What ram should I get?

[riddelrp]

I'm going to get an Barton 2500+ with the Epox EP-8RDA+ mobo. What ram should I get?

should I get DDR333 or should I spring for DDR400? I plan on overclocking the chip a bit (not a ton), would the DDR400 help that?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Lord Evermore]

DDR400 will make it easier to overclock without having to relax timings. The "value" type DDR400 should run with pretty good timings at under 400MHz just fine. Or you can get low latency PC2700 and end up paying about the same amount, and be able to use decent timings overclocked up to a point.

The higher speed value memory tends to be sort of like overclocked lower speeds. Like Kingston ValueRAM PC3200 comes in CL2.5 and CL3 ratings. If you clocked it at 333MHz it'd run just fine at 2-2-2-5 most likely. At the same time, HyperX PC2700 is rated for 2-2-2-5 at 333MHz, and if you overclocked it to 400MHz it'd probably need to use 2.5-3-3-6 just like the ValueRAM. But there's no guarantee the PC2700 will overclock that high with anything like acceptable timings, while the PC3200 is at least starting out with reasonable timings and can use better timings when underclocked.

I'd say if you're not expecting to overclock to more than maybe a 180MHz/360MHz bus, then the PC2700 would be better since it's a few bucks cheaper and should have decent timings at that speed. Anything higher and you might want to get the PC3200 since you know it'll handle the higher bus speed and you can tighten the timings until you reach the best it can handle at the lower speed.

Being able to use a higher bus speed is better than aggressive timings, if the bus speed is significantly higher. If you can only get up 10MHz or something before the timings have to be relaxed, then it's better to use a lower speed but tighter timings, but if relaxing the timings a small amount can get you 50MHz faster, then it's worth it. But only as far as the CPU bus goes, since you should keep them synchronized.

 

[riddelrp]

thanks, just one more question...

I was going to get 1 512 meg stick. Then I was told to get 2 256 sticks instead since my mobo has dual-channel mem slots...
getting 1 512 stick is 83, while 2 256 sticks cost 94... how much more performance do I get if I use the 2 sticks?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: riddelrp
thanks, just one more question...

I was going to get 1 512 meg stick. Then I was told to get 2 256 sticks instead since my mobo has dual-channel mem slots...
getting 1 512 stick is 83, while 2 256 sticks cost 94... how much more performance do I get if I use the 2 sticks?

Thanks,
Ryan

Less than 2% unless you are utilizing onboard video.

 

[Lord Evermore]

But people have been known to pay twice the price to get a 2% boost.

Where are you buying and what kind? Corsair ValueSelect 512MB PC3200 is only 77 bucks at Googlegear, PC2700 is 60 bucks and Kingston HyperX PC2700 is 82. Newegg's prices are similar.

The big reason dual-channel is useful on an nforce2 board is reduced latency, due to the two memory controllers. Having the latency reduction of that could make up for not having the greatest timings on the memory itself due to overclocking. But with single channel, only one controller is active.

 

[riddelrp]

I'm gonna go with 1x 512 mb Kingston HyperX Series ddr333, with the intent of eventually adding another stick in a few months.

-Ryan

 

[chocoruacal]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore

Where are you buying and what kind? Corsair ValueSelect 512MB PC3200 is only 77 bucks at Googlegear, PC2700 is 60 bucks and Kingston HyperX PC2700 is 82. Newegg's prices are similar.

Avoid Value RAM from Corsair and Kingston on nForce2 boards. I highly recommend HyperX though...I've used it on all my 8RDA+ builds with zero problems.

Yes, spring for pc3200. Down the road, if you want to overclock, the extra head room will help.

No, you don't need two sticks. Buy one 512MB stick now, and one later if you feel you really want that extra 2fps in Quake III

 

[riddelrp]

ok, kinda an odd question... I really don't have 110 to spend on 512 megs of 3200 ram right now. If I buy 1 256 3200 stick of Kingston HyperX ram now. Then in a month or 2 I add a 512 stick of Kingston HyperX 3200 ram. Will these sticks work in dual channel mode since they are different sizes?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[riddelrp]

Originally posted by: riddelrp
ok, kinda an odd question... I really don't have 110 to spend on 512 megs of 3200 ram right now. If I buy 1 256 3200 stick of Kingston HyperX ram now. Then in a month or 2 I add a 512 stick of Kingston HyperX 3200 ram. Will these sticks work in dual channel mode since they are different sizes?

Thanks,
Ryan

my concern with this solution is that I know 256 megs in not enough ram for me. My current machine is using ~300 megs right now and I usually use more. I don't want to be stuck out of ram, because that would be worse then having a stock clocked proc with 2700 ram (or am I wrong on this one?).

Thanks again,
Ryan

 

[m1ke101]

I think you should probably just go for the stick of 512mb right now, I'm pretty sure DC doesn't work unless they're the same size. Besides, you don't really see that much of a performance difference. Plus, later on you might wanna get another stick of 512 to get some 1 gig DC action

 

[Lonyo]

See if you can spot any TwinMOS RAM for any cheaper, it's actually nice stuff, despite the low price.

It can be quite possibly to save a lot by shopping around, but check reseller ratings before you buy from other places.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Dual channel will work on an nforce2 board with different module sizes, but you won't get the same performance benefits. The controller will address whatever common memory amount between the two channels in dual mode, and then the extra in the 512MB module in single channel mode. So if you "fill up" the first 512MB out of 768MB total, the next 256MB is only single channel. And keep in mind that the data doesn't get shuffled around to fill up the empty space in the lower memory necessarily, so even if you reduce the memory usage after a time, you may still have data that's being stored in the single-channel section.

I haven't really paid a lot of attention, but I see no reason that ValueSelect or ValueRAM can't be used in an nforce2 board. Just don't try to run it with very aggressive timings. It's still Corsair or Kingston brand modules, made with the same quality, but with chips that can't handle higher speeds and reduced timings.

I personally would recommend just using PC2700 HyperX, rather than trying to get the PC3200 that you may not make use of. The rule for purchasing is get the best you can afford that will satisfy your needs now, not necessarily what you think might be the best for future use. A single module is only 82 dollars for 512MB, and will easily handle some overclocking without having to make the timings too relaxed. Even the 2.5-3-3-6 ValueRAM PC3200 is 94 dollars and would probably end up giving you the same timings at the same speed (underclocking the PC3200).

Also keep in mind that Corsair has a CL2 line of XMS memory, rated for 2-3-3-6, slightly better than the Kingston ValueRAM, that costs only 5 bucks more than the ValueRAM and is more likely to handle overclocking. Even the CL2 XMS PC3200 module is only 95 dollars. Since you aren't going to be trying to run the modules at 400MHz, that would serve just as well as the HyperX. You won't want to try running the HyperX below 2-2-2-5 anyway, and the CL2 XMS will probably handle that just fine at the lower speeds. If you're concerned about the price, that would help you out a bit.

 

[riddelrp]

How about using some Kingston HyperX DDR 370 ram?

This kinda sounds like an odd in between speed memory, but I can get a 512meg cas2 stick at this speed for just 91 bucks shipped...

Also, it seems Kingston doesn't make HyperX memory at the PC 3200 speed, is this correct, or does NewEgg just not sell it?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[newuser]

I am using 2x512 Corsair XMS pc 3200 RAM in my 8RDA+, no complaints so far

 

[riddelrp]

Originally posted by: newuser
I am using 2x512 Corsair XMS pc 3200 RAM in my 8RDA+, no complaints so far

I'm trying to save a few bucks, so that's why I want to use the 3000 if possible (would save 20 dollars).

Any thoughts on using the PC3000?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[riddelrp]

bump

 

[waylman]

I have the 8rda+ with 2X512 Kingston HyperX PC2700. I have to run it CAS 2.5 or else I get random reboots.

 

[riddelrp]

What do you guys think about OCZ memory (specifically PC3200)?

or GeIL for that matter?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[riddelrp]

bump before bed