Ares vs Ripjaws X

[essenbe]

Just wanted to know if there is a performance difference bwtween the 2. I like the low profile of Ares because of my NH-D14, but the ripjaws will fit - barely. Plus, newegg is out of the 8GB kits of 2133CL9. The Asus P8Z68 Deluxe Gen 3 is listed as compatible. So, I assume there would ne no issues with either. Is either faster? Thanks EDIT: Also, what is the differentiation in the ram colors? do the colors have any meaning/

[GSKILL TECH]

Look at the specifications of the memory to see which is better. Compare DRAM frequency, timings, and voltage.

RAM color differs from each sub-series. For RipJaws, Black > Blue > Red

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Britton30]

I'm also curious about performance differences too. Yes I read specs and they are the same. I might throw in the Sniper series too, what is the difference between them and, say, Ripjaws with the same specs. I also have some blue and black Ripjaws with same specs, why do you make different colors? I assume it is to match case color themes?


Further, what makes RAM modules "matched"? Do some modules lack full performance and others exceed specs?

[essenbe]

Look at the specifications of the memory to see which is better. Compare DRAM frequency, timings, and voltage.

RAM color differs from each sub-series. For RipJaws, Black > Blue > Red

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

Sir, I'm 63 years old and cannot remember the last computer I owned that did not have G skill ram in it. I have been a good customer to G skill. I asked a very simple, straight forward question and expected a straight answer. I can assure you, I am not dumb enough to not look at specs, but I also know that some perform better than others, even with the same specs. Many, if not most have quite similar specs even in the Ripjaws catagory. There is a difference. I did not expect a simple question to get blown off like that. I know how to read ram specs already.

[Britton30]

I'm 62 and have used G.Skill for my last 4 builds and also scrutinize specs for anything I buy.

[Tradesman]

First thing with the DRAM is the basic Freq you want to look at, i.e. you mention 2133, so I'll try and work from there, the 2nd thing you might use to narrow things down would be the CL which is the CAS Latentcy of the sticks, the lower the better base performance. Next to a certain extent you can look at individual models, though all (I have found) work well with most all platforms, most all seem to be designed to a degree towards Intel platforms as the come out, looking at the primary models, the Ripjaws came outare especially good with the socket 1366 and 1156, The Ripjaws X were design with the 1155 primarily in mind the P67/Z68/H67 chipsets, the Snipers came with the same 1155 and also to a degree optimized for 1156/AMD3 (and+)/Llano mobos, then their are the Ripjaws Zs which are designed for X79 and quad channel. To be honest the Ares line I have yet to use, but appears in part to fill the low profile market for the current hottest sales market for dual channel, 1155/1156 and AMD Llano and FX series CPUs.

If your looking a particular platform, using the above I'd look to those models first, with a caveat, I build a fair number of rigs and upgrade many more....overall I have become a Sniper fan, they have worked well with everything I throw them in and are very versatile. As I sit, I'm on a P67/2500K at 4.8 and running 2 sets (16GB0 of 1866 Snipers (base 9-10-9-28) and they are running at 2133 at 9-11-10-29, 1.54, 2T, and have run at 2200CL10. They also down clock to tight timings i.e. 1600/CL7.

It's hard to get into debating +s and -s on individual sets as a lot can play into it, the CPU, the mobo, PSU and the biggest factor can often be the user/person setting things up, their skill level, their knowledge and often their spirit of adventure.

You can see all kinds of things on the net about how well things work or don't work and when it comes to DRAM, I feel as if I'm pretty good but I know of a couple of builders that have done (to me) unreal things, and if I read about it on the net, first though would be to blow it off, but I've actually seen things I wouldn't believe unless it was coming from them.

Hope this helps, if any specific questions give a shout, I'm generally in and out through the week, though I'm in the field a lot this week

[Britton30]

Thanks Tman. I think what we are trying to find out is what is the differences between i.e. RipjawsX 1600 7-8-7-24 and a Sniper 1600 7-8-7-24 or any kit with identical specs. They have different prices so I suspect there is a different tech or die size, memory chip type or something.

[Tradesman]

Memory chips come into play as does the programming of the SPDs.....It's sort of hard to describe but as an example if you take 10 CPUs (same model) 1 or 2 may far outperform the others, same with DRAM chips, a manufacturer may make 10 production runs and 1 or 2 of the 10 lots have chips that test out better than the others, those can be earmarked as say 'premium' so they may be allocated to a separate line of sticks and come out as CL8 while the bulk go to a model at CL9 (and yes reverse is true there may be another lot or 2 that are considered slightly under 'BASE spec' for the run, those may go to a model at say CL10. There are a number of factors that can play into it. Not working for GSkill I don't have access to precise data used and I doubt GSkill will release that type of data, none of the other manufacturers I've ever dealt with do, but I learned alot about it from from a 'friend' that worked for another manufacturer and have got the same info from some of the folks I network with that also have contacts in the industry

[Britton30]

That is kind of what I expected. I know that CPU dies are printed on a large silicon wafer with, say. 500 CPU chips on it. Each one is tested and the best become i7 Exremes and sell for ove $1000, some lesser ones i5s and down the line. If there are some on a border line, individual cores in some chips will be fused, locked out, so what started as maybe an 8 core chip will become a 4 core.

I see now why a 64GB kit would be $3500 or more, it takes a lot of manual testing and gathering a big lot of identical RAM chips can take some time.

[Tradesman]

Exactly, and explained very well, I like your approach in the explanation. How bout filling in here for a couple days and I'll take a 'weekend' off

[Britton30]

Sure thing, what's it pay?

[Tradesman]

Nada, it's volunteer, I like to help and it helps me keep up with all the new hardware

[GSKILL TECH]

General questions get general answers, so if I did not answer correctly, please elaborate and I will do my best to understand and respond accordingly.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

Sir, I'm 63 years old and cannot remember the last computer I owned that did not have G skill ram in it. I have been a good customer to G skill. I asked a very simple, straight forward question and expected a straight answer. I can assure you, I am not dumb enough to not look at specs, but I also know that some perform better than others, even with the same specs. Many, if not most have quite similar specs even in the Ripjaws catagory. There is a difference. I did not expect a simple question to get blown off like that. I know how to read ram specs already.

[Britton30]

I'll try again. Say we have a set each of Ares, RipjawsX, Sniper, and Ripjaws all 2x4GB each with identical timings, CAS, voltage, etc. Ripjaws come in 3 colors, blue, dark blue and black. Ares in orange and black, all Sniper is black. Since all are indentical in specs what is the differences and which performs the best, i.e. stability and overclocking?

I think the GSkill Sniper pages implies it is super performing DRAM. What makes it so?

[essenbe]

Exactly, and explained very well, I like your approach in the explanation. How bout filling in here for a couple days and I'll take a 'weekend' off

tradesman, thanks for the answer. Like Britton30 said I understand how that works with CPU chips too. But with CPU chips you know if you buy an i7 extreme chip you will get better quality and performance than you will with say an i5 chip. I guess my real question is when buying ram, how do you tell which is an i7 extreme and which is an i5? I just bought 8Gb of F3-17000CL9D-8GBSR for my 2600K and Asus P8Z68 v-Pro. The board was listed on the approved list on G skill site. I hope they will play nice together. Thanks.

Edit: Sorry I didn't see the G Skill Tech response above before I posted. So, I'll attempt to be as specific as possible. All things being equal, frequency, voltage timings, which is the best performing ram G skill sells? I know that with the same specs, some perform better than others. I'm looking for high performance ram, so whick do I get, assuming they will work with my board, which I do check.