Athlon XP2200 Or Higher What Ram Is Best?

[ThingFromUranus]

Hi I am building a computer and I need help deciding on what ram to get. I will be using an Athlon XP2200 or higher and I don't know what ram will be best with my CPU. I could really use some help on this one.

Bjorn

 

[ThingFromUranus]

Bumpity Bump Bump!!

 

[AnAndAustin]

It does depend upon a couple of things.

Basicly DDR266-PC2100 is all you need and even on the KT333/400 which get the most out of the faster memories all you'll get is about 3% perf boost tops. In fact on SiS745 you lose speed when running async DDR333-PC2700 and IIRC nForce1 don't gain a thing.

However DDR333-PC2700 doesn't cost much more, will run happily as DDR266-PC2100 and with the fastest RAM timings and rock solid stability too. Another bonus to DDR333-PC2700 is far better future-proofing, okay only when o/c'ing an XP1600+ to XP2100+ or running XP2800+ at 333FSB is really going to be useful but it's nice to know you have the possibility. Not only that but if you want to o/c you'll be sure the RAM isn't the limiting factor if you go DDR333-PC2700. Although with an XP2200+ you are VERY unlikely to o/c at all regardless of HSF and RAM used. XP2400+ is the start of what should be a nicely o/c'able line, who knows you may even get near the sacred 333FSB with it (2.0ghz to 2.5ghz). If you may want to o/c the XP2400+ is the one to go for, just be sure to use a tweakable mobo.

DDR400-PC3200 is still a bit flaky and is known to sometimes be incompatible, it isn't a certified standard yet, but in any case it is not needed for SktA, the ever hungry ever-needing P4 is where DDR400's strength lies.

Another thing to consider is Dual Channel RAM. Only nForce currently do this and on nForce1 mobos it's only of use if you use the o/b GF2MX gfx. nForce2 shows a boost even without the o/b GF4MX gfx although not huge boost it is there. To take advantage of Dual Channel RAM you need the versions of nForce1 & 2 which support it and then plug 2 sticks of RAM in the right slots. Since SktA doesn't really need DDR333's bandwidth there's really no need to start worrying about Dual Channel RAM.

So I'd say get at least 256MB DDR333-PC2700, 512MB will do no harm but isn't hugley beneficial and more is easily added later, you may want to get 256MB so you can get XP2400+ instead of XP2200+. Do think about mobo chipset choice as well.

 

[ThingFromUranus]

Hey thanks for the ram and cpu info it is really helpfull. I will go for the pc2700 ram and probably a xp2400 thanx a bunch.
Bjorn

 

[AnAndAustin]

No prob happy to help, although do feel free to send any old parts you have my way

Let us know how you find your new kit esp if you do go XP2400+ as it should be one heck of a CPU, I forgot to mention that the XP2400+ is more like an XP2600+ compared to the XP2200+ as the XP rating has changed unofficially to accomodate the boost the P4 gets from 400->533mhz FSB and 256k->512k cache.