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A8N-SLI Premium...4GB or 2GB of memory?

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ReinhardHeydrich

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I was going to get 4GB of memory for my new PC, but I was told it would run better in games with 2GB that only take up 2 mem slots. Is that right? Does anyone make a 2GB stick with fast timings? I'd like 4GB, even if it costs allot more.

I will mainly be gaming, and this PC is a ASUS A8N-SLI Premium with an Athlon 4800+ X2 overclocked, and 2 two 7800s in SLi. What memory do you guys recommend? Thanks.
 
I'd actually avoid touching 4GB right now if you can, simply because 32bit OS's and consumer-grade boards aren't in complete agreement on how to handle it; that pesky PCI memory hole resides in the space above 3GB in 32bit mode and has to be worked around. I can't speak for Asus's specific board, but the fact that the problem even exists should be enough to discourage 4GB right now unless you can justify the need for it. It should also be mentioned that the maximum process size under Win32 is 2GB, so a single program couldn't use more than that under normal conditions even if it wanted too. Besides, what do you have that would use more than 2GB? Even WoW/EQ2 can't use more than that at the moment(even if we threw out the 2GB process limit).

Anyhow, to answer your question(s), it's a foregone conclusion that if you're going 4GB, it will be 4 1GB sticks. 2GB sticks are still all ECC and definitely are not capable of fast timings. Even 1GB sticks aren't that great, but since you're overclocking an already high-clocked chip, I doubt you'll notice. Pick up a pair of good OCZ 1GB sticks, and you'll be as happy as a clam.
 
I agree about the 4 GB being overkill...although on the plus side, I think I saw somewhere that the max amount of memory that Windows (32-bit) can address, including the pagefile, is 4 GB. So if you went and got the 4 GB of RAM, you'd never have to worry about a pagefile (unless the site I read this on was wrong).
 
What do you want 4gb for?

Some argue BF2 runs better with 2gb, but most seem to say it runs more than fine and dandy on their 1gb systems. BF2 is very much an exception in the amount of RAM it can make use of, 1gb is an amply generous amount for gamers while 2gb is a luxurious amount that isnt pointless and may actually be worthwhile in several games before too long.

But 4gb? Unless you're doing something unusual which I'd have thought you would then mention in the post, way overkill and only going to result in worse performance since 4x1gb sticks (or even worse, 2x2gb sticks) just dont run as fast per mb as IMHO the more effective options which are 2x512mb or 2x1gb.
 
Absolutely no reason for more than 2Gb right now, unless you have a very special high-RAM application need like professional grade Photoshop, CAD or VMWare.

Frankly 1 Gb is adequate for serious gaming, although BF2 does seem to run better with 2Gb. I'd say next year's games will probably be happier with 2Gb so if you can afford it get it, but it's not a must-have. You're better off spending the extra money on a faster video card.

Whatever you wind up doing, buy ONLY TWO memory sticks. Most modern mobos (especially dual channel mobos) are more stable with 2 sticks than they are with 4 sticks.

Also, do yourself a BIG favor and don't just order any old RAM. This board is littered with posts from people who bought the wrong RAM for their mobos. Use Crucial or Corsair's online database to look up the EXACT RAM that's guaranteed to work with your mobo.

If you're into serious gaming and your mobo is dual channel, then I would recommend Corsair XMS Twin-RAM memory. I would also recommend you check this link here for Corsair's recommend timing settings for your mobo when using XMS memory )if your mobo is not listed, email Corsair or RAMGuy): http://www.houseofhelp.com/v2/showthread.php?t=38150

Hope this helps...
 
Originally posted by: ReinhardHeydrich
I was going to get 4GB of memory for my new PC, but I was told it would run better in games with 2GB that only take up 2 mem slots. Is that right? Does anyone make a 2GB stick with fast timings? I'd like 4GB, even if it costs allot more.

I will mainly be gaming, and this PC is a ASUS A8N-SLI Premium with an Athlon 4800+ X2 overclocked, and 2 two 7800s in SLi. What memory do you guys recommend? Thanks.
Click to expand...

For what i know only Asus sli mobo can take 4 gig 4dimms posting 400 mhz, but at 2T. the only way to show 1T is 2 double sided and 2 single sided.
Most mobo (am pretty sure all of them) will only take 333Mhz, even if you use 400,450 or 500 rams, 4dimms. But I am sure you dont want 4gigs of 333.
2gigs(2x1gig) your best bet as everyone is suggetsing to u.

 
Wait Designit, are you saying that I can get 1T if I use 2x 512 and 2x 256? This is great if its true. OMFG. My next purchase will be 2x 256 of Winbound UTT!

Also, if you WANT to get 4GB, get it now, since DDR prices aren't going to get any cheaper. They are getting more expensive..... But, right now 4gb does nothing...
 
1GB is only enough for BF2 if you run at medium settings and close a bunch of backgroung apps.

1GB of ram will not let you run AIM, Xfire, Limewire, Azureus, Weatherbug, Avast AntiVirus, microsoft antispyware and BF2 at medium settings smoothly.

In my opinion, if you have to close such basic applications like these just to run BF2, then you need more ram.

Besides, at maximum settings BF2 takes over a gig by itself.

Go for 4GB if you can, it will only be a matter of two years or less before 2GB is not enough.
 
Originally posted by: Hacp
Wait Designit, are you saying that I can get 1T if I use 2x 512 and 2x 256? This is great if its true. OMFG. My next purchase will be 2x 256 of Winbound UTT!

Also, if you WANT to get 4GB, get it now, since DDR prices aren't going to get any cheaper. They are getting more expensive..... But, right now 4gb does nothing...
Click to expand...

well why 2x512? why not 2x1gig +2x256? this way you get 2.5gig ram. i dont know if they make 512 single side. if you find it then U have 3 gigs.
Let me find the reviews on asus and post it here for you. This is what i remember reading. That asus is the only mobo that you can use 4gig 2T but 1T if 2dimms are single sided.
I will post it for you asap

 
Originally posted by: Hacp
Wait Designit, are you saying that I can get 1T if I use 2x 512 and 2x 256? This is great if its true. OMFG. My next purchase will be 2x 256 of Winbound UTT!

Also, if you WANT to get 4GB, get it now, since DDR prices aren't going to get any cheaper. They are getting more expensive..... But, right now 4gb does nothing...
Click to expand...

Here- I found the link on overclockers forum. Read post #247


http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=395335&page=9&pp=30
 
K i'm going to try to confirm this on DFI-street 🙂. As for the why not more ram question and why 1.5, well I already have 2x 512 of UTT going 2-2-2-5... I don't want to sacrafice the performance my tight timings gave me just for 2gb, so I'm thinking 1.5 GB with 2 sticks of 512 UTT and 2 sticks of 256 UTT will be good enough. Tight timings, decent FSB, and no 2t! I'm just worried that games in the future, with their inefficient code, will tax my 1gb... The extra 512 MB will act as a nice buffer.

Number 247 didn't say anything about 2 sticks of 256 and 2 sticks of 512...
 
Originally posted by: Hacp
Wait Designit, are you saying that I can get 1T if I use 2x 512 and 2x 256? This is great if its true. OMFG. My next purchase will be 2x 256 of Winbound UTT!

Also, if you WANT to get 4GB, get it now, since DDR prices aren't going to get any cheaper. They are getting more expensive..... But, right now 4gb does nothing...
Click to expand...

here is a dutch or german website doing benchmark on chaintech and compares it to asus . If you read and make it "broken english" I think says asus the only mobo that takes 4dimms at 400 mhz. but I cant understand if 1t or not. most probably 2T.
But the point is u can use 4dimms w/ asus that can post 400 ram. read the part under 24-stunden...

http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl=de...techs1689-6.phtml&prev=/language_tools
 
Dark Age of Camelot, running two Catacombs instances taxes well over 1 GB of ram with their Player Vs. Player aspect, of 60+ players ... I'll be getting 4 gigs myself.
 
1GB of ram will not let you run AIM, Xfire, Limewire, Azureus, Weatherbug, Avast AntiVirus, microsoft antispyware and BF2 at medium settings smoothly.
Click to expand...

And why would you be running all that spyware crap in the background anyway? 🙂

 
Get 2 x 1024 now, and in a year or two when Windows64 is fully adopted and apps can actually use it get another 2 sticks. 4gb now with 32bit windows is a bad idea
 
bear in mind that buying ram for AMD isnt going to be much in the way of an investment, you'll likely be selling it on ebay on your next cpu upgrade as AMD are switching to DDR2 with the new core (and socket) next year
 
Originally posted by: Davegod
bear in mind that buying ram for AMD isnt going to be much in the way of an investment, you'll likely be selling it on ebay on your next cpu upgrade as AMD are switching to DDR2 with the new core (and socket) next year
Click to expand...


Very good point!... DDR2 is comeing... so all the DDR investments now are just to hold you thru a year or so... 4GB of ram now.. if you are running WINDOWS 32bit will be poinltess... if you are useing maybe some flavours of linux or something... or 64bit XP it might help ya....
 
Check My sig. My board is almost the same as Yours and I'm running 2GB atm without a problem. Battlefield 2 and WoW play perfectly.
 
CAD eh? If you can afford it, you might just want to build two systems, one workstation style machine with a powerful (maybe even server-class?) CPU and lots of RAM and a cheap graphics card/integrated graphics, and then a second gaming/desktop system with a decent CPU, high-end graphics, and 1 GB or at most 2 GB of RAM.
 
Originally posted by: Davegod
What do you want 4gb for?

Some argue BF2 runs better with 2gb, but most seem to say it runs more than fine and dandy on their 1gb systems. BF2 is very much an exception in the amount of RAM it can make use of, 1gb is an amply generous amount for gamers while 2gb is a luxurious amount that isnt pointless and may actually be worthwhile in several games before too long.

But 4gb? Unless you're doing something unusual which I'd have thought you would then mention in the post, way overkill and only going to result in worse performance since 4x1gb sticks (or even worse, 2x2gb sticks) just dont run as fast per mb as IMHO the more effective options which are 2x512mb or 2x1gb.
Click to expand...


BF2 takes about 812Mb while my OS already has 270Mb standard. Some parts are internally in windows flagged to go to the paging file anyways. I had been looking to disable the paging file when having 4GB, but since it doesn't support the 4G well and there is a lot of tweaking to do to get a system running without the pagefile/swapfile i'll go for 2GB: 2x1Gb that is
 
I have the Prmium and i am running 2GB with no issues. I have heard of problems with booting with 4GB on this board. A friend of mine said to me that you have to flash the BIOS and you can only run in 2T if at all.

I wouldn't go for more than 2GB anyway..
 
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