Cas Latency??? – 3316 days old

[BlackHawk]

Am ready to buy the memory for the new box and only have a couple more questions.

When looking at the different sticks I assume non-ecc and unbuffered are what I want but what is Cas Latency and should I worry about it?

How about "Plug-n-Frag Auto-Configuration" or "Platinum Heat Spreaders"?

[DrewDog]

I've heard that the platinum heat spreaders on corsairs XMS series don't do much for cooling. I haven't seen any articles about that, but I think its mostly just for looks.

auto configuration is nice if you don't want to have to enter the BIOS to check the settings after you install it, but thats not much a pain, it only takes 10 seconds.

As for CAS latency if your doing some serious gaming or working with memory intensive programs, shell out the money for the lower CAS ram, otherwise the cheaper memory with a higher CAS is fine.

[BlackHawk]

Originally posted by DrewDog

As for CAS latency if your doing some serious gaming or working with memory intensive programs, shell out the money for the lower CAS ram, otherwise the cheaper memory with a higher CAS is fine.

This is going to sound really dumb....How do I tell which is high and which is low?

[Alakazam]

BH, here's a partial page from Corsairs' site, in the right hand column, you'll see the different numbers and their latency. Those with an * will run cas2 on intel systems and cas2.5 on amd ones according to the site. Like DDog says, lower latency is better in general, a higher cas is cheaper though, it's your call.

[serlv]

If you are wanting to run low latency, like a latency of 2, with tight timings then Kingston HyperX is one of the few manufacturers that are using the fabled BH-5. BH-5 is a designation for particular DRAM modules, made by Winbond, that are notorious for running a latency of 2 with very tight timings. It is very desirable. BH-5 is no longer manufactured.


Kingston's HyperX PC3200, not marked with an A, still uses BH-5, and it is strongly suspected that their HyperX PC3000 uses BH-5. The PC3000, though "rated" at 185 MHz, will run neck and neck with the best PC3200.

Their PC3700 uses DRAM modules that will not run as tight timings like BH-5.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This would not be RAM with BH-5:

Kingston HyperX KHX3200A <<<< ( can tell by the A designation )


This would be the HyperX with BH-5:

Kingston HyperX KHX3200 <<<< ( note the absence if the A )

timings -
400MHz settings: 2-2-2-6-1 (CAS Latency 2)




This stuff is available at zipzoomfly or newegg and maybe a couple other places. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Obviously, you have to decide if it is worth it to you. But you will be hard pressed to find better performing RAM.

[BlackHawk]

I think I need to do some serious reading. :o)

Thanks, guys.

[Alakazam]

There is a lot of info out there BW, here's a couple of sites to get you started:

http://www.dugu9tweaks.net/articles/ramtimings/

http://www.sudhian.com/showfaqs.cfm?fid=20&fcid=2#128

[serlv]

also,
http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/...707/index.html