[hewwo2u2]

I recently installed new RAM so, naturally I ran the Windows performance rating to see how much of a difference it would make. The Memory (RAM) increased as expected (from 3.9 to 5.1) but to my dismay, I noticed that both my Graphics (desktop performance for Windows Aero) and my Gaming graphics (3D business and gaming graphics performance) decreased from 2.7 to 2.4, and from 3.1 to 3.0 respectively. This has lowered my Windows Experience Index to a 2.4. Does anyone know what would cause this?

[hewwo2u2]

My computer is using ATI Raedon Xpress 1150 Graphics. I manually updated the driver myself about a month ago to version 8.591.0.0 which was released in Feb, 2009. Recently, I got a Windows update stating that there was an update for the driver, but when I clicked for the information, it said that the driver was released in Dec. 2006. But just in case my recent update was the reason for the lowered rating, I went to device manager and clicked on "update driver" to see if it would find a newer one. It did find and install a new driver, but when I checked it it was version 8.331.00 (released in Dec. 2006-definitely an older driver than the one I installed myself). I refreshed the Windows performance rating, and everything stayed the same.

So I rolled back to the previous (and oddly the newer) driver and refreshed my rating and the Graphics component went up from 2.4 to 2.5. But both are still lower than they were. what gives?

[aka Brett]

I think your ram is clocking down the the next lowest speed.
This can happen from mis matched sticks,
Some moboards just do it even with matched ram.

[hewwo2u2]

my RAM is the ones that CRUCIAL said goes into my specific computer so I don't think they are mismatched...

So the RAM can cause the graphics to be less quality? Is there anything I should do about this?

[aka Brett]

For instance I had a pc that used pc2700
If i had a gig or less in it it would run at the correct speed if I installed more than a gig..then it would run at pc 2100.

Although I had more ram it lowered my aquamark video score.
also it increased my time doing superpi benchmarks.

go here and install this
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

[hewwo2u2]

does this change the functionality of my computer? Should I remove the extra RAM? Is does the good out weigh the bad here?

[aka Brett]

it is just to see what your ram is running at it doesnt change anything

[hewwo2u2]

huh?

I'm talking about the lower graphics ratings...

[aka Brett]

yes
lower ram speed can lower some graphic scores.
It happened to me with aquamark as explained in post 5.
When I put in more ram it read it but rather than run at pc2700 it ran at pc2100 and lowered my aquamark score
The little tool I gave you the link for will tell you what your ram is running while booted into windows

[hewwo2u2]

that's fine, I just wanted to know if the lower graphics is something I should worry about. or is it better to have more RAM and less graphics than to have less RAM?

[aka Brett]

I would take the ram myself...overall the machine will be more responsive