Wrong memorystick to 6625WD

Hello!

Today i noticed something.
I got my new notebook about one month ago and im pretty satisfied with it.

I havnt benchmarked it yet, until today when i took a look at my System details for fun and noticed that i only got 2x 1gb 667 mhz memory sticks in it.

I scratched my head. Didnt i order 800mhz memory sticks @ 2gig?
Checked my confirmation order in my mailbox.. And yes, i did order 800mhz memorysticks.

I made a call to the Zepto support and got transfered to a guy that told me to update the results of my Windows Experience Index.
If Vista, Donno why.

Anyway, after a while he told me that they had installed wrong memorysticks.

To solve this, they are gonna send over new memory sticks to me and let me install them myself, without breaking my warranty ofc. No problems.

And in orderconfirm it says that my HDD is a Samsung, but its a Hitachi which isnt much of a huge problem afterall.. Same speccs apart from that Samsung is so much better.. More silent.

I will get some kind of USB flashmemorystick in compensation though..

An acceptable solution? I dont know.. Installing memorysticks isnt much of a problem but wouldnt it be more of a sensible way to send someone of to fix it?

Like the onsite service they are selling along with the computer?

I hope its not a ordinary problem since its not that easy for a casual computeruser to check the memory speed.

To do that easy, Download 3dmark06 and install it.
Its free, Only Basic edition needed. Then go into System Details and look at Memory info and Frequency.

Conclusion of this.. Check your memsticks if you havnt.

 

It will show 667MHz in Windows even if you have 800MHz RAMs installed. The Santa Rosa chipsett don't support more than 667MHz RAMs.

 

Okey? Why didnt the technician on Zepto support tell me that already?

And one more question, Why in H*llare Zepto selling components with more power for a higher price if the chipset only supports 667mhz?
Since its fully possible to configure the system with various components before ordering?

 

Which support did you talk to? The Danish support? International support?

 

The SPD page of CPU-Z will tell you the details of each RAM module including the timing options. If you have 800MHz RAM then there will be an entry for 400MHz (x 2 = 800MHz since it is DDR-2).

It has been a mystery to me why Zepto have been offering this faster RAM since the higher speed is not supported by the chipset and the RAM's speed at 667MHz is the same as the normal RAM.

John

 

I called the swedish number for support on Zepto.se
I did this today and before that i checked under the computer and saw that it actually were 2x Kingston 800mhz memorysticks, called back today and told them to not send over new sticks when i already have the ones i ordered.

I had to ask why in hell they are selling 800mhz RAMs and why its even possible to pick em along with Santa Rosa Chipsett which seems to be the current one?

The aswer i got from a guy called Robert on the support was that its beacuse the 800mhz RAMs are much faster than the regular 667 even though Santa Rosa cant use 800mhz to its fully capacity, is that true? if it is, how much faster are the 800MHz RAMs in compare to the 667 ones.

I payed 900 SEK more for those sticks.. I feel kinda cheated for sure.

 

Sometime back in this forum (~6 months ago?) someone posted the memory timings SPD data for their 800MHz RAM. At 333/667MHz it was running at 5-5-5-15. This was the same as normal 667MHz RAM (see attached).

You can check your RAM in case it is faster (ie 4-4-4-12 at 333/667MHz).

John

 

This is how it looks in my SPD data.

Can you do a judgement of this John?
Thank you!

 

Thanks for the CPU-Z info.

That is what I expected. Your 800MHz RAM is running at 667MHz at the same speed as normal PC5300 RAM.

Perhaps it is time for the Zepto folk to explain why they see it is worthwhile offering this RAM. Maybe they know something I don't.

John

 

Thanks alot John for your quick answer.
Kinda sad to hear that ive more or less bought faster RAMs for no good reason though

Would be nice to hear from some Zepto folk about this once more.
Im not satisfied with the answer and expaination i got from the guy at their Swedish support when the memorydata from CPU-Z info speaks against his theory.

 

As for the extra cost of the RAM, it has to be considered in the context of the RAM pricing at the time. 2GB is about 1/3rd of the cost of 10 months ago and 60% of the cost of 6 months ago. I bought two of these at different times.

John

 

Yes ofc, and i bought this notebook not even one month ago.
And the difference between the RAMs are still over 900SEK, Which sucks.
Poor wallet of mine

 

That was me, brain freeze

 

Cool, then im quite amazed that you managed to not tell me that Santa Rosa only supports 667mhz RAMs.

I really like Zepto as a trademark and the computers are really amazing.
But to sell RAMs which your computers not even supports is kinda lame..

Copy paste from zepto.se (info regarding 800mhz RAMs.)

"- Ökad prestanda, banar vägen för nya, höga hastigheter på upp till 800 MHz"

In english. "-Increased thermal performance, paving way for new higher speeds up to 800 MHZ"

Tell me.. Bull**** isnt it? How do you mean its possible to reach 800mhz with a Zepto Computer?

False Marketing?

 

The speed between the CPU and chipset is 800MHz. The speed between the chipset and RAM will never run anything else than 667MHz unless you overclock as the Santa Rosa chipset does not support higher front side bus speeds for the RAM but the 667MHz speed by default as it is a hardware limitation.

If the price for the 800MHz RAM is justifiable compared to the 667MHz RAM I can't really say as I personally haven't conducted any tests with either of them.

 

There was something on the site at some point that you got a 15 percent performance increase with 800Mhz.

 

There has been much confusion between the FSB speed and the RAM speed. They can be different. FSB is CPU<-->chipset and RAM speed is chipset <--> RAM. Santa Rosa increased the FSB speed to 800MHz but the RAM speed stayed at 667MHz.

As indicated above, at the moment the extra speed of 800MHz RAM might be of use to the people who are overclocking their FSB (since the RAM frequency usually also increases in proportion).

At the moment the big question for Zepto is whether there is any technical benefit to having the more expensive PC6400 RAM?

John