Do I need HyperX??

[SpeedFreak03]

I am building a P4 system soon, and I am gonna use the following parts:

Abit IS7
P4 2.6C


I am stuck on how much $$$ I need to spend on ram. I have my choices narrowed down to the following:

Kingston ValueRAM 1GB Kit (2x512MB) PC3200 - $166 (NewEgg)

or

Kingston HyperX 1GB Kit (2x512MB) PC3700 - $225 (NewEgg)

I would love to save the $60 and buy the ValueRAM. I honestly can say I'm not gonna overclock (I am coming from a P3 500MHz, and I have used a 2.6C system, and it feels so much faster to me that I really don't need anything faster!). I just need it to be stable at stock speeds. The P4 2.6C runs at 200FSB/DDR400/PC3200, so it is running at the ValueRAMs rated speed. Is this ram known for not running its stock speed? Or should I stop being cheap and just spend the money (even though I REALLY REALLY need a new video card mine is a ATI RAGE3D 8MB PCI cause my Radeon9000 died). What should I do?

A. Buy the nice ram and keep the sh!t video card for a couple more months till I get more $$$.
B. Buy the cheaper ram and buy the nice video card.

 

[TheBDB]

If you are not overclocking the 3200 will be fine.

 

[MasterFlash]

My vote is to buy one stick of 512MB Kingston PC3200 (either value ram or hyperX, depending on what you can afford) so you can have money to buy a new video card. It's really easy to slap another stick of RAM in, in the future when you can spot a few more bucks and the 512MB ought to get you by fine for awhile.

 

[SilverRyu]

C. Buy half of the nice ram and buy a nice video card

 

[MDE]

Option C looks the best to me...

 

[JaydenChris]

Buy the RAM...if you want consistency in performance.

Buy the VC...if you're a hardcore gamer

(I voted for the RAM...only 'cause I have it in my system) =)

 

[Mikewarrior2]

Be sure to get 2 sticks of ram regardless of which route you choose.


Mike

 

[JimRaynor]

good ram makes a difference, believe me. i went from crucial pc2700 512mbx1 to 2x256mb hyperx 3200 (2-2-2-6) and it was very different. That's why it costs more ^^;

 

[SpeedFreak03]

I've thought it over, and I decided to buy the more expensive HyperX 3700. Just because I have taken the cheap route many times and in the longrun I always wish I didn't. But thanks for all the input!

-Josh

 

[SpeedFreak03]

nvm

 

[JimRaynor]

If you need to get to higher speeds, you can always just relax the timings a bit, that should get you there.

 

[Ionizer86]

Next option: a gig of Buffalo PC3200. Should turn out to be just a tad more than ValueRam