[StealthTools]

SLI ready RAM? Is it any better? What does SLI mean?

Originally Posted by Redmo0n

What does "SLI ready" mean though? I ask myself the same question when i see that on ram. I think it means that it won't bottleneck your pc. And yes SLI is 2x video cards

SLI ready RAM is just a pretty sticker they put on the RAM so they can jack up the price. There is no appreciable difference between "regular" system RAM and "SLI Ready" system RAM.

Yes SLI ram does not mean anything. The company is just trying to get people to buy it thinking it will improve there SLI set up.

sli ram has special memory timings (which you can manually set in the bios) that are only accessable from qualified sli mobos running nvidia graphics.

it doesn't add anything you couldn't do already.

so instead of manualy changing timeings it has profiles stored for them to run at?

basically, but you only have a few choices.

for example, I have a set of Corsair XMS2 rated to run at 4-4-4-12-1T at DDR800. The stock SPD says 5-5-5-18-2T @ 1.8v, and the EPP (enhanced performance profile) says 4-4-4-13-1T * 2.1v.

I have the memory set to run manuall at DDR920 at 4-4-4-9-2T @ 2.1v, which beats the stuffing out of the EPP.

Originally Posted by http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/ocz_ddr2_pc2_6400_sli_ready_edition_dual_channel

OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 / 800MHz / NVIDIA® SLI™-Ready Edition / Dual Channel

—New OCZ PC2-6400 Memory Modules are NVIDIA nForce SLI Certified resulting in better performance with select NVIDIA nForce motherboards—
The new OCZ PC2-6400 SLI-Ready Series is equipped with NVIDIA Enhanced Performance Profiles (EPP) to optimize the modules’ performance on nForce® SLI-based motherboards. OCZ exclusively engineered select high-performance modules with advanced SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings to allow compatible motherboards to recognize and utilize the added information, ultimately increasing the performance potential of the entire platform.

OCZ PC2-6400 SLI-Ready memory modules are programmed to boot at 800MHz DDR2 with supremely fast timings of 4-4-4 1T. Only motherboards equipped with the custom-designed BIOS, such as those designed for NVIDIA nForce SLI MCPs, can detect the optimized SPD profiles and ensure the memory functions under the best possible conditions. The exclusive OCZ SPD specifications take out the guesswork and provide enthusiasts and gamers with significant overclocked performance with no manual adjustment or compatibility issues.

Each OCZ SLI-Ready module comes equipped with an exclusive NVIDIA XTC heatspreaders for the most efficient heat dissipation and a look that stands out like its performance. Additionally, all SLI-Ready memory is backed with toll-free technical support, the exclusive EVP (Extended Voltage Protection) coverage, and an industry leading Lifetime Warranty.

With the fusion of the sophisticated EPP memory specification and cutting-edge, high-speed OCZ DDR2 architecture, the PC2-6400 edition is the ultimate breakthrough for advanced SLI platform performance.


* XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) heatspreaders optimize the thermal management of memory modules by promoting greater airflow by means of micro-convection throughout what is usually the dead air space inside conventional heatspreader designs. In this manner, build-up of heat is avoided and thermal dissipation of the memory components is offloaded more efficiently through the honeycomb design. At the same time, mechanical stability is maintained.

**OCZ EVP (Extended Voltage Protection) is a feature that allows performance enthusiasts to use a VDIMM of 2.2V without invalidating their OCZ Lifetime Warranty.

SLI PC2-6400 RAM: OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 SLI-Ready 2GB kit - DriverHeaven.net

What do you guys think of this?

Oh and this is an excellent link: Legit Reviews - DDR2 PC2-6400 (800MHz) 7-way Memory Showdown - Same Frequencies, But Different Components


From reading these reviews it seems like SLI ready RAM unlocks more potential in your computer if you have an SLI motherboard and an SLI system.... THOUGH it sounds like to me that the OCZ RAM beats the latest SLI ready RAM even in an SLI configured computer....Is this correct?

ALSO how does OCZ, which seems to be the best RAM so far, compare to Corsair? I have heard Corsair to be the best.. but OCZ looks pretty darn awesome.. I have also heard Patriot Viper RAM to be the best... how do these compare to each other, and to SLI ready RAM?

OCZ:

Corsair:

Patriot Viper:

SLI Ready:


Note: This is in terms of RAW performance of DDR2 RAM in an SLI 9800GX2 setup with a 780i, as I know people like to say one thing is better over another because of it's price.

[veedubfreak]

The amount of difference from different RAM is going to be so small as to not even be noticable.

[Apokalipse]

SLI is used by Nvidia video cards. It has nothing to do with system RAM.

[veedubfreak]

Originally Posted by Apokalipse

SLI is used by Nvidia video cards. It has nothing to do with system RAM.

Nvidia chipsets do give "bonuses" to SLI ready memory though. Supposedly SLI ready ram has different settings when used on an nvidia board. My reapers are supposedly SLI ready, but i just set the memory mode to "expert" so i can set all the timings myself.

[StealthTools]

Originally Posted by veedubfreak

Nvidia chipsets do give "bonuses" to SLI ready memory though. Supposedly SLI ready ram has different settings when used on an nvidia board. My reapers are supposedly SLI ready, but i just set the memory mode to "expert" so i can set all the timings myself.

Are any of you actually reading the entire post? I already talked about this!

Originally Posted by veedubfreak

The amount of difference from different RAM is going to be so small as to not even be noticable.

How can this be true? why do people buy Crucial RAM and recommend it over the cheapest on the market??? Overclocking must not mean anything to you?

I want to know what the fastest RAM is out there for an SLI system Period. Is SLI ram better for an SLI system I guess not...though it does have pre-set overclocking settings. So what is the fastest RAM out there and by that I mean the fastest as in it overclocks to a speed which exceeds that of any other. (Air)

And from that post I take it that it doesn't matter what RAM you buy its all the same... How come on one of the links I provided it shows how much better OCZ out-performs the others.

If I am going to run a setup with 29800GX2 cards I don't want the RAM to be a problem and I want it to be able to smoke anything that gets in it's way... I also want it to handle overclocking... like a Q6700 to 4GHz

[stalin90]

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!)

sli mem is just a sticker that cost $20. and if you want the fastest mem out there you'll have to get a 790i and ddr3...

not sure what your saying about crucial ram many ppl say there the best

[veedubfreak]

Check out the memory test that Tom's did. The amount of difference between value ram and memory clocked at 1200 was fractions of a second in some programs, and 0 difference in other programs.

[Preacher]

I think its EPP timings which you mean , my Reapers only boot at 4-4-4-15 , and EPP = Nvidia board boot at 4-3-3-15.

[StealthTools]

I will condense my information then...

What RAM will have the Best Performance in a system with a Q6700 @ 4GHz and two SLI 9800GX2 GPU's? Note that they must overclock well.

[thirdshiftdj]

Newegg.com - Transcend AxeRAM 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
They'll hit 1200+ w/ no problems. I'd suggest getting Patriot or Transcend 1200mhz tested ram so you know for sure it'll run at that speed, timing and voltage.