How to check at what frequency the processor operates. Video: basic ways to clear computer RAM

My respects dear site visitors. In the last article I wrote about. Now, having learned what it is and what and how it serves, many of you are probably thinking about purchasing a more powerful and productive RAM for your computer. After all, increasing computer performance with additional memory RAM is the simplest and cheapest (unlike, for example, a video card) method of upgrading your pet.

And... Here you are standing at the display case with packages of RAMs. There are many of them and they are all different. Questions arise: Which RAM should I choose?How to choose the right RAM and not make a mistake?What if I buy a RAM and then it doesn’t work? These are completely reasonable questions. In this article I will try to answer all these questions. As you already understand, this article will take its rightful place in the series of articles in which I wrote about how to choose the right individual components computer i.e. iron. If you haven't forgotten, it included the following articles:
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This cycle will continue, and in the end you will be able to assemble for yourself a super computer that is perfect in every sense 🙂 (if finances allow, of course :))
In the meantime learning how to choose the right RAM for your computer.
Go!

RAM and its main characteristics.

When choosing random access memory For your computer, you must definitely start from your motherboard and processor because RAM modules are installed on the motherboard and it also supports certain types of RAM. This creates a relationship between motherboard, processor and RAM.

Find out about what RAM does your motherboard and processor support? You can go to the manufacturer’s website, where you need to find the model of your motherboard, as well as find out which processors and RAM it supports. If you don’t do this, it will turn out that you bought a super modern RAM, but it is not compatible with your motherboard and will gather dust somewhere in your closet. Now let's move directly to the main technical characteristics of RAM, which will serve as unique criteria when choosing RAM. These include:

Here I have listed the main characteristics of RAM that you should pay attention to first when purchasing it. Now we will reveal each of them in turn.

Type of RAM.

Today, the most preferred type of memory in the world is memory modules DDR(double data rate). They differ in release time and, of course, technical parameters.

• DDR or DDR SDRAM(translated from English. Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory - synchronous dynamic memory with random access and double data transfer speed). Modules of this type have 184 contacts on the strip, are powered by a voltage of 2.5 V and have a clock frequency of up to 400 megahertz. This type RAM is already obsolete and is used only in old motherboards.
• DDR2- widespread in given time memory type. Has on printed circuit board 240 contacts (120 on each side). Consumption, unlike DDR1, is reduced to 1.8 V. The clock frequency ranges from 400 MHz to 800 MHz.
• DDR3- the leader in performance at the time of writing this article. It is no less common than DDR2 and consumes 30-40% less voltage compared to its predecessor (1.5 V). Has a clock frequency of up to 1800 MHz.
• DDR4- new, super modern type RAM, ahead of its counterparts both in performance (clock frequency) and voltage consumption (and therefore characterized by lower heat generation). Support for frequencies from 2133 to 4266 MHz is announced. On this moment These modules have not yet entered mass production (they promise to release them into mass production in mid-2012). Officially, fourth generation modules operating in DDR4-2133 at a voltage of 1.2 V were presented at CES, by Samsung January 04, 2011.

Amount of RAM.

I won’t write much about memory capacity. Let me just say that it is in this case that size matters :)
Just a few years ago, RAM of 256-512 MB satisfied all the needs of even cool gaming computers. Currently for normal functioning separately only operating system Windows 7 requires 1 GB of memory, not to mention applications and games. There will never be extra RAM, but I’ll tell you a secret that 32 bit windows Uses only 3.25 GB of RAM even if you install all 8 GB of RAM. You can read more about this.

Dimensions of the planks or the so-called Form factor.

Form - factor- This standard sizes RAM modules, type of design of the RAM strips themselves.
DIMM(Dual InLine Memory Module - a double-sided type of module with contacts on both sides) - mainly intended for desktop desktop computers, A SO-DIMM used in laptops.

Clock frequency.

This is pretty important technical parameter random access memory. But clock frequency The motherboard also has it, and it is important to know the operating bus frequency of this board, since if you bought, for example, a RAM module DDR3-1800, and the motherboard slot (connector) supports the maximum clock frequency DDR3-1600, then the RAM module as a result will operate at a clock frequency of 1600 MHz. In this case, all sorts of failures, errors in the operation of the system, etc. are possible.

Note: Memory bus frequency and processor frequency are completely different concepts.

From the tables above, you can understand that the bus frequency, multiplied by 2, gives the effective memory frequency (indicated in the “chip” column), i.e. gives us the data transfer speed. The name tells us the same thing. DDR(Double Data Rate) - which means double the data transfer rate.
For clarity, I will give an example of decoding in the name of the RAM module - Kingston/PC2-9600/DDR3(DIMM)/2Gb/1200MHz, Where:
—Kingston- manufacturer;
- PC2-9600— the name of the module and its throughput;
- DDR3(DIMM)— memory type (form factor in which the module is made);
— 2Gb— module volume;
- 1200MHz— effective frequency, 1200 MHz.

Bandwidth.

Bandwidth- a memory characteristic on which system performance depends. It is expressed as the product of frequency system bus on the amount of data transmitted per clock cycle. Throughput (peak data rate) is a comprehensive measure of capability RAM, it takes into account transmission frequency, bus width and the number of memory channels. The frequency indicates the potential of the memory bus per clock cycle - at a higher frequency, more data can be transferred.
The peak indicator is calculated using the formula: B=f*c, Where:
B is the bandwidth, f is the transmission frequency, c is the bus width. If you use two channels to transmit data, we multiply everything received by 2. To get a figure in bytes/s, you need to divide the result by 8 (since there are 8 bits in 1 byte).
For better performance RAM bus bandwidth And processor bus bandwidth must match. For example, for an Intel core 2 duo E6850 processor with a system bus of 1333 MHz and a bandwidth of 10600 Mb/s, you can install two modules with a bandwidth of 5300 Mb/s each (PC2-5300), in total they will have the system bus bandwidth (FSB) equal to 10600 Mb/s.
Bus frequency and bandwidth are denoted as follows: “ DDR2-XXXX" And " PC2-YYYY". Here "XXXX" denotes the effective memory frequency, and "YYYY" the peak bandwidth.

Timings (latency).

Timings (or latency) are the time delays of the signal, which, in technical specifications RAM is written as " 2-2-2 " or " 3-3-3 " etc. Each number here expresses a parameter. In order it is always " CAS Latency"(working cycle time), " RAS to CAS Delay" (time full access) And " RAS Precharge Time» (pre-charge time).

Note

So that you can better understand the concept of timings, imagine a book, it will be our RAM that we access. Information (data) in a book (RAM) is distributed among chapters, and chapters consist of pages, which in turn contain tables with cells (as in Excel tables). Each cell with data on the page has its own vertical (columns) and horizontal (rows) coordinates. To select a row, the RAS (Raw Address Strobe) signal is used, and to read a word (data) from the selected row (i.e., to select a column), the CAS (Column Address Strobe) signal is used. Full cycle reading begins with the opening of the “page” and ends with its closing and recharging, because otherwise the cells will be discharged and the data will be lost. This is what the algorithm for reading data from memory looks like:

1. the selected "page" is activated by applying the RAS signal;
2. data from the selected line on the page is transmitted to the amplifier, and a delay is required for data transmission (it is called RAS-to-CAS);
3. a CAS signal is given to select a (column) word from that row;
4. data is transferred to the bus (from where it goes to the memory controller), and a delay also occurs (CAS Latency);
5. the next word comes without delay, since it is contained in the prepared line;
6. after access to the row is completed, the page is closed, the data is returned to the cells and the page is recharged (the delay is called RAS Precharge).

Each number in the designation indicates how many bus cycles the signal will be delayed. Timings are measured in nanoseconds. The numbers can have values ​​from 2 to 9. But sometimes a fourth one is added to these three parameters (for example: 2-3-3-8), called “ DRAM Cycle Time Tras/Trc” (characterizes the performance of the entire memory chip as a whole).
It happens that sometimes a cunning manufacturer indicates only one value in the RAM characteristics, for example “ CL2"(CAS Latency), the first timing is equal to two clock cycles. But the first parameter does not have to be equal to all timings, and may be less than others, so keep this in mind and do not fall for the manufacturer’s marketing ploy.
An example to illustrate the impact of timings on performance: a system with memory at 100 MHz with 2-2-2 timings has approximately the same performance as the same system at 112 MHz, but with 3-3-3 timings. In other words, depending on latency, the performance difference can be as much as 10%.
So, when choosing, it is better to buy memory with the lowest timings, and if you want to add a module to an already installed one, then the timings of the purchased memory must match the timings of the installed memory.

Memory operating modes.

RAM can operate in several modes, if of course such modes are supported by the motherboard. This single channel, two-channel, three-channel and even four-channel modes. Therefore, when choosing RAM, you should pay attention to this module parameter.
Theoretically, the speed of operation of the memory subsystem in dual-channel mode increases by 2 times, in three-channel mode - by 3 times, respectively, etc., but in practice, in dual-channel mode, the performance increase, unlike single-channel mode, is 10-70%.
Let's take a closer look at the types of modes:

• Single channel mode(single-channel or asymmetric) – this mode is activated when only one memory module is installed in the system or all modules differ from each other in memory capacity, operating frequency or manufacturer. It doesn’t matter what slots or memory you install into. All memory will run at the speed of the slowest memory installed.
• Dual Mode(dual-channel or symmetrical) – the same amount of RAM is installed in each channel (and theoretically doubles maximum speed data transmission). In dual-channel mode, memory modules work in pairs: 1st with 3rd and 2nd with 4th.
• Triple Mode(three-channel) – the same amount of RAM is installed in each of the three channels. Modules are selected according to speed and volume. To enable this mode, modules must be installed in slots 1, 3 and 5/or 2, 4 and 6. In practice, by the way, this mode is not always more productive than the two-channel one, and sometimes even loses to it in data transfer speed.
• Flex Mode(flexible) – allows you to increase the performance of RAM when installing two modules of different sizes, but the same operating frequency. As in dual-channel mode, memory cards are installed in the same connectors of different channels.

Generally, the most common option is dual-channel memory mode.
To operate in multi-channel modes, there are special sets of memory modules - the so-called Kit memory(Kit set) - this set includes two (three) modules, from the same manufacturer, with the same frequency, timings and memory type.
Appearance of KIT kits:
for dual channel mode

for three-channel mode

But the most important thing is that such modules are carefully selected and tested by the manufacturer itself to work in pairs (triples) in two- (three-) channel modes and do not imply any surprises in operation and configuration.

Manufacturer of modules.

Now on the market RAM Such manufacturers as have proven themselves well: Hynix, amsung, Corsair, Kingmax, Transcend, Kingston, OCZ…
Each company has its own for each product marking number, from which, if deciphered correctly, you can learn a lot for yourself useful information about the product. Let's try to decipher the module marking as an example Kingston families ValueRAM(see image):

Explanation:

• KVR– Kingston ValueRAM i.e. manufacturer
• 1066/1333 – operating/effective frequency (Mhz)
• D3- memory type (DDR3)
• D (Dual) – rank/rank. A dual-rank module is two logical modules soldered onto one physical channel and alternately using the same physical channel (needed to achieve the maximum amount of RAM when limited quantities slots)
• 4 – 4 DRAM memory chips
• R – Registered, indicates stable operation without failures or errors for as long a continuous period of time as possible
• 7 – signal delay (CAS=7)
• S– temperature sensor on the module
• K2– set (kit) of two modules
• 4G– the total volume of the kit (both slats) is 4 GB.

Let me give you another example of marking CM2X1024-6400C5:
From the labeling it is clear that this is DDR2 module volume 1024 MB standard PC2-6400 and delays CL=5.
Stamps OCZ, Kingston And Corsair recommended for overclocking, i.e. have the potential for overclocking. They will have small timings and a clock frequency reserve, plus they are equipped with radiators, and some even coolers for heat removal, because When overclocking, the amount of heat increases significantly. The price for them will naturally be much higher.
I advise you not to forget about fakes (there are a lot of them on the shelves) and buy RAM modules only in serious stores that will give you a guarantee.

Finally:
That's all. With the help of this article, I think you will no longer be mistaken when choosing RAM for your computer. Now you can choose the right RAM for the system and increase its performance without any problems. Well, for those who will buy RAM (or have already bought it), I will dedicate the following article, in which I will describe in detail how to install RAM correctly into the system. Do not miss…

The frequency of RAM affects many computer parameters, including operating speed, video graphics speed, etc. Despite this, many do not know where to look this characteristic. This article will help you figure it out

How to find out the frequency of RAM

In order to find out the frequency of RAM you need to do a few simple steps:

• Go to “my computer”. This icon can be found on the desktop. If, after all, it is not on the desktop, then you can go there through the start menu.

• After you log into my computer, a window will pop up in front of you with hard disks your computer and some other folders. You don't need them. Click right click mouse by free space. A small window will pop up in which you need to select the “properties” tab.

• After this, another window will appear, which describes in detail Common parameters your computer. In the sublevel called “system” we find the line “performance” and look at the parameter we need.

How to find out the frequency of RAM through the task manager

If you need to find out exactly how RAM is used, you can do it as follows:

On the keyboard, simultaneously press Ctrl + Alt + Del. This will allow you to select the task manager. Some versions of Windows, for example ten, after pressing these keys, it may not be the task manager that appears, but another command window. In this window you will need to select the “task manager” tab.

After opening the manager, you need to select the “performance” tab at the very top.

The window that appears shows a graph of the cost and speed of your RAM and gives a clearer picture for analysis.

Now that you know how to view the RAM frequency, you can easily view it on any computer.

Random access memory (RAM) is temporary memory computer, responsible for intermediate, input and output information that is processed by the CPU. This type of memory is responsible for speed software processing.

Physically RAM are memory modules that are connected to motherboard.

Main characteristics are memory type, size, timings and operating frequency. Let's take a closer look at the latter.

Frequency defines speed of operations per second - measured in Hertz. The higher the frequency, the better performance and throughput. Although, of course, frequency cannot be considered separately from other characteristics, which also affect the speed of data processing.

This important parameter, when choosing to install a new memory module, it should be correlated with the maximum data transfer frequency of the motherboard. This frequency will be be limited subsequently the RAM throughput.

Based on the type of memory, it is possible different ranges operating frequencies:

• DDR: 200-400 MHz
• DDR2: 533-1200 MHz
• DDR3: 800-2400 MHz
• DDR4: 1600-3200 MHz

We look at the inscription on the memory

Define this parameter can be done directly by the markings on the bar itself.

To do this you will first need take off cover system unit and carefully remove one of the strips from the special slot on the motherboard. Unpin latches to prevent accidental release and take it out their connector module.

To find out all the information about the RAM module, you need to carefully examine it. On the bar indicated module name, RAM type and peak data transfer rate.

Using this data, you can find out the memory frequency in special correspondence tables. Let's give them for various types RAM. The notes indicate how popular they are currently.

As we can see, in our example, for the PC2 module – 6400, the bus frequency is 400 MHz, 800 million operations/sec, 6400 MB/s or 6.4 GB/s – peak data transfer speed.

And the last currently existing standard, characterized by increased frequency characteristics and reduced supply voltage.

We use programs to determine frequency

If you don’t want to get inside the system unit, then that’s it required characteristics can be found using special software

Most popular program, in our opinion, is AIDA64(similar to Everest). It provides an extensive range of all technical data about your device. trial version is provided free of charge for a period of 30 days.

Launch and expand the item Test – reading from memory. We update at the top - and we get result.

The program will allocate the memory used bold font. In our example, the memory frequency is 1866 Hz, which corresponds to the stated parameters in the documents.

Another way is in the field motherboard select SPD. Here you can see how many strips you use, the frequency and a lot of other useful information.

If you want to see real And effective frequencies, then go to Motherboard in the section of the same name.

Another frequently used program that provides a lot of necessary technical information about hardware, is a utility CPU-Z. Unlike AIDA64, it is completely free.

Once launched, go to the tab Memory. In field DRAM Frequency you will see exactly what you need.

It should be noted that we're talking about about the real frequency, that is, the physical frequency at which the chip operates. There is no way to see what is effective in this program; it is usually 2, 4 and 8 times larger than the real one.

If you came across this article, then most likely you have difficulties on this issue. If so, you've come to the right place. In this article we will look in detail at how to find out the processor frequency and tell you how to do this in various ways.

According to the documentation

Initially, we will analyze the simplest and most common option - according to the documentation received when purchasing the processor. If you bought a computer in a store and took all the components at once, it will include many items. But don’t rush to despair, everything is very simple.

Let's look at it with an example. Let's say you have written:

INTEL i5-6600 3.5 GHz.

• 1 Gb GeForce GTX 420.

Remember, there are two types of processors: Intel and AMD. These are the companies that produce it. As we see, in this list present Intel processor i5-6600 3.5 GHz. This means we discard the remaining components and figure out the encryption of the remaining ones. We have already found out that Intel is the name of the company, i5-6600 is the model of the processor itself, we are also not interested in it, but 3.5 GHz is the clock frequency.

Remember, frequency is always measured in Hertz, abbreviated Hz or Hz in English. The prefix G stands for giga, which in turn means 1000 hertz. From this it follows that the processor frequency is 3,500 Hertz.

So we figured out how to find out, but this is just the first way. Let's move on to the rest.

Properties of the system

In the event that you have not saved the nomenclature for the purchased product, you can use the following method, which works properly on all operating systems Windows systems. Now let’s look at how to find out the processor frequency using the “System Properties” window.

There are several options you can use. The first implies the following algorithm of actions:

Go to the Start menu.

From the sidebar, select Control Panel.

In the window that appears, click on the “System Properties” section.

You can also use the search in the same Start menu by entering search bar"Properties of the system".

On some OSes you can avoid all these manipulations by simply right-clicking on the “My Computer” shortcut and selecting context menu"Properties".

So, we figured out how to get to “System Properties”. Now find the “Processor” line; opposite it will be the full name of your system unit. And at the end it is written in gigahertz.

We have given another way to find out the processor frequency using the operating system. But it’s still not exactly full list, so let's move on.

CPU-Z

Now we will look at how to find out using the CPU-Z utility.

This utility is intended for only one thing: it tells in detail about the processor installed on the computer. And the main advantage of this software is that it is completely free.

First of all, you need to download the program, so go to the official website and feel free to download without fear of viruses. Once the download is complete, run the installer and complete the installation. Once you have done this, a program shortcut should appear on your desktop - double-click on it.

Once the program has opened, find the “CPU” tab and select it. will appear in front of you detailed information about your processor. If you study it carefully, you can find the “Specification” line. Opposite it will be the frequency in gigahertz.

This is the third way to find out the processor frequency on Windows 7. However, if for some reason all of the above methods did not help you do this, then there is only one left. It is not the simplest, but it absolutely guarantees that you will receive necessary information, so let's move on to it.

BIOS

We don’t think it’s worth telling what a BIOS is. Let's take a look at frequency.

So, restart the computer, and during its startup, when the inscriptions flash on a black background, press the Pause key to stop the startup process. In one of the lines, find “Main Processor”, and at the end of it you will find the frequency value, which is also indicated in gigahertz.

If for some reason you do not have this line, then instead of the Pause key, press Del or F2 to go to the BIOS itself. There, on the first page, find the line “Processor Type”, and opposite it you will see the frequency.

That's basically it. All were presented above possible ways How to find out what processor frequency is on your computer.

The performance and speed of the system greatly depends on the clock frequency of the processor. This indicator is not constant and may change slightly during computer operation. If desired, the processor can also be “overclocked,” thereby increasing the frequency.

You can find out the clock frequency as follows: using standard methods, and using third-party software (the latter gives a more accurate result).

It's worth remembering that processor clock speed is measured in hertz, but is usually specified in either megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).

It is also worth remembering that if you use standard methods of checking frequency, you will not see such a word as “frequency” anywhere. You will most likely see the following (example) − « Intel Core i5-6400 3.2 GHz". Let's look at it in order:

1. "Intel"- these are the names of the manufacturer. Instead there may be "AMD".
2. "Core i5" is the name of the processor line. Instead, you may have written something completely different, however, this is not so important.
3. "6400"— model of a specific processor. Yours may also differ.
4. "3.2 GHz" is the frequency.

The frequency can be found in the documentation for the device. But the data there may differ slightly from the real ones, because... The documents say the average value. And if any manipulations were performed with the processor before, the data may differ dramatically, so it is recommended to obtain information only by software.

Method 1: AIDA64

– functional program for working with computer components. The software is paid, but there is a demo period. In order to view data about the processor in real time, it will be quite enough. The interface has been completely translated into Russian.

The instructions look like this:

Method 2: CPU-Z

– a program with easy and clear interface, which allows you to view in more detail all the characteristics of the computer (including the processor). Distributed free of charge.

To see the frequency, just open the program and in the main window pay attention to the line "Specification". The name of the processor will be written there and at the very end the current frequency in GHz will be indicated.

Method 3: BIOS

If you have never seen the BIOS interface and do not know how to work there, then it is better to leave this method. The instructions look like this:

Method 4: Standard system tools

Most easy way of all, because does not require installation of additional software or entering BIOS. Find out the frequency using standard using Windows:

To know current frequency very simple. IN modern processors this indicator is no longer the most important factor in terms of productivity.