DDR 2 vs DDR 3 help

[Desert_Lizard]

I have a system Im slowly upgrading and I currently have 4 gb DDR2 666 mhz and I have DDR3 16gb 1600 mhz coming to me and I am wondering how much of a performance boost I will get. I will also be getting a P8H77-i mobo and Core i5 3330 so I will be able to use DDR3.

 

 

CPU- Core 2 Duo 3ghz e8400

Ram- 4gb 666mhz DDR2

GPU- Ati Radeon hd 5970

PSU- EVGA 850 watt g2

Mobo- GM3302 Foxxcon

Case- Phantom 410

[JeffreyEagan]

DDR3 will phyiscally not fit into a DDR2 slot. You will need a new motherboard to accept your new memory modules.

ALSO, DDR3 will give a MASSIVE performance boost over DDR2.

[H4X3R]

ALSO, DDR3 will give a MASSIVE performance boost over DDR2.

Wrong. They are about the same in games.

[JeffreyEagan]

Wrong. They are about the same in games.

...You're kidding, right? They are nowhere near the same.

[Speedbird]

...You're kidding, right? They are nowhere near the same.

How come DDR3 and DDR4 are the same then?

[JeffreyEagan]

How come DDR3 and DDR4 are the same then?

They aren't the same, they're different pin counts, but they have the future ability to increase in speed. DDR2 from what he's using to the modules he's going to be using will be a MASSIVE speed increase.

[Speedbird]

They aren't the same, they're different pin counts, but they have the future ability to increase in speed. DDR2 from what he's using to the modules he's going to be using will be a MASSIVE speed increase.

Look, the only real difference that will sometimes make a difference in performance between DDR2 and DDR3 is bandwidth. And it has been shown in several benchmarks that gaming doesn't benefit from high-speed memory at all.

[Mistersprinkles]

How come DDR3 and DDR4 are the same then?

 

Current DDR4 is low speed and has terrible timings. They need to improve it. That's why. DDR2 is much slower than DDR3.  especially something like DDR2 667 to DDR3 1600 is a massive leap.

[JeffreyEagan]

Look, the only real difference that will sometimes make a difference in performance between DDR2 and DDR3 is bandwidth. And it has been shown in several benchmarks that gaming doesn't benefit from high-speed memory at all.

So you're saying that 666MHz is plenty enough for games... YEAH, okay.

[H4X3R]

They aren't the same, they're different pin counts, but they have the future ability to increase in speed. DDR2 from what he's using to the modules he's going to be using will be a MASSIVE speed increase.

Speed =/= better

With more speed comes more latency which basically cancels out the effect of a higher speed.

 

The only advantage to higher speeds is for APUs and for rendering times.

The main advantage to DDR3 over DDR2 is SIZE (GB per stick)

[Aniallation]

...You're kidding, right? They are nowhere near the same.

Most games will not benefit from higher speed RAM. High speed RAM will only help a lot in gaming if you use integrated graphics.

[Speedbird]

Current DDR4 is low speed and has terrible timings. They need to improve it. That's why. DDR2 is much slower than DDR3.  especially something like DDR2 667 to DDR3 1600 is a massive leap.

Timings have always got higher with newer standards. Remember that DDR2 had CL4, CL6 and stuff like that? DDR3 has high timings compared to DDR2 and DDR4 has high timings compared to DDR3. And have you actually seen a performance improvement in gaming with lower timings and higher speeds?

[Aniallation]

So you're saying that 666MHz is plenty enough for games... YEAH, okay.

Yes, it is. It's 667MHz btw.

 

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1782/amd_phenom_ii_ddr2_vs_ddr3_performance/index11.html

[Speedbird]

So you're saying that 666MHz is plenty enough for games... YEAH, okay.

Yeah, sure. I have an 800 MHz kit of DDR2 in my rig and it's not that bad.

[JeffreyEagan]

Speed =/= better

With more speed comes more latency which basically cancels out the effect of a higher speed.

 

The only advantage to higher speeds is for APUs and for rendering times.

The main advantage to DDR3 over DDR2 is SIZE (GB per stick)

I'm sorry dude, but that's just part of it, look at the max speed of DDR2, now look at the max speed of DDR3, see the difference? That helps with things like OS loading, application loading, rendering (if you're using a fast enough drive.)

[Speedbird]

I'm sorry dude, but that's just part of it, look at the max speed of DDR2, now look at the max speed of DDR3, see the difference? That helps with things like OS loading, application loading, rendering (if you're using a fast enough drive.)

Nope, faster storage improves load times.

[Guest]

You cant only compare RAM when you are changing both cpu, ram and motherboard...

[Aniallation]

 That helps with things like OS loading, application loading, rendering

Yes, but not for gaming, which doesn't require lots of speed and bandwidth for system RAM. Speed and bandwidth for video RAM is a lot more important, and OP has a dedicated GPU with GDDR5 which takes care of that.

 

Even with OS/application loading, disk speed affects it a lot more then RAM speed.

[JeffreyEagan]

Yes, it is. It's 667MHz btw.

 

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1782/amd_phenom_ii_ddr2_vs_ddr3_performance/index11.html

I don't agree what you guys are saying, so I'm sticking with the knowledge that I know. (DDR2 sucks for anything except BASIC computer use)

[JeffreyEagan]

Yes, but not for gaming, which doesn't require lots of speed and bandwidth for system RAM. Speed and bandwidth for video RAM is a lot more important, and OP has a dedicated GPU with GDDR5 which takes care of that.

 

Even with OS/application loading, disk speed affects it a lot more then RAM speed.

You removed the section of my comment where I said "That helps with things like OS loading, application loading, rendering (if you're using a fast enough drive.)"

Fast. Enough. Drive.

[Desert_Lizard]

I usually play Arma 3 and after about 45 mins of play my textures will not load and my pc freezes and I upgraded my Storage and graphics card but i still have the same problem so it has to be my cpu and ram.

[Aniallation]

I don't agree what you guys are saying, so I'm sticking with the knowledge that I know. (DDR2 sucks for anything except BASIC computer use)

Have you even tried it for yourself? 

 

I had a PC with an E8400 and DDR3 RAM. The motherboard died so I replaced it with a PC with an E8500 and DDR2 RAM, and moved my GTX 280 over. The new rig actually runs slightly better in gaming thanks to the better CPU. DDR3 is not a significant performance increase over DDR2 for gaming unless you're addressing a huge amount of RAM, like those new titles that are requiring 6-8GB of RAM.

[Aniallation]

You removed the section of my comment where I said "That helps with things like OS loading, application loading, rendering (if you're using a fast enough drive.)"

Fast. Enough. Drive.

If you have a fast enough drive like an SSD, the benefit that faster RAM brings becomes irrelevant in loading the OS and applications. Don't argue with me on this one. I have a laptop with DDR1 RAM running off a Neutron GTX.

[JeffreyEagan]

Have you even tried it for yourself? 

 

I had a PC with an E8400 and DDR3 RAM. The motherboard died so I replaced it with a PC with an E8500 and DDR2 RAM, and moved my GTX 280 over. The new rig actually runs slightly better in gaming thanks to the better CPU. DDR3 is not a significant performance increase over DDR2 for gaming unless you're addressing a huge amount of RAM, like those new titles that are requiring 6-8GB of RAM.

Celeron with 4GB DDR2, brand new OOB. Sucked so much I threw the whole system in my closet and got DDR3.

[Aniallation]

I usually play Arma 3 and after about 45 mins of play my textures will not load and my pc freezes and I upgraded my Storage and graphics card but i still have the same problem so it has to be my cpu and ram.

ARMA 3 will be VERY limited by your Core 2 Duo. Even the latest i7s struggle with it.