there be a tangible difference between 667 and 533? I would love to know some benchies and or relevant tests that reveal the answer 1 way or the other...
I would keep the 2Gigs
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post #10 of 14
2/24/06 at 1:48am
M70? The Precision line doesn't even support 667 ram. And if you use Dual Channel DDR ram @ 667 you'll be better off. The Intel Dual Core's are supposed to be able to make more use of the double bandwidth of Dual Channel ram more efficiently over the old Pentium 4's w/HT.
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post #11 of 14
2/24/06 at 1:54am
As operaman correctly pointed out, the 667 will be downclocked in the M70. The SPD will tell you which frequencies it supports, but it'll certainly support 533.
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post #12 of 14
2/24/06 at 2:02am
Thanks Sirba and Dellbert. I just figure why blow 250 and have a GB of 667 laying around. If there really is no diff between 667 or 533 (in dual channel) for what I am using I would rather save my moolah and just migrate the 1 GB 667 to the M70 and swap into the E1705 the 2 GB's of 533.
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post #13 of 14
2/24/06 at 2:04am
Yeah, I plan to use 2 1GB-533 sticks in my E1705. The 667 upgrade is pure gimmickery.
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post #14 of 14
2/24/06 at 6:52am
well NEWEGG sells 1gig 667mhz sticks for 125 avarage not bad i'd say
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