The Impact of Memory Latency Explored

EconolineCrush writes "Memory module manufacturers have been pushing high-end DIMMs for a while now, complete with fancy heat spreaders and claims of better performance through lower memory latencies. Lowering memory latencies is a good thing, of course, but low-latency modules typically cost twice as much as standard DIMMs. The Tech Report has explored the performance benefits of low-latency memory modules, and the results are enlightening. They could even save you some money."

Comments

apply this to picking a wife

[0110011001110101]

FTFA - Lowering memory latencies is a good thing, of course, but low-latency modules typically cost twice as much as standard DIMMs.

I'd have to say this is right on when applied picking a woman to spend your life with... low-latency memory is a BAD BAD thing, and VERY expensive. My next time around, I'm going with the "CHEAPER", high-latency model that can't immediately recall everything I've ever said while arguing her point... Roses and jewelry can cost you over the long run friends...

Just stick a few blue LEDs on it...

[phpm0nkey]

I have no doubt that hardcore PC gamers will shell out the cash for these, regardless of the cost/performance ratio. Once you start paying $500+ for a graphics card, all rational decision making skills are lost.

Re:Link crashed Firefox

[Maljin Jolt]

Beware, one of the banner advertiser on that page (netshelter.net) is trying to buffer overflow with strangely crafted cookie. Hope you do not run your Firefox on Windows...

Re:The underestimated impact of latency.

[Zathrus]

Sorry, I call BS on your entire post. The difference in latencies here is miniscule -- it's not like we're talking about having the CPU wait 2 clock cycles vs 30 clock cycles. It's closer to 13 vs 25 (not exact, but the magnitude of difference is close). That just doesn't matter that much -- the reality is that if you have a cache miss then you're looking at 20-30 cycles (or, more likely, 40-60 cycles) of stall while you fetch the data from main memory.

The kind of changes you're talking about require vastly faster memory. Not the kind of latency differences being discussed here at all. Both of these are "high latency" compared to what would be needed for your theoretical redesign of the entire software stack. And even then, you just become utterly and completely screwed if you have to hit virtual memory, possibly more so than you are now because you've re-orchestrated everything around the idea that latency is a non issue.

Oh, and latency is getting worse, not better, and has been for a long, long time. CPU speeds long ago outstripped the speeds of our fastest memory (well, fastest while still not costing absurd amounts of money...), and the newer memory formats (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, RDRAM, etc) have higher latencies in exchange for greater bandwidth.