Training requirements vary greatly among the different occupations in the computer and electronic products manufacturing industry. Workers in all fields must have strong technical knowledge and an ability to work in teams. In most cases, advancement comes in the form of leadership and increased responsibility.
Professional and related occupations. Entry into engineering occupations generally requires at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, although those with 4-year degrees in physics, computer science, or another technical area may qualify as well. Some positions, however, may require a master’s or doctorate degree. Most advanced positions require a certain amount of relevant work experience. Computer systems analysts or scientists usually need a degree in computer science or a related field, and in many cases they also must have considerable programming experience.
Training for engineering technicians is available from a number of sources. Although most employers prefer graduates of 2-year postsecondary training schools—usually technical institutes or junior colleges—training in the U.S. Armed Forces or through proprietary schools also may meet employer requirements. Engineering technicians should have an aptitude for math and science. Entry-level technicians may begin working with a more experienced technician or engineer. Advancement opportunities for experienced technicians may include supervisory positions or movement into other production and inspection operations.
Advancement for technical workers comes in a variety of forms, depending on the goals of the individual and the needs of the company. Because companies often are founded by professionals with technical backgrounds, opportunities for advancement into executive or managerial positions may arise for experienced workers who keep up with rapid changes in technology and who possess the business expertise necessary to succeed in a fast-changing economy. Others are not as intrigued by the idea of working in management, and prefer to continue in their technical positions. Top engineers and other technical professionals are often given a great deal of flexibility in their work and offered excellent compensation.
Due to the rapid pace of technological development, technical workers must constantly update their skills and knowledge base to stay abreast. Also, due to the global nature of computer and electronic product manufacturing, knowledge of another language or culture is emerging as a desired qualification for workers in this industry.
Production occupations. Although assembly workers generally need only a high school diploma, assemblers in the computer and electronic product manufacturing industry may need more specialized training or experience than do workers in other manufacturing industries. Precision assembly work can be extremely sophisticated and complex, and some jobs may even require formal technical training. A certificate or associate’s degree in semiconductor technology or high-tech manufacturing is good preparation for semiconductor processor operator positions.
Advancement opportunities depend not only on work experience, but also on the level of technical training and the ability to keep up with changing technology. Production workers may advance into more responsible positions, as well as team leadership. Experienced workers may work directly with engineers to determine how production methods can be improved.
Management, business, and financial occupations. Managers and executives in this industry tend to be much more technically oriented than in most fields. Because technology is fast-changing, managers and executives must be able to speak intelligently about new developments. They must also be able to work directly with engineers to come up with viable strategies for business development. Many managers in this industry are actually trained as engineers or other technical professionals. Furthermore, many companies in this industry are founded by an inventor or group of inventors who design a new product. Although in many cases these individuals hire others to manage the business, there are still several companies whose CEO is the product inventor.
Occupations in the Industry
The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry has a diverse workforce mainly composed of professionals, who conduct research and development work, and production workers, who are directly involved in the assembly and testing of the industry’s products.
Professional and related occupations. About 1 in every 3 jobs in this industry is in a professional occupation (table 2). About 15 percent of those workers are engineers—predominantly electrical and electronics engineers and computer hardware engineers, but also many industrial and mechanical engineers. These workers develop new products and devise better, more efficient production methods. Engineers may coordinate and lead teams developing new products. Others may work with customers to help them make the best use of the products.
Computer systems analysts, database administrators, and computer scientists are employed throughout the industry, becoming more dispersed with the increasing computerization of development and production methods. Many new hardware devices are now controlled by software, which has increased the share of computer specialists in this field. Other professionals include mathematical and physical scientists, and technical writers.
About 6 percent of workers are engineering technicians, many of whom work closely with engineers. Engineering technicians help develop new products, work in production areas, and sometimes assist customers in installing, maintaining, and repairing equipment. They also may test new products or processes to make sure that everything works correctly.
Production occupations. About 3 out of 10 employees are production workers. About half of those are assemblers and fabricators, who place and solder components on circuit boards, or assemble and connect the various parts of electronic devices. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers are responsible for putting together products such as computers and appliances, telecommunications equipment, and even missile control systems. Semiconductor processors initiate and control the many automated steps in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits or computer chips. Some assemblers are highly skilled and use their significant experience and training to assemble major components. A skilled assembler may put together an entire subassembly or even an entire product, especially when products are made in relatively small numbers. Other, less skilled assemblers often work on a production line, attaching one or a few parts and continually repeating the same operation. Increasingly, as production work becomes more automated, assemblers and other production workers monitor the machinery that does the assembly work rather than physically assembling products themselves. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers use sophisticated testing machinery to ensure that devices operate as designed.
Management, business, and financial occupations. About 16 percent of the workers in the industry are in management, business, and financial occupations. Top managers in this industry are much more likely to have a technical background than their counterparts in other industries. This is especially true in smaller companies, which often are founded by engineers or other technical professionals who found companies to sell the products they develop.
Office and administrative support occupations. About 10 percent of workers in the industry hold office and administrative support jobs. The largest occupation in this group is secretaries and administrative assistants.
Sales and related occupations. A small number of workers are involved in selling products manufactured by the industry. Sales positions require technical knowledge and abilities; as a result, engineers and technicians may find opportunities in sales or sales support.
Professional and related occupations. About 1 in every 3 jobs in this industry is in a professional occupation (table 2). About 15 percent of those workers are engineers—predominantly electrical and electronics engineers and computer hardware engineers, but also many industrial and mechanical engineers. These workers develop new products and devise better, more efficient production methods. Engineers may coordinate and lead teams developing new products. Others may work with customers to help them make the best use of the products.
Computer systems analysts, database administrators, and computer scientists are employed throughout the industry, becoming more dispersed with the increasing computerization of development and production methods. Many new hardware devices are now controlled by software, which has increased the share of computer specialists in this field. Other professionals include mathematical and physical scientists, and technical writers.
About 6 percent of workers are engineering technicians, many of whom work closely with engineers. Engineering technicians help develop new products, work in production areas, and sometimes assist customers in installing, maintaining, and repairing equipment. They also may test new products or processes to make sure that everything works correctly.
Production occupations. About 3 out of 10 employees are production workers. About half of those are assemblers and fabricators, who place and solder components on circuit boards, or assemble and connect the various parts of electronic devices. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers are responsible for putting together products such as computers and appliances, telecommunications equipment, and even missile control systems. Semiconductor processors initiate and control the many automated steps in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits or computer chips. Some assemblers are highly skilled and use their significant experience and training to assemble major components. A skilled assembler may put together an entire subassembly or even an entire product, especially when products are made in relatively small numbers. Other, less skilled assemblers often work on a production line, attaching one or a few parts and continually repeating the same operation. Increasingly, as production work becomes more automated, assemblers and other production workers monitor the machinery that does the assembly work rather than physically assembling products themselves. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers use sophisticated testing machinery to ensure that devices operate as designed.
Management, business, and financial occupations. About 16 percent of the workers in the industry are in management, business, and financial occupations. Top managers in this industry are much more likely to have a technical background than their counterparts in other industries. This is especially true in smaller companies, which often are founded by engineers or other technical professionals who found companies to sell the products they develop.
Office and administrative support occupations. About 10 percent of workers in the industry hold office and administrative support jobs. The largest occupation in this group is secretaries and administrative assistants.
Sales and related occupations. A small number of workers are involved in selling products manufactured by the industry. Sales positions require technical knowledge and abilities; as a result, engineers and technicians may find opportunities in sales or sales support.
Working Conditions
Hours. About half of all employees work regular 40-hour weeks, but pressure to develop new products ahead of competitors may result in some R&D personnel working extensive overtime to meet deadlines. The competitive nature of the industry makes for an exciting, but sometimes stressful, work environment—especially for those in technical and managerial occupations.
Work environment. In general, those working in computer and electronics manufacturing—even production workers—enjoy relatively good working conditions. In contrast to those in many other manufacturing industries, production workers in this industry usually work in clean and relatively noise-free environments.
In 2006, the rate of work-related injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers was 2.0 in the computer and electronic parts manufacturing industry, lower than the average of 4.4 for the private sector. However, some jobs in the industry may present risks. For example, some workers who fabricate integrated circuits and other components may be exposed to hazardous chemicals, and working with small parts may cause eyestrain.
Work environment. In general, those working in computer and electronics manufacturing—even production workers—enjoy relatively good working conditions. In contrast to those in many other manufacturing industries, production workers in this industry usually work in clean and relatively noise-free environments.
In 2006, the rate of work-related injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers was 2.0 in the computer and electronic parts manufacturing industry, lower than the average of 4.4 for the private sector. However, some jobs in the industry may present risks. For example, some workers who fabricate integrated circuits and other components may be exposed to hazardous chemicals, and working with small parts may cause eyestrain.
INDUSTRY ORGANISATION
Industry organization. The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry has many segments. Companies in the industry are generally classified by what they sell.
Computer and peripheral manufacturing is made up of a wide variety of companies that make computers and computer-related products. A relatively large number of companies build computers for home or business use. Most computers are built by a small number of well-known brands, but there are also many small companies that sell their products locally or on the Internet. Because computers are very complex products, they are made up of a wide range of components, such as motherboards, central processing units, graphics cards, hard disk drives, and power supplies. Although some computer manufacturers build some of these products themselves, many of these products are purchased from other companies and assembled as part of the computer. As a result, many finished computers are simply the combination of a number of other products.
Other firms in this industry segment produce computer-related products, known as peripheral equipment. These products include keyboards, mice, printers and scanners. Other peripherals are physically installed in the computer’s case, and are generally known as internal peripherals. These include hard disk drives, networking cards, modems, sound cards, and disk drives. Many internal peripherals are prepackaged as part of a computer, although almost all of them can be installed by a technician or experienced computer owner.
The communications equipment manufacturing segment of the industry produces a number of devices that simplify communication between individuals or groups. It includes telephones and cellular telephones, as well as equipment used by television and radio stations to transmit information. It should be noted that this does not include computer-related peripherals—such as networking cards or modems—which allow computers to connect to other computers.
Audio and video equipment manufacturing is a relatively small industry in the United States and includes companies who produce consumer electronics. These include televisions, stereo receivers, compact disc and DVD players, and other such devices. While these devices are widespread in the U.S., most of them are produced overseas, making employment in this industry relatively small.
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturers produce a wide variety of integrated circuits, or computer microchips, which power a wide range of electronic products. They also produce a number of other electronic components, such as resistors and capacitors, as well as printed circuit boards. Unlike most of the companies in this industry, these manufacturers start from basic materials such as silicon and copper and produce intermediate products that are only rarely sold directly to consumers. The exceptions to this rule include companies which produce central processing units and memory chips, although even these products are more likely to be pre-installed in a new computer.
Fabrication plants that build semiconductor products, known as “fabs”, are fitted with dust-free zones called “cleanrooms”. Microchip circuitry is so small and complex that it can be ruined by microscopic particles floating in the air, so semiconductor products must be built by computer-controlled machines in an environment with very little human intervention. Most production workers in this industry segment are actually more involved in evaluating manufacturing methods and testing completed chips. Semiconductor manufacturers also spend an inordinate amount of money on research and development—more than most companies in the entire computer and electronic product manufacturing industry.
The navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing segment is a diverse group of companies that produce products mainly for industrial, military and health care use. It also includes some consumer products, such as global positioning system (GPS) devices, as well as clocks and watches. This segment is one of the largest in the industry, mainly because the Federal Government puts so much money into defense and health care.
Many of the companies in this segment work as government contractors, producing equipment for military purposes. In some cases, this technology has been adapted for consumer use. For example, GPS technology was originally designed for use by the U.S. Navy, but has been developed into a navigation system that individuals can use in their cars. There is also a growing health care component of this industry segment. Extensive government funding for research in medical technology has led to a number of important innovations that are being used worldwide in medical care.
Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media is another segment of this industry. Firms in this segment produce blank compact discs, DVDs, and audio and video tape. They produce some of this blank media for sale to consumers, but most of it they use to duplicate on a mass scale audio recordings, videos and movies, software, and other media for distribution to consumers and business users. Establishments in this segment are generally either subsidiaries of companies that create the software, movies, or recordings or are independent firms licensed by such companies as distributors.
Recent developments. The rapid pace of innovation in electronics technology makes for a constant demand for newer and faster products and applications. This demand puts a greater emphasis on R&D than is typical in most manufacturing operations. Being the first firm to market a new or better product can mean success for both the product and the firm. Even for many relatively commonplace items, R&D continues to result in better, cheaper products with more desirable features. For example, a company that develops a new kind of computer chip to be used in many brands of computers can earn millions of dollars in sales until a competitor is able to improve on that design. Many employees, therefore, are research scientists, engineers, and technicians whose job it is to continually develop and improve products.
The product design process includes not only the initial design, but also development work, which ensures that the product functions properly and can be manufactured as inexpensively as possible. When a product is manufactured, the components are assembled, usually by soldering them to a printed circuit board by means of automated equipment. Hand assembly of small parts requires both good eyesight and coordination, but because of the cost and precision involved, assembly and packaging are becoming highly automated.
Computer and peripheral manufacturing is made up of a wide variety of companies that make computers and computer-related products. A relatively large number of companies build computers for home or business use. Most computers are built by a small number of well-known brands, but there are also many small companies that sell their products locally or on the Internet. Because computers are very complex products, they are made up of a wide range of components, such as motherboards, central processing units, graphics cards, hard disk drives, and power supplies. Although some computer manufacturers build some of these products themselves, many of these products are purchased from other companies and assembled as part of the computer. As a result, many finished computers are simply the combination of a number of other products.
Other firms in this industry segment produce computer-related products, known as peripheral equipment. These products include keyboards, mice, printers and scanners. Other peripherals are physically installed in the computer’s case, and are generally known as internal peripherals. These include hard disk drives, networking cards, modems, sound cards, and disk drives. Many internal peripherals are prepackaged as part of a computer, although almost all of them can be installed by a technician or experienced computer owner.
The communications equipment manufacturing segment of the industry produces a number of devices that simplify communication between individuals or groups. It includes telephones and cellular telephones, as well as equipment used by television and radio stations to transmit information. It should be noted that this does not include computer-related peripherals—such as networking cards or modems—which allow computers to connect to other computers.
Audio and video equipment manufacturing is a relatively small industry in the United States and includes companies who produce consumer electronics. These include televisions, stereo receivers, compact disc and DVD players, and other such devices. While these devices are widespread in the U.S., most of them are produced overseas, making employment in this industry relatively small.
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturers produce a wide variety of integrated circuits, or computer microchips, which power a wide range of electronic products. They also produce a number of other electronic components, such as resistors and capacitors, as well as printed circuit boards. Unlike most of the companies in this industry, these manufacturers start from basic materials such as silicon and copper and produce intermediate products that are only rarely sold directly to consumers. The exceptions to this rule include companies which produce central processing units and memory chips, although even these products are more likely to be pre-installed in a new computer.
Fabrication plants that build semiconductor products, known as “fabs”, are fitted with dust-free zones called “cleanrooms”. Microchip circuitry is so small and complex that it can be ruined by microscopic particles floating in the air, so semiconductor products must be built by computer-controlled machines in an environment with very little human intervention. Most production workers in this industry segment are actually more involved in evaluating manufacturing methods and testing completed chips. Semiconductor manufacturers also spend an inordinate amount of money on research and development—more than most companies in the entire computer and electronic product manufacturing industry.
The navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing segment is a diverse group of companies that produce products mainly for industrial, military and health care use. It also includes some consumer products, such as global positioning system (GPS) devices, as well as clocks and watches. This segment is one of the largest in the industry, mainly because the Federal Government puts so much money into defense and health care.
Many of the companies in this segment work as government contractors, producing equipment for military purposes. In some cases, this technology has been adapted for consumer use. For example, GPS technology was originally designed for use by the U.S. Navy, but has been developed into a navigation system that individuals can use in their cars. There is also a growing health care component of this industry segment. Extensive government funding for research in medical technology has led to a number of important innovations that are being used worldwide in medical care.
Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media is another segment of this industry. Firms in this segment produce blank compact discs, DVDs, and audio and video tape. They produce some of this blank media for sale to consumers, but most of it they use to duplicate on a mass scale audio recordings, videos and movies, software, and other media for distribution to consumers and business users. Establishments in this segment are generally either subsidiaries of companies that create the software, movies, or recordings or are independent firms licensed by such companies as distributors.
Recent developments. The rapid pace of innovation in electronics technology makes for a constant demand for newer and faster products and applications. This demand puts a greater emphasis on R&D than is typical in most manufacturing operations. Being the first firm to market a new or better product can mean success for both the product and the firm. Even for many relatively commonplace items, R&D continues to result in better, cheaper products with more desirable features. For example, a company that develops a new kind of computer chip to be used in many brands of computers can earn millions of dollars in sales until a competitor is able to improve on that design. Many employees, therefore, are research scientists, engineers, and technicians whose job it is to continually develop and improve products.
The product design process includes not only the initial design, but also development work, which ensures that the product functions properly and can be manufactured as inexpensively as possible. When a product is manufactured, the components are assembled, usually by soldering them to a printed circuit board by means of automated equipment. Hand assembly of small parts requires both good eyesight and coordination, but because of the cost and precision involved, assembly and packaging are becoming highly automated.
Nature of the Industry
The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry produces computers, computer-related products, including printers, communications equipment, and home electronic equipment, as well as a wide range of goods used for both commercial and military purposes. In addition, many electronics products or components are incorporated into other industries’ products, such as cars, toys, and appliances.
Goods and services. This industry differs somewhat from other manufacturing industries in that production workers make up a relatively small proportion of the workforce. Technological innovation characterizes this industry more than most others and, in fact, drives much of the industry’s production. This unusually rapid pace of innovation and technological advancement requires a high proportion of engineers, engineering technicians, and other technical workers who carry out extensive research and development. Likewise, the importance of promoting and selling the products manufactured by the various segments of the industry requires knowledgeable marketing and sales workers. American companies in this industry manufacture and assemble many products abroad to take advantage of lower production costs and favorable regulatory environments.
Electronic products contain many intermediate components that are purchased from other manufacturers. Companies producing intermediate components and finished goods regularly choose to locate near each other, because doing so allows companies to receive new products more quickly and lower their inventory costs. It also facilitates joint research and development projects which benefit both companies. As a result of having the skilled workforce that fosters product improvement, several regions of the country have become centers of the electronics industry. The most prominent of these centers is Silicon Valley, a concentration of integrated circuit, software, and computer firms in California’s Santa Clara Valley, near San Jose. However, there are several other centers of the industry throughout the country.
Globalization has become a major factor in the electronics manufacturing industry, often making it difficult to distinguish between American and foreign companies. Many American companies are opening plants and development centers overseas and overseas companies are doing the same in the U.S. Many products are being designed in one country, manufactured in another, and assembled in a third. The U.S. electronics industry tends to be focused on high-end products, such as computers and microchips. Even so, many components of final products manufactured in the U.S. are produced elsewhere and shipped to an American plant for final assembly.
Although some of the companies in this industry are very large, most are relatively small. The history of innovation in the industry explains the startup of many small firms. Some companies are involved in design or research and development (R&D), whereas others may simply manufacture components, such as computer chips, under contract for others. Often, an engineer or a physicist will have an innovative idea and set up a new company to develop the associated product. Once developed, the company licenses a production company to produce the product, which is then sold by the original company. Although electronic products can be quite sophisticated, production methods are generally similar, making it possible to manufacture many electronic products or components with a relatively small investment. Furthermore, investors often are willing to put their money behind new companies in this industry because of the history of large paybacks from some successful companies.
Products manufactured in this industry include computers and computer storage devices, such as DVD drives, and computer peripheral equipment, such as printers and scanners; communications equipment—wireless telephones and telephone switching equipment; consumer electronics, such as televisions and audio equipment; and military electronics—for example, radar, communications equipment, guidance for “smart” bombs, and electronic navigation equipment. The industry also includes the manufacture of semiconductor products—better known as computer chips, or integrated circuits—which are key components of computers and many other electronic products. Two of the most significant types of computer chips are microprocessors, which are the central processing units of computers, and memory chips, which store information.
Goods and services. This industry differs somewhat from other manufacturing industries in that production workers make up a relatively small proportion of the workforce. Technological innovation characterizes this industry more than most others and, in fact, drives much of the industry’s production. This unusually rapid pace of innovation and technological advancement requires a high proportion of engineers, engineering technicians, and other technical workers who carry out extensive research and development. Likewise, the importance of promoting and selling the products manufactured by the various segments of the industry requires knowledgeable marketing and sales workers. American companies in this industry manufacture and assemble many products abroad to take advantage of lower production costs and favorable regulatory environments.
Electronic products contain many intermediate components that are purchased from other manufacturers. Companies producing intermediate components and finished goods regularly choose to locate near each other, because doing so allows companies to receive new products more quickly and lower their inventory costs. It also facilitates joint research and development projects which benefit both companies. As a result of having the skilled workforce that fosters product improvement, several regions of the country have become centers of the electronics industry. The most prominent of these centers is Silicon Valley, a concentration of integrated circuit, software, and computer firms in California’s Santa Clara Valley, near San Jose. However, there are several other centers of the industry throughout the country.
Globalization has become a major factor in the electronics manufacturing industry, often making it difficult to distinguish between American and foreign companies. Many American companies are opening plants and development centers overseas and overseas companies are doing the same in the U.S. Many products are being designed in one country, manufactured in another, and assembled in a third. The U.S. electronics industry tends to be focused on high-end products, such as computers and microchips. Even so, many components of final products manufactured in the U.S. are produced elsewhere and shipped to an American plant for final assembly.
Although some of the companies in this industry are very large, most are relatively small. The history of innovation in the industry explains the startup of many small firms. Some companies are involved in design or research and development (R&D), whereas others may simply manufacture components, such as computer chips, under contract for others. Often, an engineer or a physicist will have an innovative idea and set up a new company to develop the associated product. Once developed, the company licenses a production company to produce the product, which is then sold by the original company. Although electronic products can be quite sophisticated, production methods are generally similar, making it possible to manufacture many electronic products or components with a relatively small investment. Furthermore, investors often are willing to put their money behind new companies in this industry because of the history of large paybacks from some successful companies.
Products manufactured in this industry include computers and computer storage devices, such as DVD drives, and computer peripheral equipment, such as printers and scanners; communications equipment—wireless telephones and telephone switching equipment; consumer electronics, such as televisions and audio equipment; and military electronics—for example, radar, communications equipment, guidance for “smart” bombs, and electronic navigation equipment. The industry also includes the manufacture of semiconductor products—better known as computer chips, or integrated circuits—which are key components of computers and many other electronic products. Two of the most significant types of computer chips are microprocessors, which are the central processing units of computers, and memory chips, which store information.
Final Thoughts
The idea for this article came to me quite a while ago, far before we even knew what Nehalem's real name was going to become. The reason I never got around to taking care of it is simple. In order to realistically see the benefits of faster RAM, the CPU speed has to be kept the same. Until Core i7, that wasn't really that possible, as the only way to be able to change the RAM speed while keeping the CPU the same would be to use a FSB speed of 600MHz. Given how rare that is to hit stable, using it wasn't really a possibility.
Core i7 changed everything, because no matter the CPU speed, you're able to choose a variety of RAM frequencies without touching anything else. While on Core 2, the FSB had to be increased, the Base Clock on Core i7 allows RAM speeds between DDR3-800 and DDR3-2133... giving us a great amount of breathing room to conduct our testing.
Taking a look at the results here, it seems pretty obvious that faster RAM, for the most part, isn't going to make a noticeable difference to anyone. As much as memory companies would love to sell you their fastest part, it's just not going to make a noticeable difference in most of what you do. Even our 3DMark Vantage scores were close to being identical, and that's much more strenuous than any current game on the market.
I'm not going to jump to conclusions quite yet and say that RAM won't make a noticeable difference somewhere, but I haven't seen any evidence of it yet. In this article alone, we tackled 3D rendering, image manipulation, video encoding, mathematics and even gaming, but the only place we saw a real difference was with the synthetic scores of the memory-specific tests.
The question of which scenario would benefit from faster memory at a static CPU clock speed is one that's been hovering around my mind for quite a while. I've asked numerous memory vendors over the past few years that exact question and have never received a straight answer, sadly. You can reach your own conclusions with that one.
That's not to say that bigger differences wouldn't be seen with previous architectures, because I'm confident that we would see more notable differences there. That's mainly because the bandwidth to begin with doesn't get near as high as on i7. But even then, most of the bandwidth there isn't really touched to begin with, and the latencies between Core and Core i7 are roughly the same.
Bottom-line? If you are building a new machine for light work and don't have huge gaming in mind, then a 3GB kit should suit you. If you are a hardcore gamer or heavy multi-tasker, a 6GB kit is going to be the right fit. As for the overall frequency, I think our article speaks about that enough. Personally, given our results here, I'd recommend a DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20. Or if it's possible, find the same frequency with latencies of 6-6-6. I believe that a kit with those specs could even outperform the DDR3-1600 with 8-8-8, except with raw bandwidth.
I'll also open the discussion and debate on whether faster memory has real benefits to most consumers in our discussion thread. If you yourself know of certain scenarios where faster RAM can make a greater than 2% improvement, we'd love to hear about it, and even consider implementing some of those tests into our future memory-related content. Likewise, if any memory vendors out there have comments, feel free to join in and let us know what we're missing. If there's any demand for a follow-up article that takes a more thorough look at things, please feel free to post about that also.
Core i7 changed everything, because no matter the CPU speed, you're able to choose a variety of RAM frequencies without touching anything else. While on Core 2, the FSB had to be increased, the Base Clock on Core i7 allows RAM speeds between DDR3-800 and DDR3-2133... giving us a great amount of breathing room to conduct our testing.
Taking a look at the results here, it seems pretty obvious that faster RAM, for the most part, isn't going to make a noticeable difference to anyone. As much as memory companies would love to sell you their fastest part, it's just not going to make a noticeable difference in most of what you do. Even our 3DMark Vantage scores were close to being identical, and that's much more strenuous than any current game on the market.
I'm not going to jump to conclusions quite yet and say that RAM won't make a noticeable difference somewhere, but I haven't seen any evidence of it yet. In this article alone, we tackled 3D rendering, image manipulation, video encoding, mathematics and even gaming, but the only place we saw a real difference was with the synthetic scores of the memory-specific tests.
The question of which scenario would benefit from faster memory at a static CPU clock speed is one that's been hovering around my mind for quite a while. I've asked numerous memory vendors over the past few years that exact question and have never received a straight answer, sadly. You can reach your own conclusions with that one.
That's not to say that bigger differences wouldn't be seen with previous architectures, because I'm confident that we would see more notable differences there. That's mainly because the bandwidth to begin with doesn't get near as high as on i7. But even then, most of the bandwidth there isn't really touched to begin with, and the latencies between Core and Core i7 are roughly the same.
Bottom-line? If you are building a new machine for light work and don't have huge gaming in mind, then a 3GB kit should suit you. If you are a hardcore gamer or heavy multi-tasker, a 6GB kit is going to be the right fit. As for the overall frequency, I think our article speaks about that enough. Personally, given our results here, I'd recommend a DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20. Or if it's possible, find the same frequency with latencies of 6-6-6. I believe that a kit with those specs could even outperform the DDR3-1600 with 8-8-8, except with raw bandwidth.
I'll also open the discussion and debate on whether faster memory has real benefits to most consumers in our discussion thread. If you yourself know of certain scenarios where faster RAM can make a greater than 2% improvement, we'd love to hear about it, and even consider implementing some of those tests into our future memory-related content. Likewise, if any memory vendors out there have comments, feel free to join in and let us know what we're missing. If there's any demand for a follow-up article that takes a more thorough look at things, please feel free to post about that also.
How Much and How Fast
How Much and How Fast?In this brief article, we hope to answer that exact question. The answer will of course depend on personal needs, but I think for most people, what will be "required" is going to be about the same. If you run a workstation PC or a server, then you obviously want more memory than the average consumer, while the average consumer would likely prefer overall speed than density. Because Core i7 brings a triple-channel memory controller with it, purchasing a kit of RAM for the platform is going to be a very different experience compared to previous builds. The reason is simple... kits will include three sticks of memory, not two. This might seem like an odd-ball way of changing things, but as evidenced in last weeks article, triple-channel can mean huge bandwidth.
Because recent PCs utilize a dual-channel memory controller, common practice was to purchase either a 2GB or 4GB kit, as odd numbers aren't possible with an even number of sticks (at least if you are dealing with even densities and are not mixing and matching), but that changes with i7. Instead of 2GB, 4GB or even 8GB kits, we'll be dealing with 3GB, 6GB and 12GB. The question comes down to "how much do I need?", and for the most part, this is actually quite easy to answer. The reason is because for most enthusiasts, the choice of 3GB is going to be eliminated right away. At this point in time, 3GB isn't a substantial amount of RAM, and most people have been using 4GB in their machines for the past year at least... so to actually downgrade would be an odd step to take. The major increase in bandwidth doesn't exactly counteract the lack of density, sadly. With today's games and high-end machines, 3GB can become very limiting, especially if you want to run Windows Vista alongside games at a resolution of above 1680x1050. Today, 4GB is almost a minimum, and even 3GB isn't going to be good enough. On i7 though, it's either 3GB or 6GB if you want your memory to be optimized... there's no in-between. The other option is to take the outrageous route and pick up 12GB, but that's going to be overkill for the vast majority of people. If you need that much RAM, then you'd likely know it without reading this article. Even intensive render jobs won't usually take advantage of more than 6GB, so I think that will be the most common configuration for most people. Memory frequencies also come into play, and this article will aim to figure out whether or not faster RAM is actually needed. After all, if Core i7 enables great latencies and insane bandwidth on lower-end kits, is there any reason to go with a "high-end" model? In previous generations, the benefits of having faster RAM was to both increase bandwidth and decrease latencies, and really, things don't change much with i7. Even before jumping into our results, it's safe to say that the lower latencies will make a far more important difference than increased bandwidth. Under no real circumstance can I see application performance differences on a PC with 20,000MB/s bandwidth compared to another with 30,000MB/s. Lower latencies equal faster transactions, and that's what's going to be important in real-world situations. Things could change in the server market, but this article is designed to take care of our number one type of visitor, the enthusiast. On the next page, we'll give a brief overview of our configurations and testing methodology, then jump right into benchmarking to see if that high-end kit you've had your eye on is really worth the money.
Test System & Methodology, Benchmarks
At Techgage, we strive to make sure our results are as accurate as possible. Our testing is rigorous and time-consuming, but we feel the effort is worth it. In an attempt to leave no question unanswered, this page contains not only our testbed specifications, but also a fully-detailed look at how we conduct our testing.
If there is a bit of information that we've omitted, or you wish to offer thoughts or suggest changes, please feel free to shoot us an e-mail or post in our forums.
Test System
The table below lists the hardware for our two current machines, which remains unchanged throughout all testing, with the exception of the processor. Each CPU used for the sake of comparison is also listed here, along with the BIOS version of the motherboard used. In addition, each one of the URLs in this table can be clicked to view the respective review of that product, or if a review doesn't exist, you will be led to the product on the manufacturer's website.
Component
Core i7 Test System
Processor
Intel Core i7 Extreme 965 - Quad-Core, 3.20GHz, 1.30v
Motherboard
ASUS P6T Deluxe - X58-based, 2624 BIOS (10/23/08)
Memory
DDR3: Qimonda 3x1GB - DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.56vDDR3: OCZ 3x2GB - Gold DDR3-1600 8-8-8-24-1T, 1.65v
Graphics
Palit Radeon HD 4870 512MB (Catalyst 8.9)
Audio
On-Board Audio
Storage
Intel X-25M 80GB SSD Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200.11
Power Supply
SilverStone DA1200
Chassis
SilverStone TJ10 Full-Tower
Display
Gateway XHD3000 30"
Cooling
Thermalright TRUE Black 120
Et cetera
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
When preparing our testbeds for any type of performance testing, we follow these guidelines:
General Guidelines
No power-saving options are enabled in the motherboard's BIOS.
Internet is disabled.
No Virus Scanner or Firewall is installed.
The OS is kept clean; no scrap files are left in between runs.
Hard drives affected are defragged with Diskeeper 2008 prior to a fresh benchmarking run.
Machine has proper airflow and the room temperature is 80°F (27°C) or less.
Windows Vista Optimizations
User Account Control (UAC) and screen saver are disabled.
Windows Defender, Firewall, Security Center, Search, Sidebar and Updates are disabled.
Memory Configurations
Because the ultimate goal of this article is to see how much of a real-world difference faster memory avails, we are running a total of five different configurations, four being with our OCZ 6GB kit. We vary the speeds from the very low-end speed of DDR3-800 to the high-end speed of DDR3-1600. We should note that DDR3-800 speeds are not going to be common amongst triple-channel kits, but we've included results to showcase the differences nonetheless.
RAM Configurations
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-800 6-6-6-15-1T, 1.60v
Qimonda - 3x1GB - DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.65v
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.65v
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-1333 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.65v
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-1600 8-8-8-24-1T, 1.65v
Most of the same benchmarks we used in our Core i7 preview article return here, with the exception of our two games. To take the place of the games, we use 3DMark Vantage, which is more than intense enough to show us where a bottleneck may lie. For detailed explanations on the tests themselves, please refer to our Core i7 preview.
With that all said, let's jump right into a few of our real-world tests.
3D Renderers
One crowd that can appreciate a faster processor is without question, the 3D designers. But given their rendering projects can be so large, can faster memory shave minutes or even hours off of the task? Although our render jobs are nowhere near as complex as what you'd find in a professional studio, any benefits seen here should carry over even more so into larger projects. Sadly, from what we can see below, the gains are very, very minor.
If there is a bit of information that we've omitted, or you wish to offer thoughts or suggest changes, please feel free to shoot us an e-mail or post in our forums.
Test System
The table below lists the hardware for our two current machines, which remains unchanged throughout all testing, with the exception of the processor. Each CPU used for the sake of comparison is also listed here, along with the BIOS version of the motherboard used. In addition, each one of the URLs in this table can be clicked to view the respective review of that product, or if a review doesn't exist, you will be led to the product on the manufacturer's website.
Component
Core i7 Test System
Processor
Intel Core i7 Extreme 965 - Quad-Core, 3.20GHz, 1.30v
Motherboard
ASUS P6T Deluxe - X58-based, 2624 BIOS (10/23/08)
Memory
DDR3: Qimonda 3x1GB - DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.56vDDR3: OCZ 3x2GB - Gold DDR3-1600 8-8-8-24-1T, 1.65v
Graphics
Palit Radeon HD 4870 512MB (Catalyst 8.9)
Audio
On-Board Audio
Storage
Intel X-25M 80GB SSD Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200.11
Power Supply
SilverStone DA1200
Chassis
SilverStone TJ10 Full-Tower
Display
Gateway XHD3000 30"
Cooling
Thermalright TRUE Black 120
Et cetera
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
When preparing our testbeds for any type of performance testing, we follow these guidelines:
General Guidelines
No power-saving options are enabled in the motherboard's BIOS.
Internet is disabled.
No Virus Scanner or Firewall is installed.
The OS is kept clean; no scrap files are left in between runs.
Hard drives affected are defragged with Diskeeper 2008 prior to a fresh benchmarking run.
Machine has proper airflow and the room temperature is 80°F (27°C) or less.
Windows Vista Optimizations
User Account Control (UAC) and screen saver are disabled.
Windows Defender, Firewall, Security Center, Search, Sidebar and Updates are disabled.
Memory Configurations
Because the ultimate goal of this article is to see how much of a real-world difference faster memory avails, we are running a total of five different configurations, four being with our OCZ 6GB kit. We vary the speeds from the very low-end speed of DDR3-800 to the high-end speed of DDR3-1600. We should note that DDR3-800 speeds are not going to be common amongst triple-channel kits, but we've included results to showcase the differences nonetheless.
RAM Configurations
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-800 6-6-6-15-1T, 1.60v
Qimonda - 3x1GB - DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.65v
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.65v
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-1333 7-7-7-20-1T, 1.65v
OCZ Gold - 3x2GB - DDR3-1600 8-8-8-24-1T, 1.65v
Most of the same benchmarks we used in our Core i7 preview article return here, with the exception of our two games. To take the place of the games, we use 3DMark Vantage, which is more than intense enough to show us where a bottleneck may lie. For detailed explanations on the tests themselves, please refer to our Core i7 preview.
With that all said, let's jump right into a few of our real-world tests.
3D Renderers
One crowd that can appreciate a faster processor is without question, the 3D designers. But given their rendering projects can be so large, can faster memory shave minutes or even hours off of the task? Although our render jobs are nowhere near as complex as what you'd find in a professional studio, any benefits seen here should carry over even more so into larger projects. Sadly, from what we can see below, the gains are very, very minor.
Intel Core i7 - Choosing the Best Memory Kit
Introduction
With Intel's official Core i7 launch coming up within the next few weeks, the time to choose which parts you'll need for your new build is now. Whether or not you "need" an upgrade is going to be something only you can answer, but our in-depth preview from last week should be a good starting point. By the end, you should feel a lot more confident about your decision.
In that article, we mentioned that there would be a few considerations you would have to bear in mind if considering an upgrade, or a brand-new build. One of the more important is memory. In the preview, I mentioned that it's best to upgrade to a memory kit that's designed for X58/Core i7, because previous DDR3 kits may have an issue with the new motherboards.
It didn't take too long before I experienced this first-hand, but I did have a workaround. That was to boot up the machine with a kit I knew would work, manually change the voltages and timings, then swap back. After that, the PC booted fine. It goes without saying that this is not an ideal solution for most people, especially if you only have one DDR3 kit on hand. Nor is it much fun having to tweak every-single timing setting in order to have absolute stability.
If money isn't a huge issue (and assuming you're upgrading to i7, it probably isn't), you may be better off opting for a special kit designed exclusively for the platform. That way, you can avoid any potential headaches, and know that you'll be installing a kit designed with this specific platform in mind.
With Intel's official Core i7 launch coming up within the next few weeks, the time to choose which parts you'll need for your new build is now. Whether or not you "need" an upgrade is going to be something only you can answer, but our in-depth preview from last week should be a good starting point. By the end, you should feel a lot more confident about your decision.
In that article, we mentioned that there would be a few considerations you would have to bear in mind if considering an upgrade, or a brand-new build. One of the more important is memory. In the preview, I mentioned that it's best to upgrade to a memory kit that's designed for X58/Core i7, because previous DDR3 kits may have an issue with the new motherboards.
It didn't take too long before I experienced this first-hand, but I did have a workaround. That was to boot up the machine with a kit I knew would work, manually change the voltages and timings, then swap back. After that, the PC booted fine. It goes without saying that this is not an ideal solution for most people, especially if you only have one DDR3 kit on hand. Nor is it much fun having to tweak every-single timing setting in order to have absolute stability.
If money isn't a huge issue (and assuming you're upgrading to i7, it probably isn't), you may be better off opting for a special kit designed exclusively for the platform. That way, you can avoid any potential headaches, and know that you'll be installing a kit designed with this specific platform in mind.
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