Sony SZ Series Memory Speed?

Hi guys,

I want to buy Sony SZ for its weight, nvidia and pc-card/express card support.
But I was wondering why Intel says that 945GM chipset supports (and runs?)
667 Memory but Sony states that the memory bus is only 533?

In another page by Sony, the FE with 945PM chipset which Intel also
say supports and run at 667. Sony states that the memory bus is 667.

Can anybody confirm that... when SZ is using the GMA950, the memory
is running at 533 and when using nVidia, the memory is running at 667?
(unless the memory pre-installed is 533)
Or is both Intel or nVidia mode running only at 533?

 

No, I think Sony just gives you the lower end memory. You can put in 667 mhz memory in there no problem. To actually get that speed, you'll need to pair two modules of identical speed - so, if you replaced one 533 with 667, the other 533 slows you down to 533 anyway.

With the 7400 Go, the memory/core clocks are different. It's not 533/667.

 

If you put 667MHz in a SZ, it will only used 533MHz. As for FE, the new model using Vista, Sony upgrade the memory from 533MHz to 667MHz.

 

Why would it only run at 544MHz?

 

The current Core2Duo's FSB is 533mhz so running the memory at 667mhz adds no performance increase since the CPU's memory access isn't fast enough to use that extra speed. In a few months the Santa Rosa chipset will come out with much faster FSBs and then memory speed will matter.

It matters in desktops because the desktop C2Ds have a 1066FSB so fast ram helps a lot.

 

OH right - thought it was 677MHz! Why does the XPS m1210 have the configurable option for 677 RAMs then?? Just a thought cause I gonna get that laptop before.

Oh and this Santa Rosa (sorry for dumb question), I guess you can't use with our current Merom laptops yeh?

 

Dell offers it because it's a great marketting trick "Look at us, you can run your memory at 667..." when in reality it'll make no difference whatsoever. The RAM WILL run at 667mhz but it'll be slowed down using delays to the point where it's just as fast as your CPU. Ideally you want your RAM speed and your CPU FSB (interface from CPU to RAM) to be the same so they can run in sync. Async operation (different speeds) is never as good.


Look at all the other notebook manufacturers, they all run their DDR2 at 533mhz when paired with the current Core2Duo CPUs. It's not just Sony.

 

Mobilehavoc, you are wrong.

Current Core2Duo's FSB IS 667MHz (except old T5200 and T5300).
In all laptops (Vaios included) they work at 667MHz, but memory speed in Vaio SZ is artificially decreased to 533MHz and in that way not working in 1:1 ratio with CPU. Why is that, ask Sony.

In short, Core2Duo in SZ has 667MHz FSB, but memory is working at 533MHz.
CPU:Memory ratio - 5:4


EDIT:
Future Core2Duo processors (part os Santa Rosa chipset) will have 800MHz FSB and they will go in new socket P.

 

Guess I read a bad article, can't remember which it was now.

Oh well, I guess if you can get a system that runs 667 RAM and CPU that is definitely better since it's synchronous 1:1.

 

I also dont understand y Sony run 667MHz in FE but only 533MHz in SZ

 

Someone should make a forum sticky for this question as it is asked again, and again, and again, and no one seems to avail themselves of the search function.

[1] There would be little if any noticeable, real-world performance difference between an SZ running memory at 533 vs. one running at 667. There are so many other speed bottlenecks [slow 945 chipset, slow hard drives, etc] in the SZ that attaining 667 memory speed with current SZ configs is just about pointless.

[2] Stability is also likely an issue. While running the CPU FSB and memory at 1:1 can have performance advantages it also creates the potential for memory errors if one uses anything but high-quality RAM validated for a given chipset.

Anecdotal as it may be I have never had a single BSOD with the SZ and this is the only computer [desktop or laptop] that I can say that about.

[3] Cost is the third issue. High-quality RAM is more scarce thus more expensive. Sony sells a lot of SZ's and it would likely be difficult and very expensive to equip each one with high-quality 667 RAM.

Since there would be no noticeable performance increase in running the SZ at 667 and there might even be stability issues introduced, Sony likely figures why not save a few bucks by using mid-level 533 RAM and kill two birds with one stone; lower cost and better stability.

 

Your points 1) and 2) may be correct, but my SZ-38 (similar to SZ360) came with 667 memory. I bought a second Kingston 667 chip, so now have two 667 chips. They look identical under Sisoft Sandra.

So the cost is clearly not an issue to Sony.

Of course the notebook memory still runs at 533MHz.

 

Stability is also not an issue. I mean, if laptops in the same form-factor from other manufacturers can work with 667MHz FSB without stability issues, why can't Sony make the same thing ?
About performance. You are perhaps right, but why cripple laptop if you lose nothing and gain nothing ? Specs are always means to advertise laptop and it certanly doesn't look good when you lowering the specs.

It's certanly not about that. I believe it's more about power saving and perhaps heat isues.

 

Not true. There is a cost difference between 533 RAM and 667 RAM and regardless of how marginal that difference is, on the scale of economies that Sony uses that small difference can have a huge impact on the bottom line.

I still maintain that the biggest reason for Sony using 533 RAM in the SZ is a combination of value engineering [cost savings] and stability.

Perhaps your reseller "upgraded" the RAM himself or perhaps Sony feels the Australian market [or wherever] demands 667 RAM even though it can't run at that speed.

As for your SZ38 I can't say other than to note that this is a non-U.S. model and Sony has all kinds of little differences in models from one market to the next – in fact Japan sees many products, features, and options that other markets never do.

 

Again, not so.

If you look at the system builder market many motherboard manufactures [Asus, MSI, etc] do not guarantee the ability to run the FSB and RAM at 1:1 under every conceivable condition/configuration. Most mobo makers will even tell you specifically which RAM they have validated for stability with their boards.

The point is not that Sony can't make their notebooks run at 1:1 but that it costs more and you receive only minimal performance increases. The cost savings comes in two flavors, they save on the cost of the RAM and they save money in the support area by cutting down on the number of support calls concerning BSOD issues, etc. where less-than-perfect RAM is almost always the culprit.

Heat issues may very well be part of the equation but it still strikes me that cost and stability were Sony's primary concerns because both involve MONEY.

 

So surely upgrading an old SZ with a core duo T2400 running at 667 and 1gb of ram running and 533 TO a T7200 running at 667 and 2gb of ram running at 667 will give a great performance increase? That is the game I want to play someone tell me if i'm silly.

 

Weird.

I picked up 2X1gb Corsair Value Selects 667mhz for $66 CAD each.

I run CPU-Z and it tells me i'm running at 667.

Am I missing something if it's suppose to run at 533?

BTW: I have a SZ330P T7200

 

Your RAM is at 667 MHz (it's going to detech what is physically there)., but the system only uses it at a 533MHz bandwidth.

As for stability, there is no stability issue with 667MHz RAM since it can step down to 533MHz. The SZ basically throws out the extra bandwidth. Now, if Sony a) didn't want to spend the $ to get a higher bandwidth and b) tried but it caused stability, it's a different story. But putting 667MHz RAM on a system that only uses 533MHz does not cause any instability problems.

This thing seriously needs a sticky.

 

take a screenshot of cpu-z showing that 667 please

 

Hi,
Please look at my SZ Memory Speed.

The preinstalled one.


Upgraded one (Kingston)


Last, running speed


Is this normal?

Thanks in advance.

 

Its normal. but the 3rd pictures shows that the memory is actually running at 266.7mhz (2x = 533.4 freq). The first and 2nd picture just show the max frequency the install ram can run at. Don`t worry you not the only one who made this mistake