RAM Speed and Timings?
#1
Greetings,

how important are Ram Timings and Speed for PCSX2?

I'm asking cause my System atm runs with 350Mhz FSB (pentium e5200, that's the maximum, can't go any higher), which forces me to use 2x factor on ram settings and thats "only" 700Mhz instead of 800. if i use 2,5 its 875mhz, but thats definitely to much, the system doesnt even boot.

to "compensate" the lower ram frequency at least a little, i'm using more agressive ram timings (4-4-4-12).

So whats more important? Ram Frequency? FSB? Ram-Timings? Overall Ghz?

Thanks. :-)
Intel 486 DX33 33Mhz
8MB EDO Ram
S3 Graphics Trio64V+
Windows 95
Running MGS3 Snake Eater fully playable @ 0.05 fps
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#2
The smallest number you can achieve in each these setting and still keep stability. They mean the number of raw clocks in the effective speed before the data is deemed stable and ready to use.

It's a bit complicated (some arithmetic calculations Smile ) to decide what actually is better, since reducing the raw speed on the bus may allow reducing some those numbers and that may be better than greater bus speed and more clocks to get ready and vice versa.
Imagination is where we are truly real
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#3
Hmmmm... Alright, thanks.

I think i fiddle around a little bit more to see if my ram runs with 833hz and still with 4-4-4-12. it just "cheap" kingston value ram, but i hope a little bit more voltage will do the trick. and i think 333mhz fsb instead of 350 doesn't make THAT big difference. and if i'm able to use the standard fsb/cpu-multiplier, i still got about 4,2ghz, just like before. mmmh...

wish me luck Laugh
Intel 486 DX33 33Mhz
8MB EDO Ram
S3 Graphics Trio64V+
Windows 95
Running MGS3 Snake Eater fully playable @ 0.05 fps
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#4
Yes it matters about 0.0001%, I'm exaggerating but really, timing make the smallest amount of difference of performance out of all possible tweak, you most likely will notice a 100MHz cpu overclock than tighter timing...
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#5
All in all in some cases the memory bandwidth plays a greater role in the whole overclock. Still I don't like tampering with it, mainly in non ECC environment. It may introduce nasty data corruptions, accumulative and not immediately perceived.

It's a balance, the CPU can't do anything before being feed with data, the cache may provide enough to keep it busy between memory movements but not always and the CPU will idle for brief instants enough to hurt overall performance. It depends on the kind of operations being performed and cache hits rate.

In the worst scenery the CPU overclock can do nothing for an idle CPU. But that worst scenery is not that often and so the CPU OC will benefit the performance most of the time. For the same reason a small increase in the bus speed sometimes is more beneficial than an increase in the multiplier.

In the end OC is an art and understanding the bottlenecks should be a wiser guide than just going crazy over one unique parameter. But OK, sheer power is sheer power... being stable any OC will help even if not the best possible overall OC.
Imagination is where we are truly real
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#6
If I were able to loosen my memory timings I could achieve a higher memory overclock, whereas if I were to tighten them I couldn't reach the same.

Since I can't change the timings I just change the FSB multiplier, which increases the bandwidth on the front side bus and should do the most good of any specific tweaks, it also increases the clock speed of the CPU and memory very stably, I can reach up to 1060 mhz on FSB out of 800 default (It's quad pumped so just quarter the values).
CPU: Pentium D 'Presler' 915 2.8 ghz 2x2MB L2 @ 3.5 ghz
GPU: eVGA [Nvidia] 8600GT 256MB SSC DDR3
Tested: FFX, FFX-2, FFXII, MGS3, KH, KH2, The Hobbit NTSC
PCSX2 FTW! Biggrin
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#7
So, my PC's running now at 4,16Ghz/333FSB with 833Mhz Memory Clock and 6-6-6-18 Timings (833mhz @4-4-4-12 = no go). Seems pretty stable.

Still have to run some stability tests like OCCT or prime95. Ninja
Intel 486 DX33 33Mhz
8MB EDO Ram
S3 Graphics Trio64V+
Windows 95
Running MGS3 Snake Eater fully playable @ 0.05 fps
Reply
#8
timings like others said don't matter much but cas 6 is a little loose :/
Intel E8500 @ 4.3ghz 1.32v w/ Tuniq Tower
DFI LanParty Dark P35-T2RS
G. Skill 4GB PC2-8000
BFG 8800 GTS 512
Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro
Thermaltake ToughPower 750W
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#9
Try StressPrime 2004 Beta Orthos Edition and stress your CPU with Gromacs core for like 20 minutes at least. If your CPU temperature breaks 65-67 celsius I wouldn't recommend keeping that overclock, even though it may appear stable. If anything your CPU will be okay for a couple years but your memory will degrade quick.

Trust me on this one I used to run my Prescott @ 4 ghz gaming at 168 F (75 celsius) but I rarely got crashes, eventually I moved my PC from the kitchen to the living room and set a crate underneath the air conditioner where I lay my case on top of a towel and then I just funnel in chilly freezing air until all my temps drop below room temperature. I only do this when I need the extra cooling efficiency, otherwise I'm fine because with my new CPU cooler I only hit 120 F max.

I should be able to overvolt a dual core up to 1.4v (that's what my processor uses at most right now and that's all my mobo supports) and using this method I could break 4 ghz on almost any processor pretty easily. Why is that? Because Core 2 architecture is 30-50% cooler than Pentium 4 and over 230% more efficient clock-per-clock... maybe even more than that. It depends.

Why don't you try it? If you have a dry climate that is, otherwise I would recommend just using the A/C to chill the reservoir for water cooling.
CPU: Pentium D 'Presler' 915 2.8 ghz 2x2MB L2 @ 3.5 ghz
GPU: eVGA [Nvidia] 8600GT 256MB SSC DDR3
Tested: FFX, FFX-2, FFXII, MGS3, KH, KH2, The Hobbit NTSC
PCSX2 FTW! Biggrin
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