Like another poster here, I think my brain is going to explode. I'm speccing a new build, and at the moment am planning to use Intel DX38BT motherboard, w/a (probably) QX9650 proc. (I'll be running the 64-bit edition of Vista Ultimate.) The great guys over on the General Hardware forum have been helping me w/parts, but are discouraging me from spending so much on a system. Ordinarily I'd agree, but I've had more systems than I can count, and I always went the mostly-frugal route--not budget, but never top-of-the-line.
For once, I'd like to be frivolous and build an expensive screamer (as you can tell from mobo and CPU choice). Which leads me to why my brain is about to ooze out of my ears: I want to use DDR3 RAM in the system. Yes, I know it is outrageously expensive compared to DDR2, and the difference may not be all that much. But right now, I just don't feel like being all that logical about this build--I want to go over-the-top.
I put Crucial RAM in my current build, and at the time wanted Ballistix but couldn't afford it, so I got their more prosaic RAM. This time, I thought I'd go w/Ballistix. I used the Cricial Memory Finder to match up the correct RAM for the DX38BT mobo, and I wanted to go w/4 GB total, but as two, 2 GB modules (keeping the other 2 slots open for a future possible jump to 8 GB.
Their Memory Finder gave me this: Crucial RAM. Okay, I thought Ballistix came wrapped in a pretty gold hs, but maybe I was wrong.
Then tonight, I was poking around the Crucial site a bit more, and came across this page: More choices. As you can see further down the page, there is the pretty gold RAM, and the model # starts with "BL", presumably for "Ballistix".
The problem here is that I want two, 2 GB modules. It looks like I can only get the Ballistix in 1 GB modules, which would of course fill all my slots, and probably be a waste down the road if I want to go to 8 GB. (I do still have some sanity about this build. Not much, but some.) I really only want the pair of 2 GB modules. And if it's not going to be the full-on Ballistix RAM, I'm not sure paying $560 for the non-Ballistix DDR3 kit makes a lot of sense.
Which brings me back to the great guys over at General Hardware. They want me to put DDR2 in. But another quandary is that, even tho the Crucual Memory Finder isn't giving me the two Ballistix modules I want, it says that all compatible RAM w/my DX38BT mobo is DDR3. DDR2 is not mentioned at all as being "guaranteed" compatible.
I only have the barest understanding of the timings, latency, etc., so I don't know if the non-Ballistix, but still DDR3 choice they offered me w/the two 2 GB modules is all that much slower than the actual Ballistix 1 GB modules. Let me show you the specs on each, and maybe you guys can tell me if there's any difference I would ever notice:
4GB kit (2GBx2)
Model #:CT2KIT25664BA1067 DDR3 PC3-8500 ? CL=7 ? Unbuffered ? NON-ECC ? DDR3-1066 ? 1.5V ? 256Meg x 64 Price: $559.99
2GB kit (1GBx2)
Model #:BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 PC3-12800 ? 8-8-8-24 ? Unbuffered ? NON-ECC ? DDR3-1600 ? 1.8V ? 128Meg x 64 Price: $399.99
If I get the 4 GB kit, am I ever going to notice much difference? (Assume video editing, game playing--basically all the stuff I might use a really fast system for. Maybe not right away, but if I have the power at my fingertips, I will be tempted to use it.)
So what should I do?
For once, I'd like to be frivolous and build an expensive screamer (as you can tell from mobo and CPU choice). Which leads me to why my brain is about to ooze out of my ears: I want to use DDR3 RAM in the system. Yes, I know it is outrageously expensive compared to DDR2, and the difference may not be all that much. But right now, I just don't feel like being all that logical about this build--I want to go over-the-top.
I put Crucial RAM in my current build, and at the time wanted Ballistix but couldn't afford it, so I got their more prosaic RAM. This time, I thought I'd go w/Ballistix. I used the Cricial Memory Finder to match up the correct RAM for the DX38BT mobo, and I wanted to go w/4 GB total, but as two, 2 GB modules (keeping the other 2 slots open for a future possible jump to 8 GB.
Their Memory Finder gave me this: Crucial RAM. Okay, I thought Ballistix came wrapped in a pretty gold hs, but maybe I was wrong.
Then tonight, I was poking around the Crucial site a bit more, and came across this page: More choices. As you can see further down the page, there is the pretty gold RAM, and the model # starts with "BL", presumably for "Ballistix".
The problem here is that I want two, 2 GB modules. It looks like I can only get the Ballistix in 1 GB modules, which would of course fill all my slots, and probably be a waste down the road if I want to go to 8 GB. (I do still have some sanity about this build. Not much, but some.) I really only want the pair of 2 GB modules. And if it's not going to be the full-on Ballistix RAM, I'm not sure paying $560 for the non-Ballistix DDR3 kit makes a lot of sense.
Which brings me back to the great guys over at General Hardware. They want me to put DDR2 in. But another quandary is that, even tho the Crucual Memory Finder isn't giving me the two Ballistix modules I want, it says that all compatible RAM w/my DX38BT mobo is DDR3. DDR2 is not mentioned at all as being "guaranteed" compatible.
I only have the barest understanding of the timings, latency, etc., so I don't know if the non-Ballistix, but still DDR3 choice they offered me w/the two 2 GB modules is all that much slower than the actual Ballistix 1 GB modules. Let me show you the specs on each, and maybe you guys can tell me if there's any difference I would ever notice:
4GB kit (2GBx2)
Model #:CT2KIT25664BA1067 DDR3 PC3-8500 ? CL=7 ? Unbuffered ? NON-ECC ? DDR3-1066 ? 1.5V ? 256Meg x 64 Price: $559.99
2GB kit (1GBx2)
Model #:BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 PC3-12800 ? 8-8-8-24 ? Unbuffered ? NON-ECC ? DDR3-1600 ? 1.8V ? 128Meg x 64 Price: $399.99
If I get the 4 GB kit, am I ever going to notice much difference? (Assume video editing, game playing--basically all the stuff I might use a really fast system for. Maybe not right away, but if I have the power at my fingertips, I will be tempted to use it.)
So what should I do?