Help with memory choice - please!

[ed1]

I am building a system with a GA-EX58-UD3R (rev. 1.6) board, Intel 920 (D0), Patriot 64GB SSD, and Seagate 1TB HDD. I am considering these 6GB (3x2GB) RAM kits (very close in price):

Mushkin 998692 DDR3 1600Mhz PC12800 @ 6-7-6-18

Corsair Dominator GT CMG6GX3M3A1600C7 DDR3 1600Mhz PC12800 @ 7-7-7-20

I am assuming that the lower latency on the Mushkin would be preferable, but I seem to recall some reviews that found Corsair to outperform other brands at a given frequency and latency.

I plan to overclock the 920 to maybe around 3.5Ghz.

Which RAM kit would be a better choice? (It seems that higher frequency kits come with higher latency - not sure whether it is worth considering those.) Thanks.

[Psycho101]

As you seem to be aware, RAM performance is all about a balance between timings and frequency. These two together create the bandwidth and latency figures produced in benchmarks and alter real world performance.

Even though you probably wouldn't see any performance difference between those two kits in real world use, the Mushkin would come out on top in benchmarks, assuming all other factors are identical apart from primary timings.

If it were me, I'd go with the Mushkin. It isn't a universal fact thatCorsair or any other brand will consistantl over perform at a given frequency. Most of those reviews you may have seen (I've seen some like that too) possibly used different advanced timings, tRead valuesor may not have kept the test system constant if the compared models weren't both part of the same test article.

You will probably find that the Mushkin at 6-7-6-18 will clock to DDR-2000 with an increase in timings, maybe as little as 8-8-8-24.

Another similar set of Mushkin is reviewed in the Memory section here: Mushkin XP 998679 DDR3 3x2GB 1600Mhz Stability Testing and Review

It may give you an insite into just how much head room to expect from a set of Mushkin.

[ed1]

Thanks for all of your thoughts on this, Psycho101.

I went with the Mushkin. (Haven't received them yet. . .)