TZ150: DDR2 667 w/ latency 5 -- or -- DDR2 533 w/ latency 4 ?

I recently purchased a 2GB chip of DDR2 667 RAM for a Vaio SZ6. However, I ended up buying a Vaio TZ150 instead of an SZ. The specs for the Vaio TZ150 say that the fastest RAM it can support is DDR2 533. I installed the DDR2 667 chip into my TZ, and it is running fine. From what I understand, the TZ just runs the RAM at the slower 533 speed.

My question is whether for speed vs. money considerations I should keep the 667 RAM that has a cass latency of 5 or exchange it for 553 RAM that has a cass latency of 4. It would probably cost me about $25 to send the 667 RAM back to newegg, pay the restocking fee, and have them send me a 2 GB chip of DDR2 533 RAM.

Although money is always an issue, the bigger question boils down to this: How much (if any) of a speed benefit would there be to switching from 667 RAM w/ cass latency of 5 to 533 RAM w/ cass latency of 4?

Thank you very much for your insights.

 

Absolutely nothing noticeable. Keep the 667 RAM, they are cheaper anyway.

 

I agree, you will not notice anything.

 

Great; thank you for the help.

 

TZ's RAM is running at 667Mhz by default... The 533Mhz is FSB speed

 

533MHz is also the memory bus speed...

 

Bunch of disinformation above:

The default of the TZ is at 400Mhz and you can bump it to 533Mhz.

If you get the OCZ 667Mhz 5-5-5-15 like I did, it will have CAS of 3 @ 400Mhz and 4 @ 533Mhz.

If you get the OCZ 800Mhz 5-5-5-15 like my second TZ, it will have CAS of 3 @ 400 Mhz and 3-4-4-5 @ 533Mhz

The difference between 400 and 533 with the same CAS speed wise is < 10%, while the difference in the CAS 3 or 4 makes the system more responsive.

 

I have gskill ram that's cl4 at 667... it runs GREAT at 533, curious though... where the hell is everyone changing their ram speed?!?!?! Bios in this machine doesn't seem to let you do ANYTHING and I can't for the life of me find ANYWHERE in this forum an explanation of how to do it? Do I need some sony bloatware to do it?

 

Look into VAIO control center.

 

dont see that on the esupport site...

 

ZK - it is in vaio control center - something under performance - also it is Sony crapware - check the TZ150 support site as all of the software and drivers are not on the TZ130 site.

Although I used the TZ150 sony software I do not see the Sony Control Center either - but when i first had the computer you could change the speed

 

arg... there is nothing in my "performance" tab except for windows utilities... the word vaio is nowhere to be found... which crapware package did you install???


there is no utility under the tz-150 that says anything about performance or ram or anything else mentioned in this thread.

Does anyone know which of the sony Esupport site's applications has this ram adjustment utility in it? I think people who overinstalled sony crapware just "have" this thing, but I was very selective and would only like to install the one piece of crapware that will allow me to tweak my ram... there is no unlocked bios I presume?

Thanks guys

 

I think you need to install the Setting_Utility_Series which I don't consider as a crapware. It doesn't cause decrease of performance of my tz.

 

thank you!

 

hrm, I found them on the international site, but not on the us esupport sony site

 

SO which is really better to get?
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Laptop Memory Model F2-5300CL4D-2GBSA - Retail
$49.99
or

Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Dual Channel Kit Laptop Memory Model CT2KIT12864AC53E - Retail
$39.99

both will run at the FSB of 533 if I tell the laptop to run at 533, right?

 

yeah, they will both run at 533.. so if you really want to nitpick, get the 533 ram with the best timings, but from what I've read, timings on ram in laptops make very little difference. Newegg has a gskill ram that runs cl4 at 667mhz, I assume it has great timings at 533mhz

 

THis is from newegg: G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Laptop Memory Model F2-5300CL4D-2GBSA - Retail
$49.99

Does teh computer auto adjust timings? I thought you had to do that manually and laptops don't allow for manual timings? If the most i'll save like 1-3seconds on startup by paying $10 more, I'll just get the cheaper of the two rams.

 

I couldnt wait for an answer, I ordered:
G.SKILL 2GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Laptop Memory Model F2-5300CL4S-2GBSQ - Retail
Paid for the $10 more ram.