2GB RAM choices

[noahabel]

Okay, so I just built my rig with the memory listed in my sig - basically the bottom of the Corsair XMS bin. I haven't even bothered pushing it past 210, knowing it won't get anywhere near the 255 HTT I'm running my Opty at. So all of a month after the new build, I want faster and bigger 1GB sticks. Choices are:

OCZ EL Gold Gamer Ext. XTC (OCZ5002048ELGEGXT-K)
DDR500
CL3-4-3-8
$210

Mushkin XP (991483) - Black
DDR500
3-4-3-8
$185 (@ ZZF AR once in stock)

or, should I feel generous-

OCZ PC4000 Platinum EB
DDR500
3-3-2-8
~$307 (@ Newegg, purcahsed as individual sticks)

Mushkin PC4000 Redline
DDR500
3-3-2-8
$320 (out of stock @ ZZF)


Obviously we're talking about two different price points, and 2 different "classes" of memory chip - the ~$200 sticks use UCCC, the more expensive sticks use Infineon C. My concern is that the I may get some of the UCCC-based RAM with a lower maximum overclock; it seems to be very week-dependant, with some sites getting 280+, some topping out at 255. BUT, am I really getting that much better performance from the $100+ difference to justify the Redlines or OCZ EB? I know I'll be guranteed the higher speed, and at lower timings, but I can't help but think that $100 could be spent elsewhere.

I just hate gambling with what week UCCC I'm going to get. For the same money, G.Skill and Corsair also sell sticks using these ICs. From what I've read, they aren't manufactured to be DDR500, they just test and bin the best DDR400 UCCC chips and sell then as 250Mhz sticks. Thus the low overclock potential.

Also, am I taking any risks getting the EB sticks in seperate packages? What are the chances I get 2 sticks that can't run well together? Any reason I should hold out for the Redlines?

TIA

 

[Dug]

Why not use a divider and get better timings.

Mushkin high performance

Or if you don't care about timings and want 250Mhz
Mushkin Extreme performance

 

[starwars7]

Originally posted by: Dug
Why not use a divider and get better timings.

Mushkin high performance

Or if you don't care about timings and want 250Mhz
Mushkin Extreme performance

Those look nice, any other good OC RAM that isn't too expensive?

 

[noahabel]

Originally posted by: Dug
Why not use a divider and get better timings.

Mushkin high performance

Or if you don't care about timings and want 250Mhz
Mushkin Extreme performance

Those XP simms are the ones I already listed for ~$190 @ ZZF (~$200 @ Newegg). They too use the UCCC ICs that the OCZ Gold, Corsair TWINX2048-4000PT and G.Skill also use (all DDR500 rated).

BUT, after some further research today, it looks like my eVGA NF41 mobo is unable to run any of the UCCC or Infineon C-based RAM at 1T and some won't run at all. So basically any 1GBx2 PC4000/DDR500 kit will not run at 1T on my board. There is talk of a new BIOS update allowing them to run at rated timings, but so far, not so good.

Crap. The only DDR500 IC out there that isn't UCCC or Infineon is the Micron found in the Crucial Ballistix CLIII5N.32s, which basically aren't made any more. So either I bite on one of the others and hope a BIOS update fixes the problem, or I live with 2T (probably just long enough to get fed up and buy a DFI board). There are Ballistix rated at the same 3-4-4-8 as the other UCCCs, but since Crucial is basically Micron, I wonder if they use their own ICs or just the Samsung UCCCs.

Anyone know of any RAM I'm missing that might work? I know I can run a divider, but as long as I'm forking out more money I figured I would try to get as fast a stick as possible. I know tight timings are great, but 3-4-4-8 @ 265 and 1:1 has got to be faster overall than 2.5-3-2-7 @ 220 and 5:6. Even if I have to drop to 2T I'd bet it's faster.

 

[w00t]

look into the ocz platuim series and the crucial ballstick or w/e or you could go value series by corsair or ocz

 

[Tostada]

I got the Mushkin XP DDR500 2x1GB kit and it overclocks really well. Looks like NewEgg keeps jacking up the price, too.

Honestly, with the situation you're in, I would just keep the memory you've got and run it asynchronously.

If you just can't take not upgrading your memory, I'd upgrade the motherboard first. If you're considering $300+ memory, that's the same price as getting a DFI Ultra-D and the Mushkin XP.

 

[n7]

Mushkin PC4000 Redline
DDR500
3-3-2-8

That'd be my choice.

 

[Tostada]

Originally posted by: n7
Mushkin PC4000 Redline
DDR500
3-3-2-8

That'd be my choice.

You can choose between $185 Mushkin DDR500 CL3 and $320 Mushkin DDR500 CL3. You would choose to spend an extra $135 to get CL3-3-2-8?

How do you justify that?

Besides, he already said that they both might be incompatible with his board.

 

[starwars7]

The DFI nForce4 Ultra (939) Infinitymobo I'm looking at supports PC3200, so I would only be able to use DDR400 right.

Is this the OCZ Platinum your talking about: OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Tostada

Originally posted by: n7
Mushkin PC4000 Redline
DDR500
3-3-2-8

That'd be my choice.

You can choose between $185 Mushkin DDR500 CL3 and $320 Mushkin DDR500 CL3. You would choose to spend an extra $135 to get CL3-3-2-8?

How do you justify that?

Besides, he already said that they both might be incompatible with his board.

If every purchase had to be justified...well, i wouldn't spend half of what i do on my PC
I merely said that'd be my choice, since i like lower timings...

 

[noahabel]

Originally posted by: Tostada
I got the Mushkin XP DDR500 2x1GB kit and it overclocks really well. Looks like NewEgg keeps jacking up the price, too.

Honestly, with the situation you're in, I would just keep the memory you've got and run it asynchronously.

If you just can't take not upgrading your memory, I'd upgrade the motherboard first. If you're considering $300+ memory, that's the same price as getting a DFI Ultra-D and the Mushkin XP.

The Mushkin XP was my #1 choice, even at the slightly higher price, but it is the same UCCC chips that may or may not work with my mobo. I could go for a DFI board, but I do want SLi, and then I'm stuck thinking it's the $185 DR-Expert or nothing. Then I'm thinking I should get good memory that the DFI can really push...it's a viscious cycle, isn't it.

Basically, at the end of the day, I want to be able to play FEAR (and other future games that are this demanding) and be able to keep my system current and capable for as long as possible. Of course I made all these choices before I'd even heard of AM2, so there's always that boondoggle to look forward to. It would also be nice to able to play an intensive game while letting a P2P program run in the background. That's just not going to happen as is.

The decision for the Mushkins would have already been made had I not found out about the mobo incompatibility issue (thank god I did). I'd actually be fine running 2T as long as I could still get to 1:1, but I can't get a clear answer if even that is possible with any UCCC or Infineon CE-6-based chips. Asynchronous is fine for inherited RAM - but I basically dropped the ball selecting the XMS I did and if I'm going to make an additional purchase to get to 2GB, I might was well shoot for RAM I can run 1:1. Even if I lose $50 on the XMS, at least I'll be making a smart purchase now. I basically got lazy when I built the rig when it came to memory - I let the Corsair name and reputation warp my brain enough to forget that "XMS" alone does not make it good RAM for my purposes.

starwars7, I was referring to the OCZ EB platinum. Right now the only place with matched pairs in stock is Monarch, at $330 no less.

Anyone have any qualms about purchasing used RAM on eBay? Worth saving $50+?

 

[GamerExpress]

I really wouldn't buy any used memory from eBay if I were you.

 

[BUrassler]

I love my G.Skill Extreme DDR500, they were $204 shipped I think from the EGG. Currently running 1:1 @ 222MHz 2.5-3-3-6 @2.6v

 

[kd2777]

I have some of the Geil (good stuff) and it performs very well up to about 240.

kd

 

[noahabel]

Originally posted by: GamerExpress
I really wouldn't buy any used memory from eBay if I were you.

Yeah, the more I thought about it, the more I decided against it. Just not worth the $40-$50 savings to lose retailer support and risk getting bunk memory.

The search continues.