Gaming RAM

Ok so i know this is a little offf topic but i have a DELL XPS M1730 specs are below in my sig so i wanted to upgrade to 4GB of Gaming RAM not the usual stuff but the gaming stuff anyone got any ideas of what to look at?

 

For laptops, it probably won't make a difference if you have "better" ram. However, if you will be overclocking, you might want to find ram modules with a lower CAS timing as those will provide more room for OCing.

 

All M1730 can handle is 677 Mhz ram which is outdated. Right now Dell is offering 8gb ram and I dont know how they are doing it as according to chipset,the max it can handle is 4 gb.

 

Are you encountering any performance issues? The 4gigs of DDR2 667 you have now should be enough to play just about any game well.

 

I am sure there is more expensive memory to be had but it won't give you a noticeable performance boost. To see a big difference upgrade to a pair of 8800M GTX or 9800s if it your laptop supports them.

 

there is no such thing as gaming ram.

 

Correct. 'Gaming' RAM is mainly a marketing gimmick, referring to RAM with lower latency and sometimes higher frequencies. It's really something only desktop users can take advantage of, and even in desktops, it hardly makes a difference. RAM is the least of a system builder's worries when it comes to bottlenecks. Going from a CL of 5 @ 667MHz to 4 won't make any tangible difference, even in synthetic benchmarks . . .

Just get name-brand RAM with a lifetime warranty.

 

Does going from 2 GB to 4GB RAM help in CPU intensive situations? such as games like RTS.. MMORPG..etc

 

Well gaming ram would be good if your laptop allows you to over clock. This would allow you a higher cpu overclock because ram would be able to go to higher speeds while remaining stable.

4gb will help a lot from 2gb.

 

I want to point out that "gaming RAM" on the desktop is, in my experience, essentially snake oil.

It runs at higher clocks or lower latencies, true...but that's with a healthy amount of extra voltage applied. Apply that same voltage to traditional consumer grade RAM and fairly often you'll see the same results (at least I do with my XMS2 kits).

 

As has been said, the only reason to get lower latency ram for a laptop is if your upgrading the ammt of memory in the system.

Dropping from 5-5-5-12 to 4-4-4-12 won't do a whole heck of a lot. Though it may potentially do more if you have an IGP or some other type of card that uses system memory.

It's not like the old days of Socket A and 478 where systems were so starved for memory bandwith that lowering your memory latency a bit can yield results you'll notice.

 

increasing the amount of ram will help out games like from 2GB to 4GB.

upgrading from DDR2 to DDR3 will only help a little. For example an increase of 4GB DDR2 to 4GB DDR3 is like 0-3FPS increase.

 

source? 10 char

edit: nvm, there is a fps increase IF you use ddr3 with super tight timings. and 0-3fps increase is only observed(and observable) when you lower the settings and getting way over 100fps. ie unrealistic situations. any way, a laptop won't support both ddr2 and ddr3, so i guess we're OT.

 

Spending your money on a single 9800M GT will increase your gaming performance, but different RAM won't.

 

Since WHEN did RAM became the major source of improvement of a game's FPSes? I got mine upgraded from 4 - 8GB, I even ran benchmarks on it, and no, I don't even get a FPS increase from 8GB. I don't know who really coined that term. Personally, spending money on tight timings just for that little increase isn't all worth IMO.

To OP, The graphics card man, is the major factor to all gaming needs. I see you're armed with dual 8700s in SLI in your sig. Do you want to upgrade it to 9800M GT SLI instead?

P.S, if anyone wonders why I need 8GB; I do lots of graphics work and workstation needs, VMware and I can hit as high as 7.8GB in my task manager.

 

The game is never ram limited or cpu limited, but gpu limited. You have 87msli which is quite old to run latest games. Upgrade to 88m sli or 98m sli and u will 4get gaming ram.

 

yea, I guess in games like Crysis it wouldn't make any difference. But maybe like Left4dead or something where one is getting like 150FPS, then there might be a slight difference.

p.s. sources are all over the internet.

 

gaming ram is just a way to increase their ram sale!!