Since the introduction of DDR500 memory the discussion regarding memory bandwidth vs. low timings has really caught fire. The reason is simple, memory technology of today can’t handle 500 MHz using optimal memory timings and the DDR500 modules are therefore optimized for high clock frequencies and less aggressive timings.
People has argued whether bandwidth or timings are most important, and PCStats.com has done their best trying to find answers using multiple tests on a Pentium 4 platform. The tests compare DDR400 (2-2-2-5 timings) to DDR500 (3-4-4-8 timings) and even though the results vary, the conclusion seems to be that in “real life applications” aggressive memory timings still rule.
The article is worth reading if you’re thinking of buying new RAM, and you can find it here.
