Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Geekbench - 8gb performed better than 16gb (RAM)

SPNarwhal

SPNarwhal

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 22, 2009
1,260
156
illinois
so I was just upgrading my 27" i5 iMac to 16gb of RAM from 8gb, and thought it might be fun to do a benchmark for each to see the difference.

After installing it, I did a benchmark and the results were actually worse with 16 than they were with the 8gb. I'm not really super knowledgeable about benchmarkings, but I'm thinking this shouldn't be the case? Any insight?

8gb:
http://browse.geekbench.ca/geekbench2/view/487831

16gb:
http://browse.geekbench.ca/geekbench2/view/487844

What gives?
 
SPNarwhal said:
so I was just upgrading my 27" i5 iMac to 16gb of RAM from 8gb, and thought it might be fun to do a benchmark for each to see the difference.

After installing it, I did a benchmark and the results were actually worse with 16 than they were with the 8gb. I'm not really super knowledgeable about benchmarkings, but I'm thinking this shouldn't be the case? Any insight?

8gb:
http://browse.geekbench.ca/geekbench2/view/487831

16gb:
http://browse.geekbench.ca/geekbench2/view/487844

What gives?
Click to expand...

Nothing gives. Geekbench tests CPU speed and memory speed. There should be no impact with increased memory capacity.

The 2 scores are is within the margin of error. Even if that imac had 4Gb RAM, the scores would still be around the same.
 
Try running geek bench a few times. It always varies a bit for me. Turn all programs off, restart the computer open activity monitor, kill dropbox & other apps running...etc... turn off activity monitor. Give the computer a minute to settle then run geek bench.

I'm about to do the same up grade so I'll see also. Comparatively though relative systems chart shows yours pretty close, but others are all over the map.
 
thunng8 said:
Nothing gives. Geekbench tests CPU speed and memory speed. There should be no impact with increased memory capacity.

The 2 scores are is within the margin of error. Even if that imac had 4Gb RAM, the scores would still be around the same.
Click to expand...

Right, it tests memory. Isn't the point of geekbench to show what your computer is capable of? How powerful it's specs are and such?

You would think that it would be better with more memory then.

Even in the Memory section, the 16gb rated lower than the 8gb, and while I realize the numbers will be slightly different every time, I don't think that 16gb should ever test lower than 8gb, or is common sense not the way to think about this situation?

I can be wrong, but to me it still makes no sense.
 
isn't memory speed increased by upgrading your memory?
or does it not matter how much ram you have in there, it will always give you the same speed?

1066ghz is the speed, right?
So if you have 1066ghz of 2gb and 1066ghz of 16gb, will they be the same?
 
SPNarwhal said:
isn't memory speed increased by upgrading your memory?
or does it not matter how much ram you have in there, it will always give you the same speed?

1066ghz is the speed, right?
So if you have 1066ghz of 2gb and 1066ghz of 16gb, will they be the same?
Click to expand...

No, memory speed is not increased by upgrading your memory. Unless you're getting page outs and using a lot of swap space you're not going to see a benefit from upgrading the RAM anyway.
 
It also depends what kind of memory did you upgraded with.
All matching, same manufacturer, same specs?

Different memories can give you different access times. More is not always better :)
 
SPNarwhal said:
isn't memory speed increased by upgrading your memory?
or does it not matter how much ram you have in there, it will always give you the same speed?

1066ghz is the speed, right?
So if you have 1066ghz of 2gb and 1066ghz of 16gb, will they be the same?
Click to expand...

Memory speed isn't increased by upgrading to more memory, it can be increased if you upgrade to faster memory that your CPU/Motherboard support but still won't be that much.

2GB of 1066mhz will be the same speed in memory throughput than 16GB of 1066mhz.

The point of upgrading ram is not going faster per se, it's reducing pagefile usage, if everything stays in ram it's going to be faster in the end, but if your workload wasn't hitting the pagefile before you won't see a difference.
 
More memory = more to test = takes slightly longer = weaker score.
If you watch benchmark leaders they test their systems with perfectly paired smaller allotments because the whole point is speed and to get a better score. Usually 6GB max for triple channel and now Quad channel they'll test with 8GB most likely. I still would want to run a computer with 16GB though. Tests don't matter in the end for me.
 
Think about memory like upgrading from a 2 door Coupe to a big SUV. You still can only go 70 on the interstate, but now you can take more people with you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back