Memory speed affecting windows experience (memory operations) score so drastically

A friend just showed me his new Dell Vostro lappy. He has 4 GB of DDR2 800mhz memory on it when compared to my 4 GB of DDR2 667mhz memory on my XPS 1530

However, under his windows experience score - he gets 5.9 score for memory operations while I just get a 5.1. I can't believe that a couple of hundred mhz can result in such a drastic difference.

Is there something optimized for his system but not for mine?

 

What is also weird is that the vostro cannot utilize 800mhz ram and down clocks it to run at 667 mhz. Actually the memory score is based on the processor as well.

 

I have a Vostro with 4GB 800 MHz Ram, and I only get 4.8...you'll notice my Sig says 667...that's b/c of the downclock.

 

Seriously, I would not put any stock into the Windows Experience Index. It is the most useless, most random, set of numbers a computer can ever give you.

 

I agree 100%. It even thinks it can tell you what games your computer can run based on the Windows Experience Index lol.

 

AFAIK none of the Vostros support DDR2-800.

Anyway, you can edit your WEI score through an xml file or WinBubble, if seeing a 5.9 will make you feel good.

 

My Dell has 4GB of RAM running at 667MHz, and it gets a score of 4.9... so my RAM outperforms yours for no good reason, according to WEI.

Like Greg said, don't waste time agonizing over these scores.

 

I am not well-acquainted with Dells, but I don't think there are any Montevina-based Vostros out there. The Santa-Rosa chipset (GMCH) (PM/GM965; GL960) will downclock the DDR2-800 memory to DDR2-667, no matter what Crucial sells, or lists....

 

...so you're saying that I could unlock my BIOS and increase the speed of my RAM even though I'm on a Santa Rosa?

 

Well, while I don't particularly care about the nuances of WEI, I was shocked at the drastic difference in points. However, if the memory test is not isolated from the CPU, that would explain a lot since he has the Core 2 Duo 2.8Ghz chip.

 

What is that all about ?
Editing BIOSs and hard-wiring PLL Chips is nothing your avergae joe can do.
Santa Rosa chipset is limited to 333Mhz DDR2 frequency, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

 

Then I look fwd to see you to come up with a work-around or something, to up-clock the memory frequency to 800MHz (with a 800MHz FSB CPU at stock), and then write down a guide here at NBR or at least share your experience with everyone.

 

Woweee wow wow

 

UBER BIOS !! On a Dell ?! Forget Dell, it won't work for any notebook.

What you are trying to achieve is impossible without overclocking the FSB. Well impossible in the sense, that no one has tried it before, and no one will be crazy enough to try it.

Flashing BIOSs is no joke. The flashing process chokes, motherboard kaput, and you'll find yourself hunting for crisis disks.
There is no motherboard that comes with a socketed BIOS chip, and desoldering and then soldering a BIOS chip back, is well, again crazy. Using custom BIOSs without having a spare chip to hotflash it, in case an upgrade goes wrong ? Creating custom BIOSs is no joke. You'll find no one creating custom BIOSs, and guaranteeing it will perfectly with your computer.