Questions on RAM frequency

[IAmAndre]

Hi,

 

I'm considering getting a Lenovo Thinkpad P16s, but I'm also considering the Asus Zenbook S16. They both have the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, but the RAM on the Thinkpad runs at 5600MT/s while the one on the Zenbook is at 7500MHz according to their manufacturers.

 

How much would this impact the gaming performance, considering that the Thinkpad would have 64GB of RAM vs 32 on the Zenbook. Both laptops run the CPU at the same TDP of 28-29W.

 

Thanks.

[Eigenvektor]

If you're gaming on the iGPU it might make some difference, but higher speeds are diminishing returns. After some point it's not noticeable outside of benchmarks. And if you run out of RAM, the only thing that helps is more memory. So the 64 GB model will give you a lot more headroom.

 

For gaming latency usually tends to be more important, so check what CL number these have of the spec sheet lists them. Keep in mind that it's measured in clock cycles, so a higher number at a higher speed isn't necessarily worse (shorthand is CL x 2000 / MT/s, e.g. CL30 x 2000 / 6000 MT/s = 10 nanoseconds)

[IAmAndre]

33 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

Keep in mind that it's measured in clock cycles, so a higher number at a higher speed isn't necessarily worse (shorthand is CL x 2000 / MT/s, e.g. CL30 x 2000 / 6000 MT/s = 10 nanoseconds)

That's the confusing part. One of them is measured in MT/s while the other is measured in MHz. Can they be used interchangeably in this case?

[DoctorNick]

1 hour ago, IAmAndre said:

Hi,

 

I'm considering getting a Lenovo Thinkpad P16s, but I'm also considering the Asus Zenbook S16. They both have the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, but the RAM on the Thinkpad runs at 5600MT/s while the one on the Zenbook is at 7500MHz according to their manufacturers.

 

How much would this impact the gaming performance, considering that the Thinkpad would have 64GB of RAM vs 32 on the Zenbook. Both laptops run the CPU at the same TDP of 28-29W.

 

Thanks.

Should be worth it to get the Asus, even if the ram is soldered 

[Eigenvektor]

14 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

That's the confusing part. One of them is measured in MT/s while the other is measured in MHz. Can they be used interchangeably in this case?

In this case yes.

 

MT/s is the technically correct term. The memory runs at a physical frequency of 2800 MHz (x2 = 5600 MT/s). Because it is DDR (Double Data Rate) RAM its data rate is 5600 MT/s (since it can do two transactions per clock cycle). But manufacturers often (incorrectly) advertise it as 5600 MHz, probably because that's what people are used to.

[Tegneren]

18 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

That's the confusing part. One of them is measured in MT/s while the other is measured in MHz. Can they be used interchangeably in this case?

Yes, MT and MHz is the same thing in this case. Technically MT is the correct terminology as the real clock frequency is half of what is marketed, but due to double intsructions per clock (DDR= Double Data Rate) they are often marketed as 2x Mhz in stead of MT.

[venomtail]

1 hour ago, Eigenvektor said:

If you're gaming on the iGPU it might make some difference

RAM speed, timing and TDP really impact iGPU's and APU's. My VEGA APU couldn't come close to the desktop variant. RAM speed took a notch but the TDP half of what it could have been was a real hammer blow to the FPS.